Dr. Valeska Balderas, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Balderas
Dr. Valeska Balderas is a gastroenterology in McAllen, TX, with 18 years in practice. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Balderas performed 2,585 Medicare services across 1,053 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Balderas received a total of $19,652 from 30 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 308 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in gastroenterology. 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. Balderas 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) | 1,100 | $0 | $0 |
| Tissue pathology examination, moderate complexity | 235 | $26 | $90 |
| Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) | 227 | $58 | $150 |
| Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) | 185 | $95 | $200 |
| Special stained specimen slides to examine tissue including interpretation and report | 133 | $53 | $175 |
| Special stained specimen slides to identify organisms including interpretation and report | 95 | $66 | $210 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) | 95 | $104 | $225 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity | 89 | $88 | $250 |
| Upper GI endoscopy with biopsy | 76 | $84 | $750 |
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) | 49 | $70 | $201 |
| Colonoscopy with biopsy | 47 | $121 | $950 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity | 44 | $99 | $250 |
| Initial hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day, if using time, at least 40 minutes | 41 | $54 | $200 |
| Measurement of liver stiffness | 37 | $21 | $150 |
| Removal of polyps or growths of large bowel using an endoscope with mechanical snare | 34 | $195 | $1,050 |
| Complete ultrasound of abdomen and pelvis artery and vein blood flow | 23 | $199 | $525 |
| Diagnostic exam of esophagus, stomach, and/or upper small bowel using a flexible endoscope | 22 | $83 | $600 |
| Diagnostic exam of large bowel using a flexible endoscope | 21 | $110 | $900 |
| Limited ultrasound scan of abdomen | 20 | $61 | $225 |
| Colorectal cancer screening; colonoscopy on individual not meeting criteria for high risk | 12 | $176 | $900 |
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 (80%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in gastroenterology and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware.
Geographic Context
3.4 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. Balderas is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 4% in TX), and high industry engagement (speaking/promotional, top 11%), with 18 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. Balderas experienced with contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based)?
Does Dr. Balderas receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Balderas's costs compare to other gastroenterologys in McAllen?
What does Data Coverage mean?
Is this data up to date?
Explore related providers
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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