Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Estuardo Ponce, M.D.

Ophthalmology · Tarpon Springs, FL
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
43309 US HIGHWAY 19 N, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689
7279382020
In practice since 2007 (18 years)
NPI: 1023213071 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. Ponce 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. Ponce? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Ponce

Dr. Estuardo Ponce is an ophthalmology in Tarpon Springs, FL, with 18 years in practice. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Ponce performed 47,550 Medicare services across 3,885 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Ponce received a total of $2,581 from 15 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 90 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in ophthalmology. 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. Ponce is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. This is not a quality rating. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.

✓ 18 years in practice▲ Top 2% volume in FL$ $2,581 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
47,550
Medicare services
Top 2% in FL for ophthalmology
3,885
Unique beneficiaries
$69
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~2,642 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.

ProcedureVolumeAvg. paidAvg. submitted
Eye injection (Vabysmo/faricimab)34,680$29$50
Retinal imaging (OCT scan)3,347$29$67
Eye injection for retinal disease2,286$100$213
Aflibercept eye injection (Eylea)1,968$682$1,704
Injection, ranibizumab, 0.1 mg1,576$179$591
Compounded drug, not otherwise classified1,018$56$375
Office visit, established patient (20-29 min)1,007$63$109
Injection, dexamethasone, intravitreal implant, 0.1 mg630$157$302
Office visit, established patient (30-39 min)287$90$161
Retinal photography (fundus photo)272$25$116
Comprehensive eye exam, established patient259$82$184
Exam of retinal blood vessels using a special camera after injection of a dye98$98$155
Comprehensive eye exam, new patient39$97$221
New patient office visit (45-59 min)21$84$249
Removal of membrane of retina with removal of internal limiting membrane of retina17$870$1,742
Unclassified drugs17$152$476
Complex repair of detached retina and drainage of eye fluid between lens and retina15$1,014$2,127
Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min)13$113$217
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 ↗
$2,581
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $369/year across 7 years
Top 42% in FL for ophthalmology
15
Companies
90
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
$2,473 (95.8%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$108 (4.2%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$531
2023
$371
2022
$326
2021
$289
2020
$145
2019
$562
2018
$358

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$916
Genentech USA, Inc.
$774
Allergan Inc.
$148
EyePoint Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$126
Harrow Eye, LLC
$116
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$99
Shire North American Group Inc
$96
ABBVIE INC.
$91
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$48
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$46
Allergan, Inc.
$40
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$30
Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$21
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$18
Alcon Vision LLC
$13
Top 3 companies account for 71.2% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTHAR · BEOVU · BROMSITE · BromSite (bromfenac ophthalmic solution) 0.075% · DUREZOL · EYLEA · EYLEA HD · EYSUVIS · IHEEZO · Izervay · Lucentis · OZURDEX · Vabysmo · XDEMVY · XIIDRA · YUTIQ
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 (96%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Equivalent to $5 per 100 Medicare services performed
Looking for a ophthalmology in Tarpon Springs?
Compare ophthalmologys in the Tarpon Springs area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Ophthalmologys within 10 mi
156
Per 100K population
16.2
County median income
$70,293
Nearest hospital
ADVENTHEALTH NORTH PINELLAS
0.0 mi

Data Sources

Provider Registry NPPESWeekly updates
Medicare Enrollment PECOSMonthly updates
Practice Data Medicare Util.Annual (CY lag)
Industry Payments Open PaymentsCY 2024
Disciplinary History— Not publicN/A

This provider has data in 4 of 4 available federal datasets, with a Data Coverage level of Very High. This measures how much public data is available about a provider — not how good they are. How we calculate this →

Summary

Dr. Ponce is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 2% in FL), and low-engagement industry engagement, with 18 years of practice experience.

This summary is auto-generated from federal data. It describes data availability and patterns — not clinical quality. Read our methodology →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dr. Ponce experienced with eye injection (vabysmo/faricimab)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Ponce performed 34,680 eye injection (vabysmo/faricimab) 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. Ponce receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Ponce received a total of $2,581 from 15 companies across 90 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. Ponce's costs compare to other ophthalmologys in Tarpon Springs?
Dr. Ponce's average Medicare payment per service is $69. 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. Ponce) 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. The Transparency Score measures 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 →