Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Wassim Choucair, M.D.
Cardiovascular Disease · San Antonio, TX
Practice pattern: Electrophysiology & Remote
— Practice combining electrophysiology and remote services
Mixed engagement
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. Choucair 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. Choucair?
Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →
What this data tells you about Dr. Choucair
Dr. Wassim Choucair is a cardiovascular disease specialist in San Antonio, TX, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Choucair performed 6,936 Medicare services across 3,404 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Choucair received a total of $60,181 from 46 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 491 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cardiovascular disease. 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. Choucair 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 8% volume in TX
$60,181 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗6,936
Medicare services
Top 8% in TX for cardiovascular disease
3,404
Unique beneficiaries
$58
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~347 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
795 | $88 | $253 |
| Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report. |
744 | $10 | $29 |
| Remote pacemaker/defibrillator monitoring, 90 days Remote evaluation of a pacemaker or implantable defibrillator system within 90 days of the last check. |
720 | $16 | $50 |
| Remote monitoring of implantable heart rhythm device Evaluation of data transmitted remotely from an implantable cardiovascular monitor, such as a loop recorder or subcutaneous cardiac rhythm monitor, over a period up to 30 days. |
639 | $25 | $72 |
| Remote monitoring of implantable heart device, up to 30 days Remote evaluation of an implanted heart or blood vessel monitoring system over a period of up to 30 days. |
529 | $18 | $52 |
| Remote pacemaker monitoring, 90 days Remote assessment of a pacemaker system, including single, dual, multiple lead, or leadless devices, performed up to 90 days apart. |
525 | $22 | $60 |
| 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. |
378 | $93 | $200 |
| 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. |
362 | $62 | $140 |
| Pacemaker programming, dual lead system Adjustment and configuration of a dual-lead pacemaker device to ensure proper operation and settings. |
308 | $58 | $160 |
| Remote evaluation of implantable defibrillator system Remote assessment of a single, dual, or multiple lead implantable defibrillator system within 90 days of the previous evaluation. |
193 | $27 | $74 |
| 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. |
162 | $59 | $182 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
157 | $125 | $370 |
| 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. |
123 | $10 | $24 |
| Remote cardiac rhythm monitor evaluation, up to 30 days Review and analysis of data from a remote cardiac rhythm monitoring system over a period of up to 30 days. |
118 | $18 | $52 |
| 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. |
113 | $110 | $327 |
| 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. |
100 | $124 | $351 |
| Programming of dual lead implantable defibrillator system Adjustment and testing of the settings for an implanted heart device with two leads to ensure proper function. |
99 | $70 | $192 |
| Nuclear stress test of heart muscle A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow to the heart muscle at rest and during stress using a special camera. |
63 | $60 | $150 |
| 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. |
62 | $134 | $388 |
| Transesophageal echocardiogram An ultrasound of the heart performed using a probe inserted into the esophagus to obtain detailed images of heart structures and function. |
57 | $82 | $213 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound test that uses sound waves to create images of the heart's blood flow, valves, and chambers. |
57 | $14 | $36 |
| Echocardiogram with color Doppler An ultrasound of the heart that uses color imaging to visualize blood flow, measure flow rate, and assess valve function. |
57 | $2 | $6 |
| Programming of multiple lead implantable defibrillator system Adjustment and testing of the settings for an implanted heart device with multiple leads to ensure proper function. |
52 | $78 | $207 |
| 30-day continuous ECG with patient-triggered event transmission and review This procedure involves continuous electrocardiogram monitoring for up to 30 days, including the transmission of patient-triggered events. A healthcare professional reviews the data and provides a report. |
45 | $639 | $1,740 |
| Continuous ECG monitoring, up to 30 days Continuous heart rhythm monitoring for up to 30 days, including professional review and reporting of the results. |
44 | $18 | $50 |
| Heart rhythm stimulator programming after drug infusion Adjustment of a heart rhythm stimulation device following a drug infusion. This procedure involves reprogramming the device settings to ensure proper function after the medication has been administered. |
44 | $62 | $246 |
| Pacemaker system programming Adjustment and configuration of a pacemaker device to ensure proper operation. This service involves setting device parameters before or after surgical implantation. |
41 | $11 | $30 |
| Pacemaker insertion with heart chamber electrodes A surgical procedure to implant a pacemaker device and place electrodes into the upper and lower chambers of the heart to regulate heart rhythm. |
40 | $390 | $998 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 35 | $161 | $428 |
| External shock to heart to regulate heart beat A procedure that delivers an electric shock to the heart from outside the body to restore a normal heart rhythm. |
33 | $82 | $213 |
| Exercise stress test A test that monitors the heart and lungs while the patient exercises to evaluate their function under physical stress. |
22 | $119 | $300 |
| Insertion of implantable defibrillator system A surgical procedure to place an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) device into the body. The device is connected to the heart to monitor heart rhythm and deliver shocks if dangerous arrhythmias occur. |
21 | $700 | $1,759 |
| Implantable defibrillator programming Adjustment and configuration of an implanted heart rhythm device before or after surgery. |
21 | $17 | $44 |
| Right heart catheterization with pacing and rhythm induction A procedure to insert catheters into the right side of the heart to record electrical rhythms and pace the heart. It also involves inducing abnormal heart rhythms to evaluate cardiac function. |
20 | $456 | $1,201 |
| Cardiac rhythm monitor evaluation Review and analysis of data recorded by a cardiac rhythm monitoring device to assess heart activity. |
19 | $33 | $92 |
| Left upper heart chamber catheter insertion for rhythm recording, pacing, and induction This procedure involves inserting catheters into the left upper chamber of the heart to record its electrical rhythm, pace the heart, and intentionally induce abnormal rhythms for diagnostic evaluation. |
19 | $61 | $224 |
| Ultrasound of head and neck blood flow, bilateral An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow in the vessels of both the head and the neck. |
18 | $88 | $390 |
| Airflow rate measurement test A test that measures the rate of airflow. This procedure assesses how quickly air moves. |
18 | $28 | $75 |
| Lung volume test using gas dilution or washout A test that measures the amount of air in your lungs by using a gas dilution or washout method. |
18 | $31 | $80 |
| Pulmonary gas exchange test A test to examine how well the lungs exchange gases. |
18 | $42 | $115 |
| Radiofrequency ablation for supraventricular tachycardia A procedure to locate and destroy abnormal heart tissue in the upper chambers of the heart that causes a rapid heart rate. |
12 | $641 | $1,590 |
| Atrial fibrillation ablation with pulmonary vein isolation A procedure to treat atrial fibrillation by mapping the heart's electrical activity and destroying tissue causing irregular contractions. This is done by isolating the pulmonary veins using catheter-based destruction. |
12 | $685 | $2,135 |
| 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. |
12 | $102 | $263 |
| Insertion of left lower heart electrode for pacemaker or defibrillator A procedure to place an electrode in the lower part of the left side of the heart. This electrode is used to connect a pacemaker or defibrillator to help regulate the heart's rhythm. |
11 | $354 | $893 |
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.
