Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Vikas Varma, MD
Optician · Fresh Meadows, NY
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
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. Varma 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. Varma
Dr. Vikas Varma is an optician specialist in Fresh Meadows, NY, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Varma performed 2,173 Medicare services across 1,058 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Varma received a total of $11,430 from 43 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 323 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. Varma 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 34% volume in NY
$11,430 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗2,173
Medicare services
Top 34% in NY for optician
1,058
Unique beneficiaries
$85
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~109 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
711 | $79 | $113 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
315 | $1 | $2 |
| Electromyography of arm or leg muscles A test that measures the electrical activity in the muscles of the arm or leg using a needle electrode. It helps evaluate the health of muscles and the nerve cells that control them. |
270 | $91 | $119 |
| Nerve conduction studies, 11-12 A diagnostic test that measures how well nerves send electrical signals. It involves performing 11 to 12 separate nerve conduction studies. |
123 | $228 | $294 |
| Contrast dye for imaging, lower concentration | 115 | $0 | $2 |
| 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. |
91 | $96 | $146 |
| 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. |
60 | $34 | $56 |
| Vestibular function test with thermal irrigation A test that assesses balance by irrigating both ears with warm and cool fluids to evaluate inner ear function. |
44 | $36 | $47 |
| Balance testing with recording A procedure to evaluate balance function by recording the results during testing. |
44 | $98 | $127 |
| Use of electrodes during balance testing Application of electrodes to monitor physiological responses during a balance assessment. |
44 | $10 | $16 |
| Auditory brainstem response test A test that measures the brain's response to sound to determine hearing thresholds. The results are interpreted and reported by a medical professional. |
44 | $95 | $145 |
| Vestibular function test using rotating chair This test evaluates eye movement and balance function by having the patient sit in a rotating chair. It helps assess how the inner ear and brain coordinate to maintain stability. |
42 | $117 | $150 |
| Placement of skin electrodes and measurement of stimulated sites in legs This procedure involves placing skin electrodes on the legs and measuring the sites where stimulation is applied. |
29 | $149 | $297 |
| Balance and posture test A test to evaluate a patient's balance and posture. This assessment measures stability and body alignment. |
26 | $43 | $64 |
| Complete ultrasound of brain blood flow An ultrasound test that evaluates blood flow within the brain's blood vessels. It uses sound waves to create images of the vessels and assess circulation. |
26 | $204 | $354 |
| Ultrasound of brain blood flow following medication An ultrasound test used to assess blood flow within the brain after a medication has been administered. |
26 | $210 | $358 |
| Ultrasound of brain blood flow An ultrasound test used to examine blood flow within the brain to check for blood clots. |
26 | $149 | $400 |
| Spine facet joint injection with imaging guidance, single level An injection is administered into a single facet joint of the lower or sacral spine while using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
23 | $234 | $431 |
| Facet joint injection, second level, with imaging guidance An injection into a lower or sacral spine facet joint using imaging guidance for the second level treated. |
23 | $122 | $227 |
| Awake and drowsy EEG A test that records electrical activity in the brain while the patient is awake and drowsy. |
19 | $322 | $431 |
| VEMP testing of inner ear nerve branches This test evaluates the function of the upper and lower branches of the inner ear nerve. It includes the performance of the test along with interpretation and a written report. |
17 | $121 | $168 |
| Additional sacral spine nerve root injection with imaging An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into an additional sacral spine nerve root level, guided by imaging. |
15 | $120 | $180 |
| Sacral spine nerve root injection with imaging guidance An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into a sacral spine nerve root. The procedure uses imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
14 | $244 | $419 |
| Placement of skin electrodes and measurement of stimulated sites in arms Skin electrodes are placed on the arms to measure the response to stimulation at specific sites. |
13 | $171 | $400 |
| Placement of skin electrodes and measurement of stimulated sites on arms and legs This procedure involves placing skin electrodes and measuring stimulated sites on the arms and legs. |
13 | $345 | $550 |
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 ↗$11,430
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,633/year across 7 years
Top 13% in NY for optician
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
43
Companies
323
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
$8,489 (74.3%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$1,949 (17.1%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$992 (8.7%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$1,658
2023
$1,709
2022
$4,194
2021
$1,267
2020
$1,221
2019
$18
2018
$1,364
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Alphatec Spine, Inc
$409
PFIZER INC.
$266
Valinor Pharma, LLC
$224
ABBVIE INC.
$203
Nevro Corp.
$104
Eisai Inc.
$91
SPR Therapeutics, Inc
$82
Lundbeck LLC
$72
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$52
Boston Scientific Corporation
$43
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$29
SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$25
PROTEGA PHARMACEUTIALS INC
$23
Bioventus LLC
$21
ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc
$16
Top 3 companies account for 54.2% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
NuVasive, Inc.
$2,839
Stryker Corporation
$2,036
AbbVie Inc.
$883
PFIZER INC.
$538
Alphatec Spine, Inc
$505
ABBVIE INC.
$487
Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
$382
Boston Scientific Corporation
$326
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$293
Amgen Inc.
$273
Valinor Pharma, LLC
$271
Abbott Laboratories
$255
Nevro Corp.
$247
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$211
Eisai Inc.
$202
ZIMVIE INC.
$177
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$172
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$151
SPR Therapeutics, Inc
$147
Lundbeck LLC
$98
Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$91
SK Life Science, Inc.
$88
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$87
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.
$75
SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$74
Allergan, Inc.
$69
Bioventus LLC
$47
Lilly USA, LLC
$42
EISAI INC.
$42
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$40
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$30
Octapharma USA, Inc.
$29
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$28
Almatica Pharma LLC
$26
Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$25
PROTEGA PHARMACEUTIALS INC
$23
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$21
GRT US Holding, Inc.
$19
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$18
UCB, Inc.
$17
Forte Bio-Pharma LLC
$16
ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc
$16
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$15
Top 3 companies account for 50.4% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ALIF · AUSTEDO · Aimovig · Austedo XR · BELSOMRA · BOTOX · COMIRNATY · DUROLANE · EMGALITY · EVEREST SPINAL SYSTEM · FIRDAPSE · Fycompa · GELSYN-3 · INFINION · INGREZZA · IVS - NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT · IVS - VERTEBRAL AUGMENTATION PRODUCTS · Leqembi · MOVANTIK · MaXcess · Morphabond ER · Movantik · NALOCET · NAPRELAN · NUPLAZID · NURTEC ODT · Other - Miscellaneous · PANZYGA · PAXLOVID · Proclaim IPG · QULIPTA · Qutenza · RAYOS · RELINE · RELISTOR · REXULTI · ROXYBOND · SEGLENTIS · SPECTRA WAVEWRITER · SPRINT PNS System · Seglentis · Senza · Spectra WaveWriter · Spine-None · UBRELVY · VRAYLAR · VYEPTI · Vimpat · WAVEWRITER ALPHA · WaveWriter Alpha Prime 16 · XLIF · XTAMPZA · ZTLido
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 (74%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Opticians within 10 mi
16,753
Per 100K population
719.0
County median income
$84,961
Nearest hospital
NEW YORK-PRESBYTERIAN/QUEENS
1.6 mi
1.6 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. Varma is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 13% 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. Varma experienced with office visit, established patient (20-29 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Varma performed 711 office visit, established patient (20-29 min) 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. Varma receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Varma received a total of $11,430 from 43 companies across 323 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. Varma's costs compare to other opticians in Fresh Meadows?
Dr. Varma's average Medicare payment per service is $85. 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. Varma) 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 →
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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.
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