Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Alvin Li
Dermatology · San Mateo, 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. Li 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. Li
Dr. Alvin Li is a dermatology specialist in San Mateo, CA, with 8 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Li performed 2,405 Medicare services across 1,371 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Li received a total of $6,096 from 29 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 183 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in dermatology. 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. Li 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.
✓ 8 years in practice
▲ Top 48% volume in CA
$6,096 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗2,405
Medicare services
Top 48% in CA for dermatology
1,371
Unique beneficiaries
$134
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~301 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Destruction of precancerous skin growths, 2-14 This procedure involves the removal or destruction of two to fourteen precancerous skin lesions. It is performed to eliminate abnormal skin cells that have the potential to develop into cancer. |
842 | $7 | $15 |
| 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. |
292 | $79 | $165 |
| Destruction of precancerous skin growth, 1 Removal of a single precancerous skin growth. This procedure destroys abnormal skin cells to prevent them from developing into cancer. |
190 | $47 | $130 |
| Skin growth removal and lab exam, 1-5 blocks This procedure involves the removal of a growth from the head, neck, hands, feet, or genitals. The removed tissue is then examined under a microscope in the laboratory. |
147 | $516 | $1,310 |
| 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. |
120 | $109 | $235 |
| Removal and microscopic exam of growth of head, neck, hands, feet, or genitals, each additional stage, 1-5 tissue blocks | 105 | $413 | $805 |
| Skin biopsy, tangential A procedure to remove a sample of the first identified skin growth for laboratory examination. |
90 | $85 | $210 |
| Destruction of skin growths (warts/lesions), 1-14 This procedure involves the removal or destruction of one to fourteen skin growths. It is a minor surgical intervention performed on the skin surface. |
65 | $104 | $225 |
| 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. |
60 | $95 | $205 |
| Complicated wound repair, scalp/arms/legs, 2.6-7.5 cm A complex surgical procedure to close a wound on the scalp, arms, or legs that measures between 2.6 and 7.5 centimeters in length. |
56 | $361 | $840 |
| Complicated wound repair, 2.6-7.5 cm A complex surgical procedure to close a wound measuring between 2.6 and 7.5 centimeters on areas such as the face, neck, hands, or feet. |
53 | $255 | $925 |
| Surgical removal of skin cancer, 1.1-2.0 cm Surgical excision of a cancerous skin growth measuring between 1.1 and 2.0 centimeters on the body, arms, or legs. |
48 | $116 | $480 |
| Additional skin growth biopsy Removal of a sample of an additional skin growth for laboratory examination. This code is used for each extra lesion biopsied during the same session. |
46 | $51 | $105 |
| Skin growth removal and lab exam, 1-5 blocks A procedure to remove a growth from the trunk, arms, or legs and send 1 to 5 tissue samples to a laboratory for microscopic examination. |
30 | $392 | $1,235 |
| Complicated wound repair of trunk, 2.6-7.5 cm A surgical procedure to close a complex wound on the trunk that measures between 2.6 and 7.5 centimeters in length. |
29 | $353 | $790 |
| Destruction of 15 or more precancerous skin growths This procedure involves the removal or destruction of fifteen or more precancerous skin lesions. It is performed to treat abnormal skin cells that have the potential to develop into cancer. |
28 | $164 | $325 |
| Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
20 | $55 | $105 |
| Shaving of skin growth, 0.6-1.0 cm A minor procedure to shave off a skin growth on the body, arms, or legs that measures between 0.6 and 1.0 centimeters. |
19 | $112 | $245 |
| Additional Mohs surgery stage with microscopic exam This procedure involves the removal and microscopic examination of an additional stage of tissue from the trunk, arms, or legs. It is performed in stages to ensure complete removal of the growth. |
19 | $398 | $770 |
| 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. |
17 | $142 | $300 |
| Skin graft repair, 10 sq cm or less A surgical procedure to repair a wound on the scalp, arms, or legs by transferring a small piece of skin, 10 square centimeters or less, to the affected area. |
16 | $685 | $1,325 |
| Shaving of skin growth, 1.1-2.0 cm This procedure involves shaving off a skin growth measuring between 1.1 and 2.0 centimeters from the body, arms, or legs. |
15 | $136 | $280 |
| Surgical removal of skin cancer, 2.1-3.0 cm This procedure involves the surgical excision of a cancerous skin growth located on the body, arms, or legs. The size of the removed tissue measures between 2.1 and 3.0 centimeters. |
15 | $135 | $540 |
