Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Jonathan Welch, MD

Ophthalmology · San Marcos, TX
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
2430 S IH 35 STE 106, San Marcos, TX 78666
5123531300
In practice since 2008 (18 years)
NPI: 1407024227 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. Welch 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. Welch? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Welch

Dr. Jonathan Welch is an ophthalmology specialist in San Marcos, TX, with 18 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Welch performed 4,207 Medicare services across 3,503 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Welch received a total of $3,356 from 30 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 137 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. Welch 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.

✓ 18 years in practice ▲ Top 21% volume in TX $3,356 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
4,207
Medicare services
Top 21% in TX for ophthalmology
3,503
Unique beneficiaries
$82
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~234 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
Comprehensive eye exam, established patient 1,268 $81 $150
Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan) 539 $24 $95
Eye exam, established patient, focused 507 $60 $110
Visual field test, extended 430 $43 $175
Retinal imaging (OCT scan) 362 $27 $95
Corneal topography and eye depth measurement 260 $29 $300
Cataract surgery with lens implant 250 $406 $1,950
Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) 219 $77 $175
Comprehensive eye exam, new patient 139 $94 $185
New patient office visit (45-59 min) 114 $95 $225
Removal of recurring cataract in lens capsule using a laser 84 $243 $750
Ultrasound scan of cornea to determine thickness 35 $7 $45
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.
5.9% high complexity
22.2% medium
71.8% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$3,356
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $479/year across 7 years
Top 33% in TX for ophthalmology
30
Companies
137
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
$2,828 (84.3%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$528 (15.7%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$663
2023
$1,118
2022
$438
2021
$560
2020
$184
2019
$200
2018
$192

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
RxSight Inc
$665
Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc.
$601
ABBVIE INC.
$350
Allergan, Inc.
$318
AbbVie Inc.
$297
Alcon Vision LLC
$189
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS, INC.
$136
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS INC.
$100
Oyster Point Pharma, Inc.
$90
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$79
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$72
Allergan Inc.
$63
Ocular Therapeutix, Inc.
$53
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$36
BioTissue Holdings, Inc.
$33
Bausch & Lomb, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$26
Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$25
Inspire Medical Systems, Inc.
$24
Rayner Intraocular Lenses Limited
$23
Amgen Inc.
$22
Omeros Corporation
$20
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$19
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$19
Thea Pharma Inc.
$17
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$15
EYEVANCE PHARMACEUTICALS LLC
$15
Dompe US, Inc.
$13
Shire North American Group Inc
$13
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$13
Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$12
Top 3 companies account for 48.1% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTHAR · AcrySof IQ PanOptix · AcrySof IQ PanOptix UV IOL · Centurion · Cequa · Clareon · DEXTENZA · DURYSTA · Flarex · Healon Duet Pro · INSPIRE · INVELTYS · IYUZEH · LIGHT ADJUSTABLE LENS (LAL) AND LIGHT DELIVERY DEVICE (LDD) · LOTEMAX GEL · LUMIGAN · MIEBO · OXERVATE · Omidria · One Series Ultra · One Series Ultra IOL Delivery System · PROKERA · Phacofragmentation Accessories · RESTASIS · RESTASIS MULTIDOSE · RXSIGHT CONTACT LENS · RXSIGHT INJECTOR HANDPIECE · Rocklatan · SHINGRIX · TECNIS IOL · TEPEZZA · TYRVAYA · Tecnis 1-piece IOL · Tecnis IOL · Tecnis Simplicity · Tecnis Symfony IOL · VUITY · VYZULTA · Whitestar Phacoemulsficiation System · Whitestar Signature Pro · XDEMVY · XIIDRA · rhopressa · rocklatan
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 (84%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Equivalent to $80 per 100 Medicare services performed
Looking for an ophthalmology specialist in San Marcos?
Compare ophthalmologists in the San Marcos area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse ophthalmologists nearby

Geographic Context

Ophthalmologists within 10 mi
13
Per 100K population
5.1
County median income
$85,827
Nearest hospital
CHRISTUS SANTA ROSA HOSPITAL-SAN MARCOS
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. Welch is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 21% in TX), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 18 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. Welch experienced with comprehensive eye exam, established patient?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Welch performed 1,268 comprehensive eye exam, established patient 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. Welch receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Welch received a total of $3,356 from 30 companies across 137 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. Welch's costs compare to other ophthalmologists in San Marcos?
Dr. Welch's average Medicare payment per service is $82. 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. Welch) 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 →
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 →