Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Wales Shao, M.D.

Body Imaging Physician · Flushing, NY
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
5645 MAIN ST, Flushing, NY 11355
7186701594
In practice since 2006 (20 years)
NPI: 1619930732 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. Shao 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. Shao? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Shao

Dr. Wales Shao is a body imaging physician in Flushing, NY, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Shao performed 7,347 Medicare services across 502 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Shao received a total of $18,692 from 5 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 17 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in body imaging physician. 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. Shao 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 40% volume in NY $18,692 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
7,347
Medicare services
Top 40% in NY for body imaging physician
502
Unique beneficiaries
$26
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~367 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
Contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based)
A contrast agent containing 300-399 mg/ml of iodine used to enhance imaging studies. It is administered per milliliter to improve the visibility of internal structures.
6,879 $0 $0
Needle or tube insertion into hemodialysis circuit with radiologist review
A procedure involving the insertion of a needle or tube into a hemodialysis circuit, accompanied by a review of the procedure by a radiologist.
94 $667 $1,654
Hemodialysis circuit intervention with balloon dilation
A procedure to insert a needle or tube into a hemodialysis circuit and dilate the dialysis segment using a balloon, with radiological review.
63 $1,147 $3,615
Ultrasound of head and neck soft tissue
This procedure uses sound waves to create images of the soft tissues in the head and neck area. It allows for the visualization of structures beneath the skin without using radiation.
58 $98 $408
Fluoroscopic guidance for central vein access device
Use of live X-ray imaging to guide the placement or removal of a central vein access device.
48 $97 $377
Complete ultrasound of abdomen
A diagnostic imaging test that uses sound waves to create detailed pictures of the organs and structures within the abdomen.
28 $92 $544
Ultrasound guidance for blood vessel access
Use of ultrasound imaging to help locate and access a blood vessel. This guidance assists healthcare providers in performing procedures such as inserting IV lines or drawing blood.
27 $38 $130
Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy, first lesion
A biopsy procedure where a thin needle is used to collect tissue samples from a growth, guided by ultrasound imaging. This code applies to the first lesion or mass sampled during the session.
26 $129 $3,219
Chest X-ray, 2 views
An X-ray imaging test of the chest that captures two different angles to visualize the lungs, heart, and chest wall.
25 $30 $513
Ultrasound of head and neck blood flow, bilateral
An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow in the vessels of both the head and the neck.
25 $161 $671
Balloon dilation of dialysis access with radiologist review
A minimally invasive procedure to widen a narrowed section of a dialysis access vessel using a balloon catheter. The procedure includes review by a radiologist to ensure proper placement and effectiveness.
24 $570 $2,104
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.
20 $50 $128
Central venous port insertion
A surgical procedure to place a small reservoir under the skin for long-term access to the bloodstream. The device is connected to a vein to allow for repeated medication administration or blood draws.
17 $953 $3,945
Removal of tunneled central venous tube
This procedure involves the removal of a catheter that has been surgically placed under the skin and threaded into a large vein.
13 $131 $537
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 ↗
$18,692
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $4,673/year across 4 years
Top 6% in NY for body imaging physician
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
5
Companies
17
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
$18,692 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$45
2023
$26
2019
$176
2018
$18,444

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Boston Scientific Corporation
$32
Terumo Medical Corporation
$13
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
$18,444
Boston Scientific Corporation
$190
Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
$34
Terumo Medical Corporation
$13
Covidien LP
$11
Top 3 companies account for 99.9% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
2D Helical - 35 · ANGIOJET · HYDROPEARL · POWERPORT · Palindrome · VACCESS
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 6% for body imaging physician in NY.

Looking for a body imaging physician in Flushing?
Compare body imaging physicians in the Flushing area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse body imaging physicians nearby

Geographic Context

Body imaging physicians within 10 mi
137
Per 100K population
5.9
County median income
$84,961
Nearest hospital
NEW YORK-PRESBYTERIAN/QUEENS
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. Shao is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 6% of NY 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. Shao experienced with contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Shao performed 6,879 contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based) 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. Shao receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Shao received a total of $18,692 from 5 companies across 17 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. Shao's costs compare to other body imaging physicians in Flushing?
Dr. Shao's average Medicare payment per service is $26. 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. Shao) 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 →