Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Dennis Rassias, MD

Thoracic Surgery · Albany, NY
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Speaking/Promotional
317 S MANNING BLVD, Albany, NY 12208
5184540846
In practice since 2005 (20 years)
NPI: 1346227337 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. Rassias 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. Rassias

Dr. Dennis Rassias is a thoracic surgery specialist in Albany, NY, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Rassias performed 752 Medicare services across 601 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Rassias received a total of $7,776 from 13 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 44 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in thoracic surgery. The majority of payments are for speaking programs and promotional activities, reflecting participation in industry-sponsored events. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.

The Data Coverage level for Dr. Rassias 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 8% volume in NY $7,776 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
752
Medicare services
Top 8% in NY for thoracic surgery
601
Unique beneficiaries
$134
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~38 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
Hospital follow-up visit, low complexity
Follow-up hospital visit for an established patient with straightforward or low-level medical decision making. The visit requires at least 25 minutes of time spent on the day of service.
170 $38 $89
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.
90 $87 $230
New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) 76 $162 $464
Telephone medical discussion, 21-30 minutes
A telephone conversation with a physician lasting between 21 and 30 minutes. This code covers the time spent discussing medical matters over the phone.
76 $95 $219
Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min)
An office or outpatient visit for an existing patient lasting between 40 and 54 minutes. This level of service is determined by the total time spent on the date of the encounter.
64 $130 $325
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.
55 $122 $367
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.
50 $100 $310
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.
28 $62 $150
Abdominal repair of paraesophageal hernia
Surgical repair of a paraesophageal hernia performed through an incision in the abdomen.
20 $842 $2,178
Initial hospital admission, high complexity
Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 75 minutes total time on the date of the encounter.
20 $131 $456
Endoscopic removal of chest lymph nodes
A surgical procedure to remove lymph nodes from the chest cavity using an endoscope, a thin tube with a camera inserted through small incisions.
18 $155 $404
Lung exam with lobe removal via endoscope
This procedure involves examining the lung and removing a lobe using an endoscope. It is performed to inspect the lung tissue and surgically remove a section of the lung.
16 $1,063 $2,742
Radiologist review of digestive tract imaging
A radiologist reviews images to guide the opening of the digestive tract.
15 $21 $75
Bronchoscopy with ultrasound and lymph node sampling
A procedure using an endoscope and ultrasound to examine the lung airways and collect samples from 1 to 2 lymph nodes.
14 $152 $1,606
Initial hospital admission, low complexity
Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving straightforward or low-level medical decision making, with at least 40 minutes total time on the date of the encounter.
14 $57 $229
Lung airway biopsy using endoscope
A procedure to remove a small tissue sample from the lung airways using a flexible tube with a camera. The sample is examined to check for disease or abnormalities.
13 $80 $648
Esophageal dilation with guide wire and endoscope
A flexible endoscope is used to insert a guide wire into the esophagus, followed by dilation to widen the esophageal passage.
13 $128 $681
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 ↗
$7,776
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,111/year across 7 years
Top 31% in NY for thoracic surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
13
Companies
44
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.

Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$5,918 (76.1%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$1,858 (23.9%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$321
2023
$128
2022
$204
2021
$229
2020
$195
2019
$3,164
2018
$3,533

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$142
Davol Inc.
$139
Merit Medical Systems Inc
$21
KLS-Martin L.P.
$20
Top 3 companies account for 93.9% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
$5,985
Ethicon US, LLC
$683
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
$295
Ethicon Inc.
$196
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$180
Davol Inc.
$139
KLS-Martin L.P.
$114
Boston Scientific Corporation
$91
DAVOL INC.
$24
Merit Medical Systems Inc
$21
AtriCure, Inc.
$18
Olympus America Inc.
$16
Pinnacle Biologics, Inc
$14
Top 3 companies account for 89.6% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AGILE ESOPHAGEAL · AtriCure AtriClip LAA Exclusion System · Da Vinci Surgical System · ECHELON ENDOPATH Stapler · EVICEL Fibrin Sealant (Human) · EXALT Model D · Echelon Powered Circular · KEYTRUDA · LINX Reflux Management System · Megadyne · Monarch Platform · Olympus EndoTherapy Accessories · PROPATEN Vascular Graft · Phasix Mesh · Photofrin · ReSolve Drainage Catheters · STRATAFIX · SURGICEL NU-KNIT · Suture · VIABAHN Endoprosthesis with Heparin Bioactive Surface
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 →

The majority of payments (76%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in thoracic surgery and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware.

Looking for a thoracic surgery specialist in Albany?
Compare thoracic surgerists in the Albany area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse thoracic surgerists nearby

Geographic Context

Thoracic surgerists within 10 mi
23
Per 100K population
7.3
County median income
$83,149
Nearest hospital
ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER 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. Rassias is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 8% in NY), with speaking/promotional 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

Is Dr. Rassias experienced with hospital follow-up visit, low complexity?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Rassias performed 170 hospital follow-up visit, low complexity 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. Rassias receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Rassias received a total of $7,776 from 13 companies across 44 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. Rassias's costs compare to other thoracic surgerists in Albany?
Dr. Rassias's average Medicare payment per service is $134. 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. Rassias) 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 →