Dr. Sophia Symko, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Symko
Dr. Sophia Symko is a radiation oncology specialist in Santa Monica, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Symko performed 43,515 Medicare services across 1,707 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Symko received a total of $1,337 from 6 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 12 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. Symko 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| MRI contrast dye injection (gadoterate) Administration of gadoterate meglumine, a contrast agent, in a 0.1 ml dose. |
35,211 | $0 | $1 |
| 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. |
6,841 | $0 | $0 |
| MRI of lower spine, without contrast A magnetic resonance imaging scan of the lower spinal canal that does not use contrast dye to create detailed images of the spine. |
386 | $153 | $1,097 |
| MRI scan of brain, without contrast A magnetic resonance imaging test of the brain that does not use contrast dye. This procedure creates detailed images of the brain's structure using magnetic fields and radio waves. |
206 | $160 | $1,241 |
| MRI of upper spine without contrast An MRI scan of the upper spinal canal that does not use contrast dye. This imaging test uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed pictures of the spine. |
195 | $138 | $1,119 |
| MRI of brain with and without contrast An MRI scan of the brain using contrast dye both before and after administration to provide detailed images of brain structures. |
161 | $271 | $1,650 |
| CT scan of head/brain, without contrast A CT scan uses X-rays to create detailed images of the head or brain without the use of contrast dye. |
137 | $80 | $470 |
| CT scan of lower spine, without contrast A computed tomography scan that creates detailed images of the lower spine using X-rays without the use of contrast dye. |
85 | $96 | $615 |
| MRI of middle spinal canal, without contrast This procedure uses magnetic resonance imaging to create detailed pictures of the middle section of the spinal canal. It is performed without the use of contrast dye. |
81 | $125 | $1,114 |
| CT scan of upper spine, without contrast A CT scan uses X-rays to create detailed images of the upper spine. This procedure is performed without the use of contrast dye. |
49 | $89 | $598 |
| MRI of head blood vessels without contrast An MRI scan that creates detailed images of the blood vessels in the head without using contrast dye. |
33 | $172 | $1,209 |
| CT scan of head/brain with and without contrast A CT scan of the head or brain performed using contrast dye both before and after its administration to capture detailed images. |
23 | $122 | $764 |
| CT scan of middle spine, without contrast A CT scan of the middle spine performed without the use of contrast dye. This imaging test uses X-rays to create detailed pictures of the vertebrae and surrounding structures. |
23 | $96 | $616 |
| MRI of lower spine with and without contrast An MRI scan of the lower spinal canal performed both before and after the administration of contrast dye to enhance image detail. |
23 | $251 | $1,564 |
| CT scan of neck blood vessels with contrast A computed tomography scan that uses dye to visualize the blood vessels in the neck. This imaging test helps examine the structure and flow within the neck's vascular system. |
18 | $197 | $1,279 |
| MRI of neck blood vessels without contrast This procedure uses magnetic resonance imaging to create detailed pictures of the blood vessels in the neck without the use of contrast dye. |
16 | $193 | $1,209 |
| MRI of upper spine with and without contrast An MRI scan of the upper spinal canal performed both before and after the administration of contrast dye to enhance image detail. |
16 | $267 | $1,653 |
| MRI of spinal canal with and without contrast A magnetic resonance imaging scan of the central spinal canal performed both before and after the administration of contrast dye to enhance image detail. |
11 | $293 | $1,540 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2018 ↗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 (2018)
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 2018 |
| 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. Symko is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 3% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 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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