Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Andreas Sakopoulos, M.D.
Thoracic Surgery · Salinas, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
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. Sakopoulos 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. Sakopoulos
Dr. Andreas Sakopoulos is a thoracic surgery specialist in Salinas, CA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Sakopoulos performed 1,335 Medicare services across 963 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Sakopoulos received a total of $25,610 from 31 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 166 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in thoracic surgery. Most payments are for meals and travel — low-value interactions common across virtually all practicing physicians. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Sakopoulos 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.
✓ 20 years in practice
▲ Top 6% volume in CA
$25,610 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,335
Medicare services
Top 6% in CA for thoracic surgery
963
Unique beneficiaries
$153
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~67 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity Subsequent hospital inpatient or observation care for an existing patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 50 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
299 | $100 | $248 |
| Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) An office or outpatient visit for an existing patient lasting between 40 and 54 minutes. This level of service is determined by the total time spent on the date of the encounter. |
194 | $143 | $336 |
| Initial hospital admission, high complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 75 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
149 | $146 | $475 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 114 | $179 | $480 |
| 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. |
104 | $106 | $250 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an existing patient involving moderate medical decision making. The visit requires at least 35 minutes of time spent on the date of service. |
83 | $66 | $173 |
| Endoscopic vein harvest A surgical procedure to remove a vein using an endoscope, which is a thin, lighted tube inserted through small incisions. |
43 | $7 | $23 |
| Coronary artery bypass graft, 1 artery Surgical procedure to bypass a blocked coronary artery using a graft from another artery. This restores blood flow to the heart muscle. |
42 | $768 | $2,579 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 21-30 minutes A telephone conversation with a physician lasting between 21 and 30 minutes. This code covers the time spent discussing medical matters over the phone. |
37 | $102 | $250 |
| Sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes Administration of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by the physician performing a procedure. This code covers the initial 15 minutes of sedation for patients aged 5 years or older. |
35 | $10 | $139 |
| 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. |
27 | $120 | $382 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving moderate-level medical decision making, with at least 55 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
25 | $109 | $323 |
| Coronary artery bypass graft, 2 grafts A surgical procedure to restore blood flow to the heart by creating bypasses using two vein or artery grafts. |
19 | $209 | $644 |
| Arm vein relocation with artery connection for hemodialysis A surgical procedure to move a vein in the arm and connect it to an artery to create access for hemodialysis. |
18 | $505 | $1,671 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, low complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an established patient with straightforward or low-level medical decision making. The visit requires at least 25 minutes of time spent on the day of service. |
18 | $42 | $96 |
| Radiologist review of arm or leg artery images A radiologist reviews images of the arteries in one or both arms or legs to assess blood flow and vessel health. |
17 | $76 | $275 |
| 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. |
16 | $70 | $167 |
| Left atrial appendage exclusion Surgical closure of the left atrial appendage of the heart, performed as part of another chest procedure. |
15 | $95 | $310 |
| Coronary artery bypass graft, 1 graft Surgery to create a new route for blood to flow around a blocked coronary artery using a vein or artery graft. |
15 | $89 | $284 |
| Transcatheter aortic valve replacement via femoral artery A minimally invasive procedure to replace a diseased aortic heart valve using a catheter inserted through the skin and femoral artery. |
14 | $600 | $1,978 |
| Arterial thrombectomy, chest, neck, or brain A procedure to remove a blood clot and part of an artery in the chest, neck, or brain. |
14 | $890 | $2,675 |
| Balloon angioplasty of leg artery, initial vessel A procedure to widen a narrowed or blocked artery in the leg using a balloon catheter. This is performed on the first vessel treated during the session. |
13 | $395 | $1,408 |
| Radiologist review of arm or leg artery image A radiologist reviews images of the arteries in the arm or leg. This process involves analyzing the visual data to assess the blood vessels. |
12 | $68 | $223 |
| Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report. |
12 | $13 | $51 |
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.
6.7% high complexity
1.3% medium
91.9% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$25,610
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $3,659/year across 7 years
Top 17% in CA for thoracic surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
31
Companies
166
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.
