Dr. Christine Chen, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Chen
Dr. Christine Chen is a radiation oncology specialist in San Diego, CA, with 14 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Chen performed 4,529 Medicare services across 434 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Chen received a total of $2,488 from 11 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 46 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in radiation oncology. 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. Chen 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.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based) A contrast agent containing 300-399 mg/ml of iodine used to enhance imaging studies. It is administered per milliliter to improve the visibility of internal structures. |
4,125 | $0 | $2 |
| 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. |
55 | $10 | $50 |
| Ultrasound guidance for blood vessel access Use of ultrasound imaging to help locate and access a blood vessel. This guidance assists healthcare providers in performing procedures such as inserting IV lines or drawing blood. |
52 | $11 | $48 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for central vein access device Use of live X-ray imaging to guide the placement or removal of a central vein access device. |
48 | $15 | $60 |
| CT scan of chest, without contrast A computed tomography scan of the chest area that uses X-rays to create detailed images without the use of contrast dye. |
30 | $96 | $919 |
| Central venous port insertion A surgical procedure to place a small reservoir under the skin for long-term access to the bloodstream. The device is connected to a vein to allow for repeated medication administration or blood draws. |
29 | $272 | $1,062 |
| Radiologist review of CT-guided needle placement A radiologist reviews the CT imaging used to guide the placement of a needle. |
25 | $56 | $180 |
| CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis using contrast dye before and after administration to visualize internal structures. |
22 | $315 | $1,419 |
| CT scan of abdomen and pelvis, without contrast A computed tomography scan that creates detailed images of the abdominal and pelvic organs. The procedure is performed without the use of intravenous contrast dye. |
19 | $153 | $706 |
| Abdominal fluid drainage with imaging guidance Removal of fluid from the abdominal cavity using imaging technology to guide the procedure. |
18 | $85 | $345 |
| Ultrasound guidance for needle placement Use of ultrasound imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
16 | $25 | $102 |
| Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy, first lesion A biopsy procedure where a thin needle is used to collect tissue samples from a growth, guided by ultrasound imaging. This code applies to the first lesion or mass sampled during the session. |
14 | $57 | $229 |
| Chest fluid aspiration with imaging guidance This procedure involves removing fluid from the chest cavity using imaging technology to guide the needle placement. |
14 | $82 | $354 |
| CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast A CT scan that uses dye to create detailed images of the abdomen and pelvis. This imaging test helps doctors examine internal organs and structures in these areas. |
14 | $279 | $1,119 |
| Insertion of tunneled central venous catheter for infusion, age 5+ A surgical procedure to place a long-term catheter into a large vein for delivering medications or fluids. The catheter is tunneled under the skin to reduce infection risk and provide stable access for patients aged 5 and older. |
13 | $213 | $828 |
| Low dose CT scan of chest for lung cancer screening A specialized CT scan of the chest using a lower radiation dose to screen for lung cancer. |
13 | $162 | $821 |
| Bone marrow biopsy and aspiration A procedure to remove a small sample of bone marrow and liquid for laboratory testing. The sample is analyzed to help diagnose various medical conditions. |
11 | $51 | $249 |
| Abdominal fluid drainage by tube with imaging guidance A procedure to remove fluid from the abdominal cavity using a tube. Imaging guidance is used to direct the placement of the tube. |
11 | $158 | $627 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2024)
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
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. Chen is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 17% of CA peers.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
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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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