Dr. Samih Elchahal, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Elchahal
Dr. Samih Elchahal is a cornea and external diseases specialist physician in Houston, TX, with 19 years in practice. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Elchahal performed 1,835 Medicare services across 1,640 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Elchahal received a total of $1,754 from 11 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 41 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cornea and external diseases specialist physician. 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. Elchahal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eye exam, established patient, focused | 476 | $61 | $269 |
| Comprehensive eye exam, established patient | 461 | $84 | $380 |
| Visual field test, extended | 193 | $44 | $513 |
| Comprehensive eye exam, new patient | 177 | $95 | $448 |
| Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan) | 124 | $23 | $276 |
| Corneal topography and eye depth measurement | 77 | $34 | $415 |
| Cataract surgery with lens implant | 64 | $427 | $5,601 |
| New patient problem focused exam of visual system | 61 | $58 | $259 |
| 2d ultrasound scan of eye tissue and structures | 60 | $35 | $438 |
| Ultrasound scan of cornea to determine thickness | 31 | $8 | $87 |
| Exam of the internal drainage system of eye | 29 | $22 | $160 |
| Retinal imaging (OCT scan) | 28 | $27 | $276 |
| Removal of foreign body from external eye (conjunctiva) | 20 | $14 | $454 |
| Ct scan of cornea | 19 | $25 | $609 |
| Removal of recurring cataract in lens capsule using a laser | 15 | $233 | $2,475 |
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 (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
2.5 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. Elchahal is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, and low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 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. Elchahal experienced with eye exam, established patient, focused?
Does Dr. Elchahal receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Elchahal's costs compare to other cornea and external diseases specialist physicians 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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