Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Gerardo Chica, M.D.
Nephrology · San Antonio, TX
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
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. Chica 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 →
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What this data tells you about Dr. Chica
Dr. Gerardo Chica is a nephrology specialist in San Antonio, TX, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Chica performed 5,707 Medicare services in 2023. These records do not provide a deduplicated patient total.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Chica received a total of $38,357 from 31 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 286 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. Chica 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.
✓ 20 years of NPI registration
▲ Top 4% volume in TX
$38,357 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary — 2023
Medicare Utilization ↗5,707
Medicare services
Top 4% in TX for nephrology
Not available
Unique patients (not deduplicated)
$48
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
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) A contrast agent containing 300-399 mg/ml of iodine used to enhance imaging studies. It is administered per milliliter to improve the visibility of internal structures. |
4,040 | $0 | $2 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an existing patient involving moderate medical decision making. The visit requires at least 35 minutes of time spent on the date of service. |
274 | $62 | $207 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
171 | $8 | $9 |
| Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) A follow-up office visit for an existing patient lasting between 30 and 39 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
116 | $53 | $385 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity Subsequent hospital inpatient or observation care for an existing patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 50 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
95 | $91 | $297 |
| Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting between 20 and 29 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
85 | $52 | $266 |
| Additional sedation, per 15 minutes Administration of a drug to deepen sedation during a procedure. This code covers each additional 15-minute increment of sedation beyond the initial period. |
80 | $8 | $31 |
| Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) An office or outpatient visit for an existing patient lasting between 40 and 54 minutes. This level of service is determined by the total time spent on the date of the encounter. |
73 | $60 | $529 |
| Dialysis services for patients 20 or older Dialysis treatment provided to patients aged 20 years or older, involving four or more physician visits per month. |
70 | $267 | $1,051 |
| Home dialysis services per month Monthly dialysis treatment provided in the patient's home for individuals aged 20 or older. |
69 | $221 | $871 |
| Hemodialysis circuit intervention with balloon dilation A procedure to insert a needle or tube into a hemodialysis circuit and dilate the dialysis segment using a balloon, with radiological review. |
67 | $915 | $3,520 |
| Sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes Administration of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by the physician performing a procedure. This code covers the initial 15 minutes of sedation for patients aged 5 years or older. |
65 | $38 | $145 |
| Initial hospital admission, high complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 75 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
44 | $131 | $575 |
| Removal of tunneled central venous tube This procedure involves the removal of a catheter that has been surgically placed under the skin and threaded into a large vein. |
40 | $121 | $481 |
| Dialysis services for adults, 2-3 visits per month This code covers dialysis services for patients aged 20 or older who have 2 to 3 physician visits per month. |
32 | $223 | $870 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, low complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an established patient with straightforward or low-level medical decision making. The visit requires at least 25 minutes of time spent on the day of service. |
31 | $39 | $113 |
| Radiologist review of arm or leg artery image A radiologist reviews images of the arteries in the arm or leg. This process involves analyzing the visual data to assess the blood vessels. |
30 | $117 | $439 |
| Needle or tube insertion into hemodialysis circuit with radiologist review A procedure involving the insertion of a needle or tube into a hemodialysis circuit, accompanied by a review of the procedure by a radiologist. |
28 | $479 | $2,057 |
| Limited abdominal ultrasound A focused ultrasound examination of the abdomen to evaluate specific organs or areas. This procedure uses sound waves to create images of internal structures. |
28 | $65 | $258 |
| Arterial catheter insertion, first order branch Placement of a catheter into a primary branch of an artery in the chest or arm. |
27 | $462 | $3,016 |
| Pre-op ultrasound of artery and vein blood flow for hemodialysis access An ultrasound exam to assess blood flow in the arteries and veins on both sides of the body before surgery for hemodialysis access. |
25 | $186 | $720 |
| Balloon dilation of dialysis access with radiologist review A minimally invasive procedure to widen a narrowed section of a dialysis access vessel using a balloon catheter. The procedure includes review by a radiologist to ensure proper placement and effectiveness. |
21 | $460 | $1,722 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving moderate-level medical decision making, with at least 55 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
21 | $92 | $339 |
| Hemodialysis circuit clot removal and vessel dilation This procedure involves removing or dissolving a blood clot within the hemodialysis circuit and using a balloon to widen the dialysis access segment, with imaging review by a radiologist. |
20 | $1,773 | $6,658 |
| Injection of air or contrast into abdominal cavity A procedure where air or X-ray contrast material is injected into the abdominal cavity to facilitate imaging. |
19 | $86 | $439 |
| Radiologist review of abdominal cavity lining image A radiologist examines and interprets an image of the abdominal cavity lining to assess its condition. |
19 | $56 | $70 |
| Hemodialysis, single evaluation A dialysis procedure to filter waste from the blood, performed with a physician's evaluation. |
19 | $55 | $213 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for central vein access device Use of live X-ray imaging to guide the placement or removal of a central vein access device. |
18 | $78 | $293 |
| Other procedure on abdomen A surgical or medical intervention performed on the abdominal area that does not fall under more specific categories. |
15 | $174 | $399 |
| Insertion of tunneled central venous catheter for infusion, age 5+ A surgical procedure to place a long-term catheter into a large vein for delivering medications or fluids. The catheter is tunneled under the skin to reduce infection risk and provide stable access for patients aged 5 and older. |
14 | $562 | $2,431 |
| Ultrasound guidance for blood vessel access Use of ultrasound imaging to help locate and access a blood vessel. This guidance assists healthcare providers in performing procedures such as inserting IV lines or drawing blood. |
14 | $31 | $115 |
| Abdominal tube insertion with imaging guidance A radiologist uses imaging technology to guide the placement of a tube into the abdomen and reviews the procedure. |
13 | $771 | $2,892 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 45 and 59 minutes. This code covers the total time spent by the physician or qualified healthcare professional on the date of the encounter. |
13 | $123 | $489 |
| Ultrasound of hemodialysis access An ultrasound imaging test used to evaluate the blood flow and structure of a hemodialysis access site. |
11 | $92 | $425 |
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. These counts do not measure clinical quality or years of experience.