33.9% high complexity
3.1% medium
63.0% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$60,181
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $8,597/year across 7 years
Top 10% in TX for cardiovascular disease
46
Companies
491
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.
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$24,005 (39.9%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$21,838 (36.3%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$14,338 (23.8%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,117
2023
$3,942
2022
$4,062
2021
$6,513
2020
$9,621
2019
$15,204
2018
$18,722
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
BIOTRONIK INC.
$19,247
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$12,594
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$9,256
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$3,882
Medical Device Business Services, Inc.
$3,569
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$3,238
Abbott Laboratories
$1,500
Impulse Dynamics (USA) Inc.
$1,208
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$1,148
PFIZER INC.
$860
Biosense Webster, Inc.
$453
Lilly USA, LLC
$421
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$416
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$354
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$288
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$188
Veryan Medical Incorporated
$159
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$155
CARDIVA MEDICAL, INC.
$136
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$135
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$122
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$97
Lundbeck LLC
$92
Novo Nordisk Inc
$79
Boston Scientific Corporation
$64
SCPHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$61
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$48
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$44
AltaThera Pharmaceuticals LLC
$40
ATRICURE, INC.
$28
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
$24
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$24
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$23
Amicus Therapeutics, Inc.
$23
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$22
CVRx, Inc.
$22
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$21
Olympus America Inc.
$21
Cumberland Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$21
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
$19
Amgen Inc.
$18
Preventice Services, LLC
$14
Allergan Inc.
$13
Bardy Diagnostics, Inc.
$13
AtriCure, Inc.
$11
Aziyo Biologics, Inc.
$9
Top 3 companies account for 68.3% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AMPLATZER AMULET · AMVIA EDGE · AVEIR · Acticor 7 VR-T DX · Adempas · Arcalyst · Azure · BG Mini Plus · BIOMONITOR · BRILINTA · BYSTOLIC · Barostim Neo System · BioMimics 3D Vascular Stent System · BioMonitor · CALDOLOR · CAMZYOS · CARDIOMEMS · CARDIVA VASCADE MVP VVCS 6-12F · CARTO 3 · Carnation Ambulatory Monitor · Carto 3 System · CartoSound · DISEASE STATE · ECM · ELIQUIS · ENTRESTO · EPI-SENSE GUIDED COAGULATION SYSTEM WITH VISITRAX · EXPAREL · Edora · Edora 8 DR-T · Ensite Cardiac Mapping System · FARXIGA · FUROSCIX · INJECTAFER · INVOKANA · JARDIANCE · JOT DX · Kerendia · LEQVIO · LifeVest · MOUNJARO · MULTAQ · NEXLETOL · NORTHERA · OCTARAY MAPPING CATHETER · OPSUMIT · OPTIMIZER · OPTOWIRE · Olympus Laparoscopes · Optimizer · Optimizer Smart System · Ozempic · PRADAXA · Pentaray · Perclose ProGlide suture mediated closure system · Renamic Neo · Repatha · Reveal LINQ · Rybelsus · Solia · Sotalol Hydrochloride · TRULICITY · VERQUVO · VIGILANT · WALLFLEX · WATCHMAN · Wegovy · XARELTO · Xience Sierra Coronary Stent System · ZIO XT Patch
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 →
The majority of payments (40%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in cardiovascular disease and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 10% for cardiovascular disease in TX.
Equivalent to $868 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Cardiologists within 10 mi
150
Per 100K population
7.4
County median income
$70,571
Nearest hospital
UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM
0.0 mi
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. Choucair is an electrophysiology & remote specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 8% in TX), with mixed engagement industry engagement in the top 10% of TX peers, 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. Choucair experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Choucair performed 795 office visit, established patient (30-39 min) 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. Choucair receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Choucair received a total of $60,181 from 46 companies across 491 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. Choucair's costs compare to other cardiologists in San Antonio?
Dr. Choucair's average Medicare payment per service is $58. 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. Choucair) 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 →
Explore related providers
Same specialty & city
Cardiologists in San Antonio
Browse cardiologists in San Antonio ranked by procedure volume and transparency data.
Highest volume
Top Cardiologists in TX
Cardiologists ranked by total Medicare services performed statewide.
Industry payments
Pharma Payments to Cardiologists in TX
Which TX cardiologists receive the most from drug and device companies.
By company
BIOTRONIK INC. Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from BIOTRONIK INC.
By company
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC.
By company
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.
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