Dr. Gerardo Chica, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Chica
Dr. Gerardo Chica is a nephrology in San Antonio, TX, with 20 years in practice. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Chica performed 5,707 Medicare services across 1,154 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Chica received a total of $38,357 from 31 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 286 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in nephrology. The majority of payments are for consulting, which typically reflects recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. 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. 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) | 4,040 | $0 | $2 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity | 274 | $62 | $207 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) | 171 | $8 | $9 |
| Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) | 116 | $53 | $385 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity | 95 | $91 | $297 |
| Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) | 85 | $52 | $266 |
| Use of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by physician performing a procedure, each additional 15 minutes | 80 | $8 | $31 |
| Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) | 73 | $60 | $529 |
| Dialysis services, 4 or more physician visits per month (20 years or older) | 70 | $267 | $1,051 |
| Home dialysis services per month (20 years or older) | 69 | $221 | $871 |
| Insertion of needle and/or tube into hemodialysis circuit and balloon dilation of dialysis segment with review by radiologist | 67 | $915 | $3,520 |
| Use of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by physician performing a procedure (5 years or older), initial 15 minutes | 65 | $38 | $145 |
| Initial hospital admission, high complexity | 44 | $131 | $575 |
| Removal of tunneled central venous tube | 40 | $121 | $481 |
| Dialysis services, 2-3 physician visits per month (20 years or older) | 32 | $223 | $870 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, low complexity | 31 | $39 | $113 |
| Review by radiologist of arm or leg artery image | 30 | $117 | $439 |
| Insertion of needle and/or tube into hemodialysis circuit with review by radiologist | 28 | $479 | $2,057 |
| Limited ultrasound scan of abdomen | 28 | $65 | $258 |
| Insertion of tube into chest or arm artery, each first order branch | 27 | $462 | $3,016 |
| Complete ultrasound of artery and vein blood flow pre-op assessment on both sides of body for hemodialysis access | 25 | $186 | $720 |
| Balloon dilation of dialysis segment with review by radiologist | 21 | $460 | $1,722 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity | 21 | $92 | $339 |
| Removal and/or dissolving of blood clot in hemodialysis circuit and balloon dilation of dialysis segment with imaging review by radiologist, with balloon tube | 20 | $1,773 | $6,658 |
| Injection of air or x-ray contrast into abdominal cavity | 19 | $86 | $439 |
| Review by radiologist of abdominal cavity lining image | 19 | $56 | $70 |
| Hemodialysis, single evaluation | 19 | $55 | $213 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for insertion or removal of central vein access device | 18 | $78 | $293 |
| Other procedure on abdomen | 15 | $174 | $399 |
| Insertion of tunneled central venous tube for infusion (5 years or older) | 14 | $562 | $2,431 |
| Ultrasonic guidance for blood vessel access | 14 | $31 | $115 |
| Insertion of abdominal tube using imaging guidance with review by radiologist | 13 | $771 | $2,892 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) | 13 | $123 | $489 |
| Ultrasound of hemodialysis access | 11 | $92 | $425 |
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 (65%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Total industry engagement is in the top 5% for nephrology in TX.
Geographic Context
4.8 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. Chica is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 4% in TX), and high industry engagement (consulting-driven, top 5%), with 20 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. Chica experienced with contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based)?
Does Dr. Chica receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Chica's costs compare to other nephrologys in San Antonio?
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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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