0.7% high complexity
78.4% medium
20.9% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$38,357
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $5,480/year across 7 years
Top 5% in TX for nephrology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
31
Companies
286
Payment records
Payments are publicly reported; disclosure does not establish legality · Not evidence of wrongdoing · How to interpret →
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.
2024
$1,599
2023
$2,280
2022
$1,585
2021
$808
2020
$340
2019
$30,739
2018
$1,007
Payments by company (2024)
Travere Therapeutics, Inc.
$293
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$264
CorMedix Inc.
$170
Ardelyx, Inc.
$170
Vifor Pharma, Inc.
$128
Amgen Inc.
$109
Medtronic, Inc.
$67
MIMEDX Group, Inc.
$55
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$52
OPKO Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$51
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$51
Lilly USA, LLC
$46
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$39
Fresenius USA Marketing, Inc.
$39
Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc.
$27
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$19
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$18
Top 3 companies account for 45.5% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
GE HEALTHCARE
$24,978
GE Healthcare
$5,100
Medtronic, Inc.
$1,644
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$1,380
Amgen Inc.
$973
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$720
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$630
Travere Therapeutics, Inc.
$553
OPKO Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$318
Vifor Pharma, Inc.
$257
Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc.
$251
Fresenius USA Marketing, Inc.
$190
CorMedix Inc.
$170
Ardelyx, Inc.
$170
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$153
Baxter Healthcare
$120
AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$104
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.
$77
Relypsa, Inc.
$61
MIMEDX Group, Inc.
$55
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$54
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$52
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$51
AKEBIA THERAPEUTICS INC
$47
Lilly USA, LLC
$46
Vascular Insights, LLC
$45
CALLIDITAS THERAPEUTICS US INC.
$42
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$39
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$39
Retrophin, Inc.
$22
Calliditas Therapeutics US Inc.
$18
Top 3 companies account for 82.7% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
(815) Thiola · ACTHAR · AURYXIA · Auryxia · BENLYSTA · CRYSVITA · Clarivein · Crysvita · DefenCath · ELLIPSYS VASCULAR ACCESS SYSTEM · FARXIGA · FERAHEME · Fabhalta · IBSRELA · INJECTAFER · JARDIANCE · JESDUVROQ · JYNARQUE · KRYSTEXXA · Kerendia · LOKELMA · LUPKYNIS · Parsabiv · RAYALDEE · Renal - Prismaflex System · Repatha · SAMSCA · TARPEYO · TAVNEOS · TERLIVAZ · Tavneos · Thiola · Velphoro · Veltassa
Should you be concerned? Industry payments are disclosed through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their purpose, legality, or effect on care. 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 →
Geographic Context
Nephrologists in nearby ZIP areas
104
County median income
$70,571
Nearest hospital to ZIP centroid (approximate)
BAPTIST NEIGHBORHOOD HOSPITAL THOUSAND OAKS
4.8 mi
4.8 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. Chica is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 4% in TX), with 20 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. Chica experienced with contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Chica performed 4,040 contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based) services. These records cover Medicare fee-for-service activity, including eligible younger beneficiaries; they do not measure total practice volume or clinical quality.
Does Dr. Chica receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Chica received a total of $38,357 from 31 companies across 286 payment records. A record can group multiple payments. These transfers are publicly disclosed through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their legality or effect on care. 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. Chica's costs compare to other nephrologists in San Antonio?
Dr. Chica's average Medicare payment per service is $48. 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. Chica) 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 the presence of registry, enrollment, activity or payment records, not verified experience or clinical quality. 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?
Source publication dates and the snapshots loaded on this site can differ. Rebuilding a page does not refresh its source records. Check the Medicare reporting year and the payment interval shown above; consult the linked official sources for newer releases and current registry details. See our data freshness policy →
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About this page
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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