Dr. Leonidas Tapias Vargas, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Tapias Vargas
Dr. Leonidas Tapias Vargas is a thoracic surgery specialist in Cleveland, OH, with 16 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Tapias Vargas performed 149 Medicare services across 137 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Tapias Vargas received a total of $6,952 from 30 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 77 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in thoracic surgery. 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. Tapias Vargas 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, 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. |
32 | $105 | $238 |
| 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. |
23 | $165 | $875 |
| 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. |
18 | $126 | $394 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 17 | $123 | $358 |
| 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. |
13 | $1,036 | $4,818 |
| Insertion of chest tube for lung fluid drainage A procedure to place a tube into the chest cavity to drain excess fluid from around the lungs. |
12 | $157 | $870 |
| Lung lining biopsy via endoscope A procedure to remove a small tissue sample from the lining of the lung using an endoscope for examination. |
12 | $197 | $804 |
| Initial removal of wedge of lung tissue using an endoscope A surgical procedure to remove a small, wedge-shaped section of lung tissue using an endoscope. This minimally invasive technique allows for tissue sampling or removal without large incisions. |
11 | $609 | $2,652 |
| 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. |
11 | $68 | $158 |
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 (2019-2024) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (83%) 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 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. Tapias Vargas is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement, with 16 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. Tapias Vargas experienced with office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min)?
Does Dr. Tapias Vargas receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Tapias Vargas's costs compare to other thoracic surgerists in Cleveland?
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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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