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$23,312 (91.0%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$2,298 (9.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$416
2023
$180
2022
$182
2021
$1,745
2020
$1,698
2019
$2,680
2018
$18,709
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$154
Medtronic, Inc.
$45
LeMaitre Vascular, Inc.
$37
Penumbra, Inc.
$34
SCPHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$31
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$22
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$22
Boston Scientific Corporation
$21
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$17
Amgen Inc.
$17
Ethicon US, LLC
$15
Top 3 companies account for 56.9% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$18,905
ATRICURE, INC.
$1,302
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$1,073
LivaNova USA, Inc.
$1,015
Boston Scientific Corporation
$910
Abbott Laboratories
$634
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$343
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$231
Medtronic, Inc.
$222
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$153
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
$121
BIOTRONIK INC.
$118
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$81
Terumo Medical Corporation
$66
Baxter Healthcare
$49
Bardy Diagnostics, Inc.
$48
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$42
LeMaitre Vascular, Inc.
$37
Penumbra, Inc.
$34
Admedus Corporation
$33
SCPHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$31
Ethicon US, LLC
$26
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$22
Artivion, Inc.
$18
Amgen Inc.
$17
Shockwave Medical, Inc
$16
AtriCure, Inc.
$15
ABIOMED
$15
Veran Medical Technologies, Inc.
$14
KLS-Martin L.P.
$14
Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
$5
Top 3 companies account for 83.1% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
3F · ABRE · ALPHAVAC · ARTEGRAFT VASCULAR GRAFT · AURYON LASER SYSTEM 100-120 VAC · Absolute Pro vascular stent system · Acculink carotid stent system · AngioSeal · Aortic Tissue Valve - Perceval · AtriCure AtriClip LAA Exclusion System · BRIDION · COREVALVE EVOLUT R · COSEAL · CardioMEMS HF System · Carnation Ambulatory Monitor · Conformable TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis · CoreValve Evolut · Dare to C.A.R.E. · Diamondback Coronary · EDWARDS INTUITY Elite valve system · ELUVIA · ENTRESTO · EPI-SENSE GUIDED COAGULATION SYSTEM WITH VISITRAX · EPIC VASCULAR · EXCLUDER AAA Endoprosthesis · Edwards SAPIEN 3 Ultra Transcatheter Heart Valve · Endurant · Ensite Cardiac Mapping System · FUROSCIX · GENERAL STRUCTURAL HEART · GENERAL - ANGIOGRAPHY · GENERAL - ATHERECTOMY · GENERAL - VASCULAR INTERVENTION · GLIDESHEATH SLENDER · GLIDEWIRE · HawkOne · IN.PACT ADMIRAL · IN.PACT Admiral · INNOVA · INSPIRIS RESILIA aortic valve · Indigo System · Irrigated Ablation Catheters · JETSTREAM · LOTUS EDGE · Legacy · Memo4D · Mitra Clip system · MitraClip System · ON-X AORTIC HEART VALVE WITH CONFORM-X SEWING RING AND EXTENDED HOLDER · OSTENE · Omnilink Elite vascular stent system · PROLENE · Penditure · Perceval · Repatha · SAPIEN 3 Ultra RESILIA · SIGNIA · SURGICEL Family of Absorbable Hemostats · Shockwave IVL System with the Shockwave C2 Coronary IVL Catheter · Spin · VERQUVO · Valiant Captivia · Valiant Navion · Vascular Lithotripsy · XARELTO
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 →
Most payments (91%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Thoracic surgerists within 10 mi
4
Per 100K population
0.9
County median income
$94,486
Nearest hospital
SALINAS VALLEY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
0.0 mi
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. Sakopoulos is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 6% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 17% of CA peers, with 20 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. Sakopoulos experienced with hospital follow-up visit, high complexity?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Sakopoulos performed 299 hospital follow-up visit, high complexity 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. Sakopoulos receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Sakopoulos received a total of $25,610 from 31 companies across 166 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. Sakopoulos's costs compare to other thoracic surgerists in Salinas?
Dr. Sakopoulos's average Medicare payment per service is $153. 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. Sakopoulos) 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 →
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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.
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