Dr. Ray Chihara, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Chihara
Dr. Ray Chihara is a thoracic surgery in Houston, TX, with 17 years in practice. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Chihara performed 432 Medicare services across 308 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Chihara received a total of $17,960 from 21 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 106 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in thoracic surgery. 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. Chihara 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity | 152 | $64 | $211 |
| Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) | 85 | $99 | $314 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity | 53 | $104 | $401 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) | 45 | $127 | $483 |
| Study of esophageal sensation by balloon distension | 21 | $39 | $221 |
| Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) | 21 | $68 | $212 |
| Repair of hernia of muscle at esophagus and stomach using an endoscope | 18 | $1,260 | $8,025 |
| Removal of lymph nodes of chest cavity using an endoscope | 14 | $174 | $1,096 |
| Review by radiologist of image to guide opening of digestive tract | 12 | $22 | $163 |
| Other procedure on stomach using an endoscope | 11 | $440 | $4,104 |
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 (58%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in thoracic surgery and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware.
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. Chihara is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 13% in TX), and speaking/promotional industry engagement, with 17 years of practice experience.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data. It describes data availability and patterns — not clinical quality. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Chihara experienced with hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity?
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How do Dr. Chihara's costs compare to other thoracic surgerys in Houston?
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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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