Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Elisa Alvarado, M.D.
Internal Medicine · Pasadena, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
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. Alvarado 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. Alvarado
Dr. Elisa Alvarado is an internal medicine specialist in Pasadena, CA, with 18 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Alvarado performed 15,949 Medicare services in 2023. These records do not provide a deduplicated patient total.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Alvarado received a total of $1,774 from 27 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 73 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. Alvarado 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.
✓ 18 years of NPI registration
▲ Top 1% volume in CA
$1,774 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary — 2023
Medicare Utilization ↗15,949
Medicare services
Top 1% in CA for internal medicine
Not available
Unique patients (not deduplicated)
$40
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joint lubricant injection (GenVisc) An injection of hyaluronan or its derivative into a joint space to provide lubrication and cushioning. |
7,096 | $7 | $20 |
| 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. |
3,912 | $53 | $70 |
| 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. |
998 | $102 | $175 |
| 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. |
601 | $0 | $11 |
| Nursing facility visit, high complexity A follow-up visit by a healthcare provider at a nursing facility for an established patient. The visit involves a high level of medical decision making and takes at least 45 minutes. |
502 | $128 | $200 |
| 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. |
446 | $46 | $80 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement Use of real-time X-ray imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
300 | $107 | $250 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
299 | $50 | $110 |
| Annual wellness visit, follow-up A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service. |
266 | $140 | $200 |
| 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. |
165 | $143 | $210 |
| Initial nursing facility care, high complexity An initial visit by a healthcare provider to a patient in a nursing facility involving a high level of medical decision making, lasting at least 45 minutes. |
158 | $154 | $250 |
| 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. |
138 | $11 | $100 |
| Urinalysis, manual A manual laboratory examination of a urine sample to check for various substances and cells. |
112 | $3 | $15 |
| Quadrivalent influenza vaccine, cell-culture derived A flu shot containing four strains of influenza virus, produced using cell culture technology rather than eggs. This formulation is free from preservatives and antibiotics. |
87 | $33 | $35 |
| Flu vaccine administration This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient. |
87 | $33 | $35 |
| Nursing facility discharge management, 30 minutes or less This service covers the management of a patient's discharge from a nursing facility. It applies when the total time spent on discharge activities is 30 minutes or less. |
80 | $69 | $125 |
| Home health plan of care certification Certification by a physician or allowed practitioner for Medicare-covered home health services under a home health plan of care. This includes contacting the home health agency and reviewing reports of patient status required by physicians. |
80 | $44 | $110 |
| 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. |
75 | $12 | $30 |
| Knee joint contrast injection for imaging A contrast dye is injected into the knee joint to enhance visibility during medical imaging procedures. |
64 | $172 | $305 |
| Knee X-ray, 4 or more views An imaging test using X-rays to create multiple pictures of the knee joint from different angles. |
64 | $43 | $75 |
| Radiologist review of knee joint image A radiologist examines and interprets images of the knee joint to assess its condition. |
64 | $118 | $195 |
| 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. |
55 | $98 | $125 |
| 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. |
48 | $72 | $120 |
| Transitional care management services, moderate complexity Services provided to coordinate care during the transition from an inpatient or other facility setting back to the community. This includes follow-up and management of a health problem of at least moderate complexity. |
40 | $174 | $259 |
| Home health plan of care re-certification A physician reviews the patient's status and contacts the home health agency to re-certify the plan of care without the patient being present. |
40 | $37 | $90 |
| Dexamethasone injection (steroid) An injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a dose of 1 milligram. |
32 | $0 | $35 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 27 | $180 | $250 |
| Chronic care management services Comprehensive assessment and care planning for patients requiring ongoing chronic care management. |
26 | $54 | $150 |
| Vitamin B-12 injection An injection of vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin) with a dose of up to 1000 mcg. |
23 | $1 | $20 |
| Balance testing with recording A procedure to evaluate balance function by recording the results during testing. |
13 | $96 | $225 |
| Use of electrodes during balance testing Application of electrodes to monitor physiological responses during a balance assessment. |
13 | $10 | $17 |
| Pelvic and clinical breast exam for cancer screening A physical examination of the pelvis and breasts to screen for cervical or vaginal cancer. This procedure involves a clinical assessment performed by a healthcare provider. |
13 | $43 | $75 |
| Pap smear screening test A screening test to collect and prepare a cervical or vaginal sample for laboratory analysis. |
13 | $49 | $75 |
| Physical therapy exercise, per 15 min A therapy session using exercises to improve strength, endurance, range of motion, and flexibility. Each 15-minute unit is billed separately. |
12 | $26 | $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. These counts do not measure clinical quality or years of experience.
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$1,774
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $253/year across 7 years
Top 27% in CA for internal medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
27
Companies
73
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
$165
2023
$284
2022
$332
2021
$391
2020
$240
2019
$35
2018
$326
Payments by company (2024)
ABBVIE INC.
$67
Exact Sciences Corporation
$38
Acella Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$32
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$14
Lilly USA, LLC
$13
Top 3 companies account for 83.2% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$367
AbbVie Inc.
$172
Allergan, Inc.
$152
Amgen Inc.
$150
ABBVIE INC.
$131
Abbott Laboratories
$88
Nevro Corp.
$85
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$74
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$59
Bioventus LLC
$51
Galderma Laboratories, L.P.
$48
Boston Scientific Corporation
$43
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$39
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$39
Exact Sciences