Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Jose Lares, MD

Internal Medicine · Weslaco, TX
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
902 S AIRPORT DR SUITE 4, Weslaco, TX 78596
9569698877
In practice since 2007 (19 years)
NPI: 1407902182 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. Lares 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. Lares? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Lares

Dr. Jose Lares is an internal medicine specialist in Weslaco, TX, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Lares performed 1,766 Medicare services across 1,305 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Lares received a total of $1,293 from 13 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 34 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in internal medicine. 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. Lares 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.

✓ 19 years in practice ▲ Top 21% volume in TX $1,293 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
1,766
Medicare services
Top 21% in TX for internal medicine
1,305
Unique beneficiaries
$32
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~93 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.
250 $79 $150
Blood draw (venipuncture)
Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample.
190 $8 $15
Ketorolac injection, per 15 mg
An injection of ketorolac tromethamine, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, administered in doses measured per 15 mg.
177 $0 $10
Office visit, established patient (10-19 min)
An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition.
144 $38 $75
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.
101 $47 $115
Drug injection, under skin or into muscle
A procedure involving the administration of a medication or substance via injection into the subcutaneous tissue or muscle.
95 $10 $35
Ceftriaxone antibiotic injection
This code represents the administration of ceftriaxone sodium, an antibiotic medication. The charge is calculated for every 250 mg of the drug administered.
84 $0 $25
Influenza virus detection test
A laboratory test that uses an immunoassay technique to detect the presence of the influenza virus through direct visual observation.
80 $16 $25
Hemoglobin A1c test (diabetes monitoring)
A blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months.
58 $10 $45
COVID-19 viral test, non-CDC
A laboratory test to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) using any technique and targeting multiple types or subtypes. This specific code is for tests performed by laboratories that are not the CDC.
58 $50 $175
Functional capacity test, per 15 minutes
A test or measurement to assess functional capacity. The service is billed for each 15-minute increment.
56 $20 $55
Strep A rapid test
A rapid test to detect Group A Streptococcus bacteria using an immunoassay method with direct visual observation.
53 $16 $30
Lipid panel (cholesterol and triglycerides)
A blood test that measures cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
48 $13 $65
Annual depression screening 47 $18 $65
Flu vaccine, high-dose
High-dose seasonal influenza vaccine for adults aged 65 and older. Contains four times the antigen of standard-dose flu vaccines (60 mcg per strain), split-virus formulation, preservative-free, single-dose syringe.
44 $72 $87
Flu vaccine administration
This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient.
44 $30 $47
Annual wellness visit, follow-up
A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service.
44 $124 $175
Office visit for established patient
An office visit for an existing patient that may not require the healthcare professional to be present.
38 $6 $55
Chronic care management, first 20 min/month
This service covers the first 20 minutes of clinical staff time directed by a healthcare professional each calendar month to manage chronic conditions.
33 $40 $75
Annual alcohol misuse screening, 5 to 15 minutes 32 $18 $42
Urinalysis, manual
A manual laboratory examination of a urine sample to check for various substances and cells.
31 $3 $10
Routine 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG)
A test that records the electrical activity of the heart using at least 12 leads to produce a tracing.
16 $4 $75
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.
16 $104 $220
EKG interpretation and report
A standard electrocardiogram test that records the heart's electrical activity using at least 12 leads. The service includes a professional interpretation of the results and a written report.
15 $5 $30
Transitional care management, high complexity
Coordination of care for a patient transitioning from a short-term hospital stay or other facility to home or another care setting. This service addresses a high-complexity medical problem.
12 $211 $325
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 ↗
$1,293
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $185/year across 7 years
Top 36% in TX for internal medicine
13
Companies
34
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
$1,293 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$125
2023
$213
2022
$96
2021
$162
2020
$189
2019
$136
2018
$372

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Novo Nordisk Inc
$331
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$216
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$154
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$134
ARGENX US, INC.
$125
Abbott Laboratories
$117
HeartFlow, Inc.
$59
PFIZER INC.
$49
Amgen Inc.
$32
Shire North American Group Inc
$21
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$19
Allergan, Inc.
$19
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$16
Top 3 companies account for 54.3% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
CHANTIX · FARXIGA · FFRct · FreeStyle Libre Pro · LYRICA · NATPARA (PARATHYROID HORMONE) · Ozempic · RELISTOR ORAL · RYBELSUS · Repatha · SOLIQUA · Tresiba · UPLIZNA · VRAYLAR · VYVGART HYTRULO · Victoza · XARELTO · XIFAXAN
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 (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Equivalent to $73 per 100 Medicare services performed
Looking for an internal medicine specialist in Weslaco?
Compare internal medicine physicians in the Weslaco area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Internal medicine physicians within 10 mi
235
Per 100K population
26.7
County median income
$52,281
Nearest hospital
KNAPP MEDICAL CENTER
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. Lares is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 21% in TX), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 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. Lares experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Lares performed 250 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. Lares receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Lares received a total of $1,293 from 13 companies across 34 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. Lares's costs compare to other internal medicine physicians in Weslaco?
Dr. Lares's average Medicare payment per service is $32. 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. Lares) 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 →