Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Vahe Melkonyan, MD

Optician · Sherman Oaks, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
4910 VAN NUYS BLVD, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
8188552230
In practice since 2007 (19 years)
NPI: 1073664934 verify on NPPES ↗
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. Melkonyan 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 →
Are you Dr. Melkonyan? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Melkonyan

Dr. Vahe Melkonyan is an optician specialist in Sherman Oaks, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Melkonyan performed 3,125 Medicare services across 1,607 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Melkonyan received a total of $91 from 2 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 4 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in optician. 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. Melkonyan 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.

✓ 19 years in practice ▲ Top 27% volume in CA $91 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
3,125
Medicare services
Top 27% in CA for optician
1,607
Unique beneficiaries
$429
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~164 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
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.
534 $78 $150
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.
532 $103 $250
Ultrasound of arm or leg veins
An ultrasound exam of the veins in the arm or leg. The test uses sound waves to check blood flow and may include compression and other maneuvers.
530 $170 $600
Ultrasound-guided injection into a single leg vein
A chemical agent is injected into one incompetent vein in the leg while using ultrasound to guide the needle placement.
512 $1,219 $4,000
Ultrasound of arm or leg veins
An ultrasound exam of the veins in one arm or leg using compression and other maneuvers to assess blood flow and check for blockages.
487 $110 $300
Ultrasound-guided injection into multiple incompetent leg veins
A procedure where a chemical agent is injected into several faulty veins in the same leg. Ultrasound guidance is used to ensure accurate placement of the injection.
327 $1,315 $4,000
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.
145 $122 $350
Laser vein destruction with imaging guidance
This procedure uses laser energy to destroy a faulty vein in the arm or leg. Imaging guidance is used to ensure accurate placement during the treatment.
32 $878 $3,500
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.
26 $50 $90
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.

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$91
Total received (2019-2024)
Avg $46/year across 2 years
Bottom 17% in CA for optician
2
Companies
4
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
$91 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$76
2019
$15

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Medtronic, Inc.
$41
Boston Scientific Corporation
$35
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2019-2024) ›
Boston Scientific Corporation
$50
Medtronic, Inc.
$41
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ARTISAN · VENASEAL · Varithena Administration Pack
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 (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Looking for an optician specialist in Sherman Oaks?
Compare opticians in the Sherman Oaks area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse opticians nearby

Geographic Context

Opticians within 10 mi
1,390
Per 100K population
14.1
County median income
$87,760
Nearest hospital
SHERMAN OAKS HOSPITAL
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. Melkonyan is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 27% 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

Is Dr. Melkonyan experienced with office visit, established patient (20-29 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Melkonyan performed 534 office visit, established patient (20-29 min) 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. Melkonyan receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Melkonyan received a total of $91 from 2 companies across 4 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. Melkonyan's costs compare to other opticians in Sherman Oaks?
Dr. Melkonyan's average Medicare payment per service is $429. 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. Melkonyan) 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 →
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.

Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology

Data Disclaimer — Data sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), Open Payments program, Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, and Provider Enrollment & Certification data (PECOS). Published under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Data may contain errors as reported to CMS by providers and reporting entities. Payments from industry are legal and do not indicate wrongdoing. Medicare data reflects only patients aged 65+ or those with qualifying disabilities. For corrections, contact CMS directly. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a healthcare provider. Procedure descriptions use plain language and do not reference CPT® codes, which are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Full methodology → · Report a data error → · Privacy policy →