Medicare Enrolled

Dr. David Scales, M.D.

Ophthalmology · San Antonio, TX
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
9623 HUEBNER RD, San Antonio, TX 78240
2106156565
In practice since 2005 (20 years)
NPI: 1164412029 verify on NPPES ↗
Very High
DATA COVERAGE
Data in 4 of 4 federal sources
Measures public federal data availability — not provider quality
Informational, not a quality rating. This page presents federal public records about Dr. Scales from CMS (NPPES, Open Payments, Medicare Provider Utilization, PECOS). It is not medical advice, an endorsement, or a judgment of clinical quality. Always consult the provider directly and a licensed clinician for medical decisions. Read methodology →
Are you Dr. Scales? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Scales

Dr. David Scales is an ophthalmology specialist in San Antonio, TX, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Scales performed 2,841 Medicare services across 977 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Scales received a total of $4,279 from 20 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 60 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. Scales 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.

✓ 20 years in practice ▲ Top 33% volume in TX $4,279 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
2,841
Medicare services
Top 33% in TX for ophthalmology
977
Unique beneficiaries
$182
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~142 Medicare services per year of practice

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
Injection, ranibizumab, 0.1 mg 511 $181 $582
Aflibercept eye injection (Eylea) 464 $658 $1,476
Comprehensive eye exam, established patient 460 $84 $178
Retinal imaging (OCT scan) 406 $27 $65
Eye injection for retinal disease 312 $94 $202
Retinal photography (fundus photo) 239 $25 $112
Exam of retinal blood vessels using a special camera after injection of a dye 223 $97 $157
Visual field test, extended 63 $41 $92
Eye exam, established patient, focused 50 $62 $122
Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan) 32 $22 $60
Comprehensive eye exam, new patient 25 $92 $214
Measurement of nerve conduction using visual stimulation testing with report 21 $44 $182
New patient office visit (45-59 min) 19 $115 $180
Measurement of retinal and optic nerve function targeting multiple separate locations 16 $64 $125
How to read this data: This reflects Medicare patients only (typically 65+). Payment amounts are what Medicare paid the provider, not your out-of-pocket cost. A higher procedure volume generally indicates more experience with that procedure.

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$4,279
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $611/year across 7 years
Top 27% in TX for ophthalmology
20
Companies
60
Individual payments
All payments are legal and publicly reported · Not evidence of wrongdoing · How to interpret →

Payment profile

Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.

Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$2,671 (62.4%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$1,608 (37.6%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$48
2023
$481
2022
$173
2021
$84
2020
$98
2019
$3,042
2018
$355

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ThromboGenics, Inc.
$1,608
Mallinckrodt Enterprises LLC
$927
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$302
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$267
Genentech USA, Inc.
$215
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$179
EyePoint Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$132
Heidelberg Engineering, Inc.
$123
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$121
Alimera Sciences, Inc.
$94
Bausch & Lomb, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$70
Allergan, Inc.
$52
Vyera Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$36
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$31
Mallinckrodt LLC
$27
Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$22
ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$22
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$20
Shire North American Group Inc
$16
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 66.3% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTHAR · BEOVU · CEQUA · DEXYCU · Daraprim Tablet 25mg · EYLEA · EYLEA AFLIBERCEPT INJECTION · EYLEA HD · ILUVIEN · Iluvien · Izervay · Jetrea · LOTEMAX SM · Lucentis · OZURDEX · PURIFIED CORTROPHIN GEL · RESTASIS MULTIDOSE · Spectralis · Syfovre · VABYSMO · Vabysmo · XIIDRA · XIPERE · YUTIQ
Should you be concerned? Payments from pharmaceutical and device companies are legal and common — 57% of U.S. physicians receive at least one. They often reflect legitimate consulting, research, or education. What matters is whether a recommended drug or device appears in your doctor's payment records. If so, consider asking your doctor about it. How to interpret this data →

Most payments (62%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Equivalent to $151 per 100 Medicare services performed
Looking for an ophthalmology specialist in San Antonio?
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Geographic Context

Ophthalmologists within 10 mi
164
Per 100K population
8.0
County median income
$70,571
Nearest hospital
SAN ANTONIO BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE HOSPITAL
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. Scales is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement, with 20 years of NPI registration.

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. Scales experienced with injection, ranibizumab, 0.1 mg?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Scales performed 511 injection, ranibizumab, 0.1 mg services. Research suggests that higher procedure volume is often associated with better outcomes, particularly for complex procedures. Note that Medicare data only captures patients aged 65 and older, so the total practice volume across all patients is likely higher.
Does Dr. Scales receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Scales received a total of $4,279 from 20 companies across 60 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common among physicians — 57% of all U.S. physicians receive at least one industry payment. Patients may wish to ask their doctor about these relationships, especially if a recommended drug or device appears in the payment records.
How do Dr. Scales's costs compare to other ophthalmologists in San Antonio?
Dr. Scales's average Medicare payment per service is $182. Note that these figures represent what Medicare pays, not your out-of-pocket cost, which depends on your specific insurance plan and deductible. Procedure-level data above shows both what was submitted and what Medicare paid for each service type.
What does Data Coverage mean?
Data Coverage (currently Very High for Dr. Scales) measures how much public federal data is available about a provider. It is not a quality rating. A "Very High" or "High" level means the provider has data across multiple federal sources (NPPES, PECOS, Medicare Utilization, Open Payments), indicating a long track record of practice, Medicare participation, and industry disclosure. A "Low" or "Moderate" level may simply mean the provider is newer, does not see Medicare patients, or has not received any industry payments — none of which are inherently negative. Read our full methodology →
Is this data up to date?
Each data source has its own update cycle. Provider registry data (NPPES) is updated weekly. Medicare enrollment (PECOS) is updated monthly. Medicare practice data has a ~2 year lag — the most recent available is typically 2 years prior. Industry payment data (Open Payments) is published annually, usually in June, covering the prior calendar year. We display the data date prominently on each section so you always know how current it is. See our data freshness policy →

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About this page

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.

Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology

Data Disclaimer — Data sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), Open Payments program, Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, and Provider Enrollment & Certification data (PECOS). Published under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Data may contain errors as reported to CMS by providers and reporting entities. Payments from industry are legal and do not indicate wrongdoing. Medicare data reflects only patients aged 65+ or those with qualifying disabilities. For corrections, contact CMS directly. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a healthcare provider. Procedure descriptions use plain language and do not reference CPT® codes, which are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Full methodology → · Report a data error → · Privacy policy →