Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Kala Swamynathan, M.D.

Optician · Stockton, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
1805 N CALIFORNIA ST, Stockton, CA 95204
2099485515
In practice since 2006 (20 years)
NPI: 1427029768 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. Swamynathan 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. Swamynathan? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Swamynathan

Dr. Kala Swamynathan is an optician specialist in Stockton, CA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Swamynathan performed 3,663 Medicare services across 3,152 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Swamynathan received a total of $1,504 from 24 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 68 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. Swamynathan 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.

✓ 20 years in practice ▲ Top 23% volume in CA $1,504 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
3,663
Medicare services
Top 23% in CA for optician
3,152
Unique beneficiaries
$79
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~183 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 (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.
1,063 $113 $195
Retinal imaging (OCT scan)
This procedure involves imaging the retina to visualize its structure. It is used to examine the back of the eye.
712 $38 $130
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.
501 $80 $137
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.
472 $35 $150
Visual field test, extended
A test that maps your complete field of vision to detect blind spots or peripheral vision loss. Extended testing provides a more detailed assessment than a standard visual field exam.
369 $60 $125
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.
156 $143 $290
Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan)
Imaging of the optic nerve.
125 $32 $130
Comprehensive eye exam, established patient
A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a patient who has previously been seen by the provider.
96 $122 $234
Ultrasound scan of cornea to determine thickness
An ultrasound procedure used to measure the thickness of the cornea.
62 $10 $45
Eye photography
Photographic imaging of the interior structures of the eye.
27 $20 $80
Eye drainage system examination
An examination of the internal drainage system of the eye to assess how fluid flows and drains from the eye.
24 $27 $65
Laser removal of recurring cataract
A laser procedure to remove a recurring cataract within the lens capsule.
23 $307 $600
Removal of excessive skin and fat of upper eyelid 21 $787 $3,600
Eye exam, established patient, focused
A limited examination of the visual system for an existing patient. The provider focuses on a specific eye-related concern or symptom.
12 $83 $160
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 ↗
$1,504
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $215/year across 7 years
Top 43% in CA for optician
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
24
Companies
68
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
$1,504 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$531
2023
$274
2022
$312
2021
$164
2020
$19
2019
$192
2018
$12

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS INC.
$221
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$93
Oyster Point Pharma, Inc.
$79
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$54
Alcon Vision LLC
$23
Harrow Eye, LLC
$22
Dompe US, Inc.
$21
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$17
Top 3 companies account for 74.1% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS INC.
$221
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$175
Alcon Vision LLC
$169
Oyster Point Pharma, Inc.
$144
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$107
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$93
Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$75
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$72
Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc.
$63
Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$48
ABBVIE INC.
$43
Allergan Inc.
$35
NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
$34
Optos, Inc.
$27
Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
$27
Bausch & Lomb, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$23
Allergan, Inc.
$23
Harrow Eye, LLC
$22
OPTOS, INC.
$22
Dompe US, Inc.
$21
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$17
TISSUETECH, INC.
$17
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$13
Alcon Laboratories Inc
$12
Top 3 companies account for 37.6% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ALPHAGAN P · Acuvue · BROMSITE · CEQUA · COMBIGAN · Cequa · Clareon · DAILIES · INVELTYS · LOTEMAX · MIEBO · NFC-700 · OXERVATE · P200DTx · PROKERA · RESTASIS MULTIDOSE · RYZUMVI · Rhopressa · Rocklatan · Simbrinza · Systane · TEPEZZA · TOTAL30 · TYRVAYA · Tecnis IOL · VERITAS Vision System · VEVYE · VUITY · VYZULTA · XDEMVY · XIIDRA
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 Stockton?
Compare opticians in the Stockton area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse opticians nearby

Geographic Context

Opticians within 10 mi
84
Per 100K population
10.7
County median income
$88,531
Nearest hospital
ST JOSEPH'S MEDICAL CENTER OF STOCKTON
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. Swamynathan is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 23% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, 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

Is Dr. Swamynathan experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Swamynathan performed 1,063 office visit, established patient (30-39 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. Swamynathan receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Swamynathan received a total of $1,504 from 24 companies across 68 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. Swamynathan's costs compare to other opticians in Stockton?
Dr. Swamynathan's average Medicare payment per service is $79. 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. Swamynathan) 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 →