Dr. David Kunkel, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Kunkel
Dr. David Kunkel is a gastroenterology specialist in San Diego, CA, with 17 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Kunkel performed 708 Medicare services across 667 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Kunkel received a total of $202,427 from 22 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 209 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in gastroenterology. 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. Kunkel 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
143 | $85 | $369 |
| Moderate sedation during GI endoscopy Sedation services provided by the physician performing a gastrointestinal endoscopic procedure. This requires an independent trained observer to assist in monitoring the patient. |
75 | $4 | $218 |
| Colon polyp removal with endoscopic snare This procedure removes polyps or growths from the large bowel using a flexible tube with a camera and a wire loop tool. The snare is used to cut off the growths during the examination. |
61 | $210 | $1,872 |
| Non-needle muscle activity measurement of bladder and bowel openings This procedure measures and records the electrical activity of muscles at the bladder and bowel openings without using needles. |
58 | $29 | $318 |
| Rectal and anal tone and sensation test A physical examination to assess muscle tone and sensory function in the rectum and anus. |
58 | $38 | $533 |
| Rectal sensitivity and function study A test to evaluate the sensitivity and functional performance of the rectum. |
58 | $69 | $311 |
| Upper GI endoscopy with biopsy A procedure to collect tissue samples from the esophagus, stomach, or upper small intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities. |
41 | $80 | $1,224 |
| 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. |
37 | $123 | $559 |
| Colonoscopy with biopsy A procedure to collect tissue samples from the large intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities or disease. |
35 | $53 | $1,656 |
| Upper endoscopy (EGD) A diagnostic exam of the esophagus, stomach, and upper small bowel using a flexible endoscope. |
23 | $77 | $1,049 |
| Esophageal motility study A test that evaluates the movement and function of the esophagus. |
22 | $47 | $240 |
| Esophageal function monitoring via nasal tube This procedure involves monitoring and recording esophageal function using a tube inserted through the nose that contains electrodes. |
20 | $35 | $203 |
| Esophageal function monitoring via capsule This procedure involves monitoring and recording the function of the esophagus using a small capsule attached to the esophageal wall. |
19 | $67 | $608 |
| Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening A colonoscopy performed to screen for colorectal cancer in individuals who are not at high risk for the disease. |
17 | $188 | $1,854 |
| Injection beneath large bowel lining via endoscope A flexible endoscope is used to inject medication or fluid beneath the lining of the large intestine. |
15 | $14 | $1,634 |
| 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. |
14 | $107 | $468 |
| Colonoscopy A diagnostic exam of the large bowel using a flexible endoscope to visualize the interior of the colon. |
12 | $146 | $2,779 |
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 ›
The majority of payments (89%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in gastroenterology and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 2% for gastroenterology in CA.
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. Kunkel is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 2% of CA peers, with 17 years of NPI registration.
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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