Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Andrew Blecher, M.D.

Sports Medicine (Family Medicine) Physician · Van Nuys, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
6815 NOBLE AVE, Van Nuys, CA 91405
8189016600
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1013953520 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. Blecher 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 →
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What this data tells you about Dr. Blecher

Dr. Andrew Blecher is a sports medicine physician in Van Nuys, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Blecher performed 2,508 Medicare services across 1,231 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Blecher received a total of $863 from 5 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 51 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in sports medicine (family medicine) physician. 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. Blecher 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 19% volume in CA $863 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
2,508
Medicare services
Top 19% in CA for sports medicine (family medicine) physician
1,231
Unique beneficiaries
$66
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~132 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
Gadolinium MRI contrast injection
Administration of a gadolinium-based contrast agent to enhance magnetic resonance imaging. The dose is measured per milliliter of the agent injected.
449 $1 $11
Joint injection, major joint
Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space.
406 $64 $480
Hyaluronan injection (Euflexxa) for joint
An injection of hyaluronan or its derivative, specifically Euflexxa, administered directly into a joint space.
379 $99 $652
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.
372 $103 $858
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.
224 $132 $1,085
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.
138 $74 $508
Betamethasone steroid injection
An injection containing a combination of betamethasone acetate and betamethasone sodium phosphate.
109 $5 $30
Knee X-ray, 4 or more views
An imaging test using X-rays to create multiple pictures of the knee joint from different angles.
105 $40 $229
Shoulder X-ray, 2+ views
An X-ray imaging test of the shoulder joint using at least two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures.
55 $27 $166
Ultrasound-guided large joint aspiration or injection
This procedure uses ultrasound imaging to guide the removal of fluid from or the injection of medication into a large joint.
45 $87 $466
Limited ultrasound of joint or extremity
A focused ultrasound exam of a specific joint or other structure in the arm or leg, excluding blood vessels.
41 $35 $214
Ultrasound guidance for needle placement
Use of ultrasound imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure.
36 $52 $1,062
X-ray of lower and sacral spine, minimum of 4 views
An X-ray imaging test of the lower back and sacrum using at least four different angles to visualize the bones and joints.
35 $43 $281
Foot X-ray, 3+ views
An X-ray imaging test of the foot that captures at least three different views to evaluate the bones and joints.
31 $30 $167
Pelvis X-ray, 1-2 views
An X-ray imaging test of the pelvic area using one to two different angles to visualize the bones and joints.
26 $24 $174
Ankle X-ray, minimum 3 views
An X-ray imaging test of the ankle that captures at least three different angles to evaluate the bones and joints.
19 $33 $166
Hip joint contrast injection for imaging
A contrast dye is injected into the hip joint to enhance visibility during medical imaging procedures.
13 $209 $1,062
Complete ultrasound scan of joint
An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to create detailed images of a joint. This procedure allows for the visualization of the joint's internal structures.
13 $36 $560
Contrast injection for shoulder joint imaging
A contrast dye is injected into the shoulder joint to enhance imaging studies. This helps visualize the joint structures more clearly during the procedure.
12 $153 $883
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 ↗
$863
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $123/year across 7 years
Top 34% in CA for sports medicine (family medicine) physician
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
5
Companies
51
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
$863 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$93
2023
$59
2022
$99
2021
$186
2020
$257
2019
$147
2018
$22

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$43
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
$33
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$17
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$479
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$262
Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.
$70
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
$33
Bioventus LLC
$19
Top 3 companies account for 94.0% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
EUFLEXXA · GELSYN 3 · Iovera · MONOVISC · ORTHOVISC · Zilretta
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 a sports medicine physician in Van Nuys?
Compare sports medicine physicians in the Van Nuys area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse sports medicine physicians nearby

Geographic Context

Sports medicine physicians within 10 mi
30
Per 100K population
0.3
County median income
$87,760
Nearest hospital
VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN 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. Blecher is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 19% 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. Blecher experienced with gadolinium mri contrast injection?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Blecher performed 449 gadolinium mri contrast injection 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. Blecher receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Blecher received a total of $863 from 5 companies across 51 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. Blecher's costs compare to other sports medicine physicians in Van Nuys?
Dr. Blecher's average Medicare payment per service is $66. 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. Blecher) 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 →