Dr. Laura Downey, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Downey
Dr. Laura Downey is an optician specialist in West Orange, NJ, with 21 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Downey performed 4,265 Medicare services across 2,949 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Downey received a total of $2,002 from 17 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 133 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in optician. 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. Downey 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
780 | $76 | $128 |
| Ear wax removal A procedure to remove impacted ear wax from the ear canal. |
722 | $37 | $150 |
| 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. |
625 | $107 | $192 |
| Microscopic ear examination A detailed visual inspection of the ear using a specialized microscope to examine the ear canal and eardrum. |
487 | $25 | $150 |
| Middle ear function test A diagnostic test used to evaluate how well the middle ear is functioning. |
348 | $14 | $50 |
| Impacted earwax removal by physician Removal of impacted earwax from one or both ears by a physician on the same day as audiologic testing. |
312 | $41 | $150 |
| Inner ear fluid canal incision with drug infusion A surgical procedure involving an incision into the fluid-filled canal of the inner ear followed by the infusion of medication. |
158 | $211 | $1,200 |
| 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. |
151 | $90 | $181 |
| Nasal endoscopy A diagnostic procedure that uses a thin, lighted tube to examine the inside of the nasal passages. |
138 | $166 | $340 |
| 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. |
133 | $143 | $254 |
| Flexible laryngoscopy A diagnostic exam of the voice box using a flexible endoscope to visualize the larynx. |
95 | $112 | $304 |
| Simple removal of skin debris and drainage of mastoid cavity This procedure involves the simple removal of skin debris and the drainage of a mastoid cavity. |
93 | $62 | $200 |
| Eardrum incision with tube insertion A small cut is made in the eardrum to insert a ventilation tube, performed under local or topical anesthesia. |
35 | $178 | $500 |
| Nasal and throat exam with endoscope A procedure to visually examine the nose and throat using a thin, flexible tube with a camera. This allows for direct visualization of the internal structures of the upper airway. |
33 | $108 | $300 |
| Comprehensive hearing and speech recognition test A diagnostic evaluation that assesses hearing ability and the capacity to understand spoken words. The test measures how well a patient can detect sounds and recognize speech. |
31 | $31 | $165 |
| 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. |
28 | $48 | $91 |
| Repair of eardrum | 22 | $354 | $1,000 |
| Eardrum incision, aspiration, and/or inflation A procedure involving making an incision in the eardrum, removing fluid, and/or inflating the middle ear space. |
16 | $175 | $400 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 11-20 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 11 and 20 minutes. |
13 | $40 | $50 |
| Eardrum incision with tube placement under general anesthesia A surgical procedure involving an incision in the eardrum to insert a ventilation tube, performed while the patient is under general anesthesia. |
12 | $140 | $733 |
| Swallowing function evaluation An assessment to evaluate how well a patient can swallow. This procedure examines the mechanics and safety of the swallowing process. |
11 | $77 | $375 |
| Swallowing evaluation using an endoscope This procedure involves using an endoscope to visually evaluate and record the swallowing process. |
11 | $185 | $309 |
| Swallowing evaluation using endoscope This procedure involves evaluating, recording, and interpreting the swallowing process by using an endoscope to visualize the throat and esophagus. |
11 | $32 | $125 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗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 (2024)
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (95%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
3.1 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. Downey is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 16% in NJ), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 21 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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