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 of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Elchahal performed 1,835 Medicare services in 2023. These records do not provide a deduplicated patient total.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Elchahal received a total of $1,754 from 11 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 41 payment records. A record can group multiple payments. These transfers are publicly reported through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their effect on care. A reliable breakdown by payment category is not available in this snapshot. 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. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
Medicare Practice Summary — 2023
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 A limited examination of the visual system for an existing patient. The provider focuses on a specific eye-related concern or symptom. |
476 | $61 | $269 |
| Comprehensive eye exam, established patient A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a patient who has previously been seen by the provider. |
461 | $84 | $380 |
| 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. |
193 | $44 | $513 |
| Comprehensive eye exam, new patient A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a new patient. |
177 | $95 | $448 |
| Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan) Imaging of the optic nerve. |
124 | $23 | $276 |
| Corneal topography and eye depth measurement This procedure measures the curvature and depth of the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye. |
77 | $34 | $415 |
| Cataract surgery with lens implant Surgical removal of the clouded natural lens of the eye and replacement with an artificial prosthetic lens to restore vision. |
64 | $427 | $5,601 |
| New patient eye exam, problem focused A focused examination of the visual system performed during a new patient visit. |
61 | $58 | $259 |
| Ultrasound of eye tissue and structures A diagnostic imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the eye's internal tissues and structures. |
60 | $35 | $438 |
| Ultrasound scan of cornea to determine thickness An ultrasound procedure used to measure the thickness of the cornea. |
31 | $8 | $87 |
| Eye drainage system examination An examination of the internal drainage system of the eye to assess how fluid flows and drains from the eye. |
29 | $22 | $160 |
| Retinal imaging (OCT scan) This procedure involves imaging the retina to visualize its structure. It is used to examine the back of the eye. |
28 | $27 | $276 |
| Removal of foreign body from external eye This procedure involves the removal of a foreign object from the conjunctiva, which is the clear tissue covering the white part of the eye. |
20 | $14 | $454 |
| CT scan of cornea A computed tomography scan used to create detailed images of the cornea, the clear front part of the eye. |
19 | $25 | $609 |
| Laser removal of recurring cataract A laser procedure to remove a recurring cataract within the lens capsule. |
15 | $233 | $2,475 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment categories are unavailable while the source breakdown is being rebuilt. Company and year totals do not identify how much belongs to each category.
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 ›
Geographic Context
2.5 mi
Data Sources
| Provider Registry | ✓ NPPES | NPPES snapshot; verify current record |
| Medicare Enrollment | ✓ PECOS | PECOS snapshot |
| Practice Data | ✓ Medicare Util. | Annual (CY lag) |
| Industry Payments | ✓ Open Payments | CY 2024 |
| Disciplinary History | — Not included | 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. Elchahal is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with 19 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. Elchahal experienced with eye exam, established patient, focused?
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How do Dr. Elchahal's costs compare to other cornea and external diseases specialist physicians in Houston?
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This page combines public CMS records with calculated summaries and explanatory procedure labels. These transformations are not verbatim federal records. Sources: 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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