Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Carlos Medina Mendez, M.D.

Ophthalmology · Sacramento, CA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Speaking/Promotional
3939 J ST, Sacramento, CA 95819
9164544861
In practice since 2010 (15 years)
NPI: 1811218316 verify on NPPES ↗
Very High
DATA COVERAGE
Data in 4 of 4 federal sources
Measures public federal data availability — not provider quality
Informational, not a quality rating. This page presents federal public records about Dr. Medina Mendez from CMS (NPPES, Open Payments, Medicare Provider Utilization, PECOS). It is not medical advice, an endorsement, or a judgment of clinical quality. Always consult the provider directly and a licensed clinician for medical decisions. Read methodology →
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What this data tells you about Dr. Medina Mendez

Dr. Carlos Medina Mendez is an ophthalmology specialist in Sacramento, CA, with 15 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Medina Mendez performed 55,009 Medicare services across 6,560 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Medina Mendez received a total of $487,863 from 20 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 549 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in ophthalmology. The majority of payments are for speaking programs and promotional activities, reflecting participation in industry-sponsored events. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.

The Data Coverage level for Dr. Medina Mendez is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.

✓ 15 years in practice ▲ Top 1% volume in CA $487,863 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
55,009
Medicare services
Top 1% in CA for ophthalmology
6,560
Unique beneficiaries
$110
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~3,667 Medicare services per year of practice

Top procedures by volume

Ranked by number of services performed for Medicare patients. Avg. submitted charge is what the provider billed; avg. Medicare payment is what CMS paid.

Procedure Volume Avg. paid Avg. submitted
Eye injection (Vabysmo/faricimab)
An injection of faricimab-svoa, a medication administered in 0.1 mg doses.
33,060 $29 $80
Aflibercept eye injection (Eylea) 4,710 $688 $1,792
Retinal imaging (OCT scan)
This procedure involves imaging the retina to visualize its structure. It is used to examine the back of the eye.
4,532 $31 $150
Eye injection for retinal disease
A procedure involving the administration of medication directly into the eye.
3,353 $100 $1,161
Ranibizumab-nuna biosimilar injection, 0.1 mg
An injection of the biosimilar medication ranibizumab-nuna (Byooviz) at a dose of 0.1 mg.
3,105 $170 $500
Injection, ranibizumab, 0.1 mg 1,242 $184 $531
Eye exam, established patient, focused
A limited examination of the visual system for an existing patient. The provider focuses on a specific eye-related concern or symptom.
1,189 $69 $327
Office visit, established patient (20-29 min)
An office visit for an existing patient lasting between 20 and 29 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition.
951 $63 $310
Ranibizumab-eqrn injection, 0.1 mg
An injection of the biosimilar medication ranibizumab-eqrn (Cimerli) in a 0.1 mg dose.
577 $216 $670
Retinal angiography with dye injection
This procedure uses a special camera to examine the blood vessels in the retina after a dye has been injected into the body.
536 $108 $489
Comprehensive eye exam, established patient
A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a patient who has previously been seen by the provider.
384 $87 $450
Pegcetacoplan intravitreal injection, 1 mg
An injection of pegcetacoplan administered into the vitreous humor of the eye. The dose specified is 1 milligram.
315 $120 $310
Retinal photography (fundus photo)
This procedure involves taking photographs of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. It is used to document the condition of the eye's interior structures.
236 $27 $138
New patient office visit (45-59 min)
An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 45 and 59 minutes. This code covers the total time spent by the physician or qualified healthcare professional on the date of the encounter.
181 $122 $567
Compounded drug, not otherwise classified
A medication prepared specifically for an individual patient by a pharmacist or physician, tailored to meet unique needs that cannot be fulfilled by commercially available products.
156 $73 $550
New patient office visit (30-44 min)
An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range.
137 $85 $380
Extended eye exam with retinal drawing
A detailed examination of the back of the eye that includes creating a drawing of the retina.
65 $17 $90
Ultrasound of eye tissue and structures
A diagnostic imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the eye's internal tissues and structures.
63 $36 $183
Retinal laser treatment for leaking blood vessels
This procedure uses a laser to seal leaking blood vessels in the retina. It is performed to prevent vision loss caused by fluid leakage from damaged retinal vessels.
49 $267 $1,453
Unclassified drug
A medication that does not fit into standard HCPCS or CPT classification categories.
48 $1,869 $8,177
Office visit, established patient (30-39 min)
A follow-up office visit for an existing patient lasting between 30 and 39 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition.
33 $91 $440
Comprehensive eye exam, new patient
A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a new patient.
28 $85 $522
Retinal detachment repair with fluid drainage
A surgical procedure to reattach a detached retina by draining excess fluid from the space between the lens and the retina.
21 $854 $4,419
Vitreous removal between lens and retina
This procedure involves the removal of the vitreous fluid located between the lens and the retina of the eye.
15 $754 $3,791
Removal of retinal membrane
A surgical procedure to remove a membrane from the surface of the retina.
12 $949 $4,800
Retinal photocoagulation to prevent detachment
This procedure uses laser light to create small burns on the retina. It is performed to help prevent the retina from detaching from the back of the eye.
11 $207 $1,068
How to read this data: This reflects Medicare patients only (typically 65+). Payment amounts are what Medicare paid the provider, not your out-of-pocket cost. A higher procedure volume generally indicates more experience with that procedure.

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$487,863
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $69,695/year across 7 years
Top 1% in CA for ophthalmology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
20
Companies
549
Individual payments
All payments are legal and publicly reported · Not evidence of wrongdoing · How to interpret →

Payment profile

Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.

Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$455,033 (93.3%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$28,801 (5.9%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$4,029 (0.8%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$164,617
2023
$170,134
2022
$68,680
2021
$9,976
2020
$1,261
2019
$66,831
2018
$6,364

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$59,079
Genentech USA, Inc.
$42,251
Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$35,527
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$19,987
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$5,683
EyePoint Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$1,626
Alimera Sciences, Inc.
$224
Biogen, Inc.
$133
Alcon Vision LLC
$58
Genentech, Inc.
$26
Amgen Inc.
$24
Top 3 companies account for 83.1% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Genentech USA, Inc.
$136,298
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$102,937
Biogen, Inc.
$94,466
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$66,775
Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$39,684
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$23,205
Allergan, Inc.
$7,621
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$5,683
Genentech, Inc.
$4,526
Alimera Sciences, Inc.
$3,987
EyePoint Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$1,626
Alcon Vision LLC
$403
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$144
Alcon Laboratories Inc
$132
Allergan Inc.
$126
Coherus Biosciences Inc.
$125
Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc.
$42
Hoffmann-La Roche Limited
$38
Amgen Inc.
$24
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
$19
Top 3 companies account for 68.4% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTHAR · AcrySof IQ PanOptix · BEOVU · BROLUCIZUMAB · BYOOVIZ · Cimerli · Clareon · Constellation · EYLEA · EYLEA HD · EYP-1901 · ILUVIEN · Iluvien · Izervay · LenSx · Lucentis · None Specified · OZURDEX · PAVBLU · SUSVIMO · Susvimo · Syfovre · Tecnis IOL · VABYSMO · Vabysmo · YUTIQ
Should you be concerned? Payments from pharmaceutical and device companies are legal and common — 57% of U.S. physicians receive at least one. They often reflect legitimate consulting, research, or education. What matters is whether a recommended drug or device appears in your doctor's payment records. If so, consider asking your doctor about it. How to interpret this data →

The majority of payments (93%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in ophthalmology and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 1% for ophthalmology in CA.

Looking for an ophthalmology specialist in Sacramento?
Compare ophthalmologists in the Sacramento area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Ophthalmologists within 10 mi
144
Per 100K population
9.1
County median income
$88,724
Nearest hospital
MERCY GENERAL HOSPITAL
0.0 mi

Data Sources

Provider Registry NPPES Weekly updates
Medicare Enrollment PECOS Monthly updates
Practice Data Medicare Util. Annual (CY lag)
Industry Payments Open Payments CY 2024
Disciplinary History — Not public N/A

This provider has data in 4 of 4 available federal datasets, with a Data Coverage level of Very High. This reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →

Summary

Dr. Medina Mendez is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 1% in CA), with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 1% of CA peers, with 15 years of NPI registration.

This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dr. Medina Mendez experienced with eye injection (vabysmo/faricimab)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Medina Mendez performed 33,060 eye injection (vabysmo/faricimab) services. Research suggests that higher procedure volume is often associated with better outcomes, particularly for complex procedures. Note that Medicare data only captures patients aged 65 and older, so the total practice volume across all patients is likely higher.
Does Dr. Medina Mendez receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Medina Mendez received a total of $487,863 from 20 companies across 549 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common among physicians — 57% of all U.S. physicians receive at least one industry payment. Patients may wish to ask their doctor about these relationships, especially if a recommended drug or device appears in the payment records.
How do Dr. Medina Mendez's costs compare to other ophthalmologists in Sacramento?
Dr. Medina Mendez's average Medicare payment per service is $110. Note that these figures represent what Medicare pays, not your out-of-pocket cost, which depends on your specific insurance plan and deductible. Procedure-level data above shows both what was submitted and what Medicare paid for each service type.
What does Data Coverage mean?
Data Coverage (currently Very High for Dr. Medina Mendez) measures how much public federal data is available about a provider. It is not a quality rating. A "Very High" or "High" level means the provider has data across multiple federal sources (NPPES, PECOS, Medicare Utilization, Open Payments), indicating a long track record of practice, Medicare participation, and industry disclosure. A "Low" or "Moderate" level may simply mean the provider is newer, does not see Medicare patients, or has not received any industry payments — none of which are inherently negative. Read our full methodology →
Is this data up to date?
Each data source has its own update cycle. Provider registry data (NPPES) is updated weekly. Medicare enrollment (PECOS) is updated monthly. Medicare practice data has a ~2 year lag — the most recent available is typically 2 years prior. Industry payment data (Open Payments) is published annually, usually in June, covering the prior calendar year. We display the data date prominently on each section so you always know how current it is. See our data freshness policy →
About this page

All data on this page is sourced verbatim from public federal records published by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): NPPES ↗, Open Payments ↗, Medicare Provider Utilization ↗, and PECOS. Publication is mandated by the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (§6002 ACA, 42 U.S.C. §1320a-7h) and the Freedom of Information Act.

This page is not medical advice, an endorsement, a recommendation, or a quality rating. Data Coverage reflects data completeness — how much federal information exists for this provider — not clinical performance, patient outcomes, or quality of care. Always verify information directly with the provider and consult a licensed clinician before making medical decisions.

Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology

Data Disclaimer — Data sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), Open Payments program, Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, and Provider Enrollment & Certification data (PECOS). Published under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Data may contain errors as reported to CMS by providers and reporting entities. Payments from industry are legal and do not indicate wrongdoing. Medicare data reflects only patients aged 65+ or those with qualifying disabilities. For corrections, contact CMS directly. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a healthcare provider. Procedure descriptions use plain language and do not reference CPT® codes, which are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Full methodology → · Report a data error → · Privacy policy →