Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Joel Velasquez, MD
Internal Medicine · Victorville, 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. Velasquez 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. Velasquez
Dr. Joel Velasquez is an internal medicine specialist in Victorville, CA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Velasquez performed 1,349 Medicare services across 877 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Velasquez received a total of $14,636 from 50 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 752 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. Velasquez 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 24% volume in CA
$14,636 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,349
Medicare services
Top 24% in CA for internal medicine
877
Unique beneficiaries
$65
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~67 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. |
548 | $63 | $125 |
| 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. |
274 | $75 | $176 |
| Annual depression screening | 182 | $20 | $34 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an existing patient involving moderate medical decision making. The visit requires at least 35 minutes of time spent on the date of service. |
75 | $65 | $125 |
| Quadrivalent influenza vaccine, preservative-free A flu shot containing four strains of the influenza virus, formulated without preservatives, administered in a 0.5 ml dose. |
48 | $21 | $35 |
| Flu vaccine administration This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient. |
44 | $32 | $35 |
| Hospital discharge day management, 30 minutes or less This service covers the final day of hospital care when the patient is being discharged. It includes coordination of care and instructions for the patient within a time frame of 30 minutes or less. |
30 | $67 | $106 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving moderate-level medical decision making, with at least 55 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
29 | $104 | $228 |
| Annual wellness visit, follow-up A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service. |
26 | $135 | $180 |
| 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. |
25 | $94 | $230 |
| Transitional care management, high complexity Coordination of care for a patient transitioning from a short-term hospital stay or other facility to home or another care setting. This service addresses a high-complexity medical problem. |
20 | $232 | $384 |
| 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. |
19 | $282 | $324 |
| Pneumonia vaccine administration This procedure involves the injection of a vaccine to protect against pneumococcal disease. It is administered by a healthcare provider. |
18 | $32 | $34 |
| 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. |
11 | $11 | $35 |
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 ↗$14,636
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $2,091/year across 7 years
Top 7% in CA for internal medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
50
Companies
752
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
$14,636 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,245
2023
$2,379
2022
$2,187
2021
$2,023
2020
$1,716
2019
$2,106
2018
$1,980
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$284
Novo Nordisk Inc
$242
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$205
Amgen Inc.
$203
PFIZER INC.
$191
ABBVIE INC.
$165
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$148
Lilly USA, LLC
$147
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$125
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$111
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$62
Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$59
Mylan Specialty L.P.
$52
Dexcom, Inc.
$47
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$46
Corcept Therapeutics
$37
SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$35
Abbott Laboratories
$30
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$25
Exact Sciences Corporation
$16
Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$16
Top 3 companies account for 32.6% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Novo Nordisk Inc
$3,113
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$1,456
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$1,376
PFIZER INC.
$1,268
Abbott Laboratories
$714
Lilly USA, LLC
$624
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$491
AbbVie Inc.
$473
ABBVIE INC.
$404
Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
$378
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$375
Amgen Inc.
$338
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$335
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$282
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$235
Eisai Inc.
$201
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$181
Mylan Specialty L.P.
$175
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$172
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$161
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$142
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$130
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$125
Melinta Therapeutics, LLC
$125
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$114
Dexcom, Inc.
$112
Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$101
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$97
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$88
Allergan, Inc.
$82
Corcept Therapeutics
$77
Mentor Worldwide LLC
$65
Allergan Inc.
$64
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$62
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$55
Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$52
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$49
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$49
Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$45
Almatica Pharma LLC
$44
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$41
SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$35
Arbor Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$20
EISAI INC.
$20
Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc.
$18
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$17
Exact Sciences Corporation
$16
MannKind Corporation
$15
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$13
DERMIRA, INC.
$12
Top 3 companies account for 40.6% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ADVAIR · AFREZZA · AIRSUPRA · AJOVY · ANORO · ANORO ELLIPTA · AREXVY · Aimovig · BELSOMRA · BEVESPI AEROSPHERE · BREO · BREZTRI · BYDUREON · BYSTOLIC · Belviq · CHANTIX · COLOGUARD · COLOGUARD DNA CAPTURE REAGENTS · CONTRAVE · CREON · Cologuard Collection Kit · DALIRESP · DUPIXENT · Dayvigo · Dexcom G6 Transmitter · ELIQUIS · EMGALITY · ENTRESTO · EUCRISA · Edarbi · Edarbyclor · FARXIGA · FASENRA · FREESTYLE LIBRE · FREESTYLE LIBRE 2 · FREESTYLE LIBRE 3 · FreeStyle Libre · FreeStyle Libre 2 · GARDASIL · GARDASIL 9 · GRALISE · GVOKE HYPOPEN · GVOKE PFS · HORIZANT · Horizant · JANUVIA · JARDIANCE · Kerendia · Kimyrsa · Korlym · LINZESS · LOREEV XR · LUCEMYRA · LYRICA · LifeVest · MOUNJARO · MOVANTIK · MemoryGel Breast Implants · NUCALA · NURTEC ODT · Otezla · Ozempic · PNEUMOVAX 23 · PREMARIN · PREVNAR - 13 · PREVNAR 13 · PREVNAR 20 · Prolia · QBREXZA · QULIPTA · QUVIVIQ · RYBELSUS · Repatha · Rybelsus · SOLIQUA · SOLIQUA 100/33 · SPIRIVA RESPIMAT · STIOLTO · STIOLTO RESPIMAT · SYMBICORT · Saxenda · TEZSPIRE · TOUJEO · TRELEGY ELLIPTA · TRINTELLIX · TRULICITY · Tresiba · UBRELVY · VOQUEZNA · VRAYLAR · Vascepa · Victoza · WINREVAIR · Wegovy · XARELTO · XIFAXAN · YUPELRI · Yupelri · ZEPBOUND · ZTLido
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. Total industry engagement is in the top 7% for internal medicine in CA.
Geographic Context
Internal medicine physicians within 10 mi
123
Per 100K population
5.6
County median income
$82,184
Nearest hospital
VICTOR VALLEY GLOBAL 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 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. Velasquez is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 24% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 7% of CA peers, 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. Velasquez experienced with office visit, established patient (20-29 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Velasquez performed 548 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. Velasquez receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Velasquez received a total of $14,636 from 50 companies across 752 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. Velasquez's costs compare to other internal medicine physicians in Victorville?
Dr. Velasquez's average Medicare payment per service is $65. 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. Velasquez) 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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