Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Mehul Thakkar, M.D.
Internal Medicine · Tarzana, 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. Thakkar 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. Thakkar?
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What this data tells you about Dr. Thakkar
Dr. Mehul Thakkar is an internal medicine specialist in Tarzana, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Thakkar performed 2,987 Medicare services across 2,420 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Thakkar received a total of $3,191 from 34 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 165 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in internal medicine. 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. Thakkar 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 10% volume in CA
$3,191 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗2,987
Medicare services
Top 10% in CA for internal medicine
2,420
Unique beneficiaries
$32
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~157 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
424 | $8 | $17 |
| 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. |
416 | $48 | $301 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
269 | $10 | $37 |
| 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. |
247 | $64 | $425 |
| Annual wellness visit, follow-up A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service. |
176 | $76 | $434 |
| Lipid panel (cholesterol and triglycerides) A blood test that measures cholesterol and triglyceride levels. |
175 | $13 | $58 |
| Hemoglobin A1c test (diabetes monitoring) A blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. |
172 | $10 | $34 |
| Complete blood count (CBC), automated An automated laboratory test that measures the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood. |
170 | $6 | $23 |
| Complete blood count (CBC) with differential An automated laboratory test that measures the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood, including a breakdown of the different types of white blood cells. |
88 | $8 | $27 |
| Flu vaccine administration This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient. |
72 | $34 | $73 |
| Basic metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of basic chemicals, including total calcium levels. |
70 | $8 | $30 |
| Flu vaccine, high-dose High-dose seasonal influenza vaccine for adults aged 65 and older. Contains four times the antigen of standard-dose flu vaccines (60 mcg per strain), split-virus formulation, preservative-free, single-dose syringe. |
67 | $71 | $168 |
| Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report. |
67 | $11 | $73 |
| PSA test (prostate cancer screening) | 65 | $18 | $64 |
| Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test A blood test that measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone to evaluate thyroid function. |
63 | $16 | $59 |
| Pneumonia vaccine administration This procedure involves the injection of a vaccine to protect against pneumococcal disease. It is administered by a healthcare provider. |
57 | $34 | $156 |
| Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) An intramuscular injection of the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. It is used to protect against diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. |
53 | $281 | $685 |
| Vitamin B-12 level test A blood test that measures the amount of vitamin B-12 in your body. |
44 | $15 | $53 |
| Urine microalbumin test (kidney screening) A laboratory test that measures the amount of microalbumin, a small protein, in a urine sample. This test is used to detect early signs of kidney damage. |
35 | $6 | $20 |
| Creatinine test (kidney function) A blood test that measures the amount of creatinine to assess kidney function or detect muscle injury. |
35 | $5 | $18 |
| Free thyroxine (T4) test A blood test that measures the level of free thyroxine, a thyroid hormone, in the bloodstream. |
34 | $9 | $32 |
| Vitamin D level test A blood test to measure the amount of Vitamin D-3 in your body. |
31 | $29 | $103 |
| Sed rate test (inflammation marker) This automated test measures how quickly red blood cells settle in a tube to detect inflammation in the body. |
22 | $3 | $9 |
| 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. |
22 | $44 | $190 |
| Direct bilirubin level test A blood test that measures the amount of direct bilirubin in your body. Direct bilirubin is the form of the waste product processed by the liver. |
18 | $5 | $18 |
| Cardiac enzyme level (CK-MB) test A blood test that measures the total level of creatine kinase, specifically the cardiac enzyme fraction, to help evaluate heart muscle damage. |
16 | $6 | $23 |
| Uric acid level test A blood test that measures the level of uric acid in your body. Uric acid is a waste product formed when the body breaks down purines. |
16 | $4 | $16 |
| Prothrombin time test (blood clotting) A laboratory test that measures how long it takes for blood to clot. This procedure evaluates the body's coagulation process. |
15 | $4 | $14 |
| Iron level test | 13 | $6 | $23 |
| Iron binding capacity test A blood test that measures the amount of iron in the blood and the blood's ability to bind and transport iron. |
13 | $9 | $27 |
| Ferritin level test (iron stores) A blood test that measures the level of ferritin, a protein that stores iron in the body. |
11 | $13 | $48 |
| Initial preventive physical examination, new Medicare beneficiary A comprehensive preventive health visit for new Medicare beneficiaries during their first 12 months of enrollment. The service is conducted as a face-to-face visit and is limited to preventive care. |
11 | $158 | $551 |
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 2020 ↗$3,191
Total received (2018-2020)
Avg $1,064/year across 3 years
Top 20% in CA for internal medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
34
Companies
165
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
$3,191 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2020
$269
2019
$1,597
2018
$1,325
Payments by company (2020)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$65
Amgen Inc.
$50
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$35
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$31
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$27
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$25
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$22
Lilly USA, LLC
$14
Top 3 companies account for 55.6% of 2020 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2020) ›
Amgen Inc.
$749
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$436
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$277
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$215
Lilly USA, LLC
$154
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$131
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$130
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$118
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$91
Genentech, Inc.
$89
Novo Nordisk Inc
$88
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$77
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$65
EISAI INC.
$56
Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc
$46
Lundbeck LLC
$44
Radius Health, Inc.
$43
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$39
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$32
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$32
PFIZER INC.
$30
MannKind Corporation
$28
Relypsa, Inc.
$25
Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
$25
AKEBIA THERAPEUTICS INC
$20
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$20
Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$18
Vertiflex, Inc.
$18
Eisai Inc.
$18
OPKO Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$17
Mannkind Corporation
$17
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.
$17
Allergan Inc.
$14
Genentech USA, Inc.
$14
Top 3 companies account for 45.8% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AFREZZA · AURYXIA · Aimovig · Amitiza · BEVESPI AEROSPHERE · BYDUREON · Belviq · CRYSVITA · EMGALITY · EVENITY · FARXIGA · HUMALOG · Horizant · INJECTAFER · JANUVIA · JYNARQUE · LINZESS · NORTHERA · Ozempic · PRALUENT · PRALUENT ALIROCUMAB INJECTION · PREVNAR - 13 · Parsabiv · Peripheral Orbital Atherectomy System · Prolia · Rayaldee · Repatha · SAMSCA · SHINGRIX · SOLIRIS · STIOLTO RESPIMAT · SYMBICORT · Superion ISS · TRADJENTA · TRULICITY · Trintellix · Trulance · Tymlos · Ultomiris · Vascepa · Veltassa · XIFAXAN · Xofluza
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.
Geographic Context
Internal medicine physicians within 10 mi
3,866
Per 100K population
39.3
County median income
$87,760
Nearest hospital
PROVIDENCE CEDARS SINAI TARZANA MEDICAL CENTER
0.0 mi
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 2020 |
| 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. Thakkar is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 10% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 20% of CA peers, 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. Thakkar experienced with blood draw (venipuncture)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Thakkar performed 424 blood draw (venipuncture) 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. Thakkar receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Thakkar received a total of $3,191 from 34 companies across 165 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. Thakkar's costs compare to other internal medicine physicians in Tarzana?
Dr. Thakkar's average Medicare payment per service is $32. 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. Thakkar) 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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