| Skin graft repair, 10 sq cm or less A surgical procedure to repair a wound by transferring a small piece of skin to the affected area. The graft covers wounds on the face, neck, hands, feet, or other specified body parts. |
15 | $722 | $1,420 |
| Destruction of cancer skin growth, 1.1-2.0 cm Removal of a cancerous skin growth on the trunk, arms, or legs that measures between 1.1 and 2.0 centimeters. |
15 | $155 | $345 |
| Shaving of skin growth on face, 0.6-1.0 cm This procedure involves shaving off a skin growth located on the face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, or mouth. The size of the growth being removed is between 0.6 and 1.0 centimeters. |
14 | $130 | $275 |
| Skin graft for scalp, arm, or leg wound, 10.1-30 sq cm This procedure involves repairing a wound on the scalp, arms, or legs by transferring skin from another area to cover the defect. The graft size is between 10.1 and 30.0 square centimeters. |
14 | $821 | $1,620 |
| Shaving of skin growth, 0.6-1.0 cm A minor procedure to shave off a skin growth measuring 0.6 to 1.0 cm from the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitals. |
13 | $97 | $245 |
| Skin graft repair of eyelid, nose, ear, or lip, 10 sq cm or less A surgical procedure to repair a wound on the eyelid, nose, ear, or lip by transferring a small piece of skin. The transferred skin covers an area of 10 square centimeters or less. |
12 | $730 | $1,430 |
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.
0.8% high complexity
5.7% medium
93.6% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$6,096
Total received (2019-2024)
Avg $1,016/year across 6 years
Top 25% in CA for dermatology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
29
Companies
183
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
$5,912 (97.0%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$184 (3.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$1,826
2023
$1,252
2022
$693
2021
$968
2020
$41
2019
$1,316
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ABBVIE INC.
$368
Incyte Corporation
$340
LEO Pharma Inc.
$238
Lilly USA, LLC
$198
GENZYME CORPORATION
$112
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$109
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$93
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$72
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$38
Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc.
$35
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$34
Amgen Inc.
$33
Galderma Laboratories, L.P.
$31
Dermavant Sciences, Inc.
$28
PFIZER INC.
$27
Biofrontera Inc.
$26
Ortho Dermatologics, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$24
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$21
Top 3 companies account for 51.8% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2019-2024) ›
ABBVIE INC.
$1,043
AbbVie, Inc.
$633
GENZYME CORPORATION
$551
Lilly USA, LLC
$508
Incyte Corporation
$492
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$475
AbbVie Inc.
$441
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$337
LEO Pharma Inc.
$256
Celgene Corporation
$125
Kyowa Kirin, Inc.
$119
VYNE Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$118
Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
$115
Amgen Inc.
$97
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$93
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$91
PFIZER INC.
$76
Galderma Laboratories, L.P.
$70
UCB, Inc.
$62
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$61
Dermavant Sciences, Inc.
$55
Biofrontera Inc.
$50
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$50
Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc.
$35
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$34
Organogenesis Inc.
$33
EPI Health, LLC
$30
Ortho Dermatologics, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$24
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$22
Top 3 companies account for 36.5% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ADBRY · AMELUZ · AMZEEQ · Bimzelx · CLODERM · COSENTYX · CYLTEZO · DUPIXENT · EPSOLAY · EUCRISA · GRAFIX · HUMIRA · Humira · ILUMYA · LIBTAYO · OPZELURA · Odomzo · Otezla · POTELIGEO · Puraply · REMICADE · RINVOQ · SILIQ · SKYRIZI · SPEVIGO · Skyrizi · Sotyktu · TALTZ · TREMFYA · Tremfya · VTAMA · XOLAIR · Zoryve
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 (97%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Dermatologists within 10 mi
384
Per 100K population
51.5
County median income
$156,000
Nearest hospital
SAN MATEO MEDICAL CENTER
2.7 mi
2.7 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. Li is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Li experienced with destruction of precancerous skin growths, 2-14?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Li performed 842 destruction of precancerous skin growths, 2-14 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. Li receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Li received a total of $6,096 from 29 companies across 183 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. Li's costs compare to other dermatologists in San Mateo?
Dr. Li's average Medicare payment per service is $134. 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. Li) 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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