Dr. James Chou, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Chou
Dr. James Chou is a gastroenterology specialist in Boston, MA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Chou performed 594 Medicare services across 473 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Chou received a total of $2,545 from 21 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 132 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in gastroenterology. 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. Chou 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.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colonoscopy with biopsy A procedure to collect tissue samples from the large intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities or disease. |
89 | $285 | $1,314 |
| Colon polyp removal with endoscopic snare This procedure removes polyps or growths from the large bowel using a flexible tube with a camera and a wire loop tool. The snare is used to cut off the growths during the examination. |
54 | $391 | $1,468 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
53 | $8 | $17 |
| 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. |
50 | $6 | $26 |
| 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. |
47 | $105 | $346 |
| Upper GI endoscopy with biopsy A procedure to collect tissue samples from the esophagus, stomach, or upper small intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities. |
45 | $256 | $1,083 |
| 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. |
42 | $74 | $265 |
| Blood creatinine level test A blood test that measures the amount of creatinine, a waste product from muscle wear and tear, to help assess kidney function. |
35 | $5 | $21 |
| Liver function blood test panel | 34 | $8 | $33 |
| Blood glucose test using reagent strip A test that measures the level of sugar in the blood using a chemical reagent strip. |
28 | $5 | $13 |
| Iron level test | 25 | $6 | $26 |
| Transferrin level test A blood test that measures the amount of transferrin, a protein that binds to and transports iron in the body. |
25 | $12 | $52 |
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range. |
22 | $79 | $346 |
| Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening, high risk A colonoscopy performed to screen for colorectal cancer in individuals identified as being at high risk for the disease. |
17 | $339 | $1,100 |
| Vitamin B-12 level test A blood test that measures the amount of vitamin B-12 in your body. |
15 | $15 | $61 |
| Moderate sedation during GI endoscopy Sedation services provided by the physician performing a gastrointestinal endoscopic procedure. This requires an independent trained observer to assist in monitoring the patient. |
13 | $4 | $186 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2023 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2023)
All-time payments by company (2018-2023) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
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 2023 |
| 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. Chou is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, 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
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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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