Dr. Chia-Kai Chu, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Chu
Dr. Chia-Kai Chu is an ophthalmology specialist in Houston, TX, with 13 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Chu performed 1,580 Medicare services across 1,369 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Chu received a total of $3,887 from 19 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 113 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in ophthalmology. 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. Chu 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) | 292 | $90 | $386 |
| Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan) | 266 | $25 | $276 |
| Comprehensive eye exam, established patient | 199 | $81 | $371 |
| Visual field test, extended | 198 | $43 | $513 |
| Eye exam, established patient, focused | 175 | $50 | $261 |
| Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) | 167 | $66 | $279 |
| Corneal topography and eye depth measurement | 50 | $35 | $415 |
| Ultrasound scan of cornea to determine thickness | 46 | $8 | $87 |
| Cataract surgery with lens implant | 44 | $398 | $5,678 |
| Comprehensive eye exam, new patient | 30 | $115 | $454 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) | 30 | $100 | $489 |
| Exam of the internal drainage system of eye | 27 | $18 | $160 |
| Retinal imaging (OCT scan) | 23 | $27 | $276 |
| Removal of recurring cataract in lens capsule using a laser | 18 | $219 | $2,475 |
| Laser repair to improve eye fluid flow | 15 | $163 | $4,700 |
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 ›
Most payments (80%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
1.8 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. Chu is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement.
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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