Dr. Stephen Hess, OD
What this data tells you about Dr. Hess
Dr. Stephen Hess is an optometrist in Warminster, PA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Hess performed 2,060 Medicare services across 1,880 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Hess received a total of $9,229 from 15 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 49 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in optometrist. 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. Hess 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retinal photography (fundus photo) This procedure involves taking photographs of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. It is used to document the condition of the eye's interior structures. |
520 | $32 | $110 |
| Home visit, established patient, high complexity A home visit for an established patient involving high-level medical decision making, lasting at least 60 minutes. |
409 | $158 | $260 |
| Home visit, new patient, high complexity A home visit for a new patient involving high-level medical decision making, lasting at least 75 minutes. |
292 | $168 | $310 |
| Retinal and optic nerve function test A diagnostic test that measures how well the retina and optic nerve are functioning. |
218 | $113 | $200 |
| Eye drainage system examination An examination of the internal drainage system of the eye to assess how fluid flows and drains from the eye. |
217 | $24 | $50 |
| Ultrasound scan of cornea to determine thickness An ultrasound procedure used to measure the thickness of the cornea. |
138 | $9 | $35 |
| 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. |
96 | $98 | $189 |
| Home visit, established patient, moderate complexity A home visit for an established patient involving moderate medical decision making. The visit requires at least 40 minutes of time if time is used to determine the level of service. |
56 | $100 | $195 |
| Visual field test, extended A test that maps your complete field of vision to detect blind spots or peripheral vision loss. Extended testing provides a more detailed assessment than a standard visual field exam. |
48 | $51 | $135 |
| Retinal imaging (OCT scan) This procedure involves imaging the retina to visualize its structure. It is used to examine the back of the eye. |
26 | $30 | $110 |
| Home visit, new patient, moderate complexity A home visit for a new patient involving moderate medical decision making, lasting at least 60 minutes. |
25 | $105 | $255 |
| Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan) Imaging of the optic nerve. |
15 | $29 | $115 |
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 ›
The majority of payments (74%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in optometrist and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 2% for optometrist in PA.
Geographic Context
6.9 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. Hess is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 3% in PA), with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 2% of PA 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. Hess experienced with retinal photography (fundus photo)?
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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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