Dr. Christopher Vargo, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Vargo
Dr. Christopher Vargo is a radiation oncology specialist in Austin, TX, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Vargo performed 8,772 Medicare services across 934 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Vargo received a total of $9,496 from 13 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 31 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in radiation oncology. 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. Vargo is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. This is not a quality rating. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
7,565 | $0 | $1 |
| Additional blood vessel ultrasound evaluation An ultrasound exam of a blood vessel that includes a radiologist's review. This code applies to each additional vessel evaluated beyond the initial one. |
401 | $127 | $640 |
| Ultrasound of blood vessel, initial vessel An ultrasound exam of a blood vessel that includes a radiologist's review of the initial vessel. |
127 | $683 | $3,467 |
| Arterial catheter insertion, first order branch Placement of a catheter into a primary branch of an artery in the chest or arm. |
105 | $499 | $3,793 |
| Radiologist review of arm or leg artery image A radiologist reviews images of the arteries in the arm or leg. This process involves analyzing the visual data to assess the blood vessels. |
98 | $112 | $571 |
| Sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes Administration of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by the physician performing a procedure. This code covers the initial 15 minutes of sedation for patients aged 5 years or older. |
66 | $36 | $184 |
| 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. |
64 | $868 | $4,429 |
| 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. |
46 | $313 | $2,598 |
| 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. |
46 | $73 | $368 |
| 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. |
33 | $432 | $2,178 |
| Insertion of tunneled central venous catheter for infusion, age 5+ A surgical procedure to place a long-term catheter into a large vein for delivering medications or fluids. The catheter is tunneled under the skin to reduce infection risk and provide stable access for patients aged 5 and older. |
31 | $184 | $1,977 |
| Additional sedation, per 15 minutes Administration of a drug to deepen sedation during a procedure. This code covers each additional 15-minute increment of sedation beyond the initial period. |
31 | $8 | $40 |
| 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. |
30 | $29 | $147 |
| Chest fluid aspiration with imaging guidance This procedure involves removing fluid from the chest cavity using imaging technology to guide the needle placement. |
25 | $218 | $1,174 |
| Abdominal fluid drainage with imaging guidance Removal of fluid from the abdominal cavity using imaging technology to guide the procedure. |
21 | $217 | $1,093 |
| Ultrasound guidance for needle placement Use of ultrasound imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
19 | $21 | $192 |
| Radiologist review of CT-guided needle placement A radiologist reviews the CT imaging used to guide the placement of a needle. |
19 | $49 | $389 |
| 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. |
16 | $102 | $632 |
| 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. |
15 | $712 | $3,653 |
| Insertion of non-tunneled central venous catheter A procedure to place a central venous catheter for infusion in patients aged 5 years or older. The catheter is inserted directly into a large vein without being tunneled under the skin. |
14 | $60 | $643 |
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)
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
The majority of payments (92%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in radiation oncology and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 7% for radiation oncology in TX.
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 measures how much public data is available about a provider — not how good they are. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Vargo is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 9% in TX), with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 7% of TX peers, with 19 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data. It describes data availability and patterns — not clinical quality. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
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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. The Transparency Score measures 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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