Dr. Sanford Chen, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Chen
Dr. Sanford Chen is an ophthalmology specialist in Santa Ana, CA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Chen performed 25,561 Medicare services across 3,748 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Chen received a total of $108,654 from 40 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 608 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in ophthalmology. The majority of payments are for consulting, which typically reflects recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eye injection (Vabysmo/faricimab) An injection of faricimab-svoa, a medication administered in 0.1 mg doses. |
13,020 | $29 | $50 |
| Extended eye exam with retinal drawing A detailed examination of the back of the eye that includes creating a drawing of the retina. |
2,419 | $20 | $90 |
| Retinal imaging (OCT scan) This procedure involves imaging the retina to visualize its structure. It is used to examine the back of the eye. |
2,351 | $33 | $155 |
| Aflibercept eye injection (Eylea) | 2,146 | $693 | $1,051 |
| Eye injection for retinal disease A procedure involving the administration of medication directly into the eye. |
1,600 | $97 | $1,100 |
| Comprehensive eye exam, established patient A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a patient who has previously been seen by the provider. |
1,442 | $101 | $185 |
| 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. |
783 | $139 | $210 |
| Injection, ranibizumab, 0.1 mg | 509 | $186 | $420 |
| Pegcetacoplan intravitreal injection, 1 mg An injection of pegcetacoplan administered into the vitreous humor of the eye. The dose specified is 1 milligram. |
330 | $120 | $200 |
| Dexamethasone intravitreal implant injection An injection of a dexamethasone implant placed inside the eye. This procedure delivers medication directly into the vitreous cavity of the eye. |
245 | $159 | $215 |
| Remote patient monitoring management, 20 min/month Management based on results from remote vital sign monitoring for the first 20 minutes per calendar month. |
162 | $43 | $150 |
| 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. |
137 | $124 | $264 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 136 | $168 | $250 |
| 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. |
92 | $30 | $200 |
| Unclassified drug A medication that does not fit into standard HCPCS or CPT classification categories. |
67 | $1,978 | $3,754 |
| 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. |
61 | $72 | $180 |
| 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. |
25 | $106 | $185 |
| 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. |
23 | $42 | $297 |
| Multiple eye pressure measurements over time This procedure involves taking several measurements of the fluid pressure inside the eye across an extended period. It is used to monitor intraocular pressure levels. |
13 | $72 | $150 |
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 (41%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Total industry engagement is in the top 4% for ophthalmology 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. Chen is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 4% in CA), with consulting-driven industry engagement in the top 4% 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
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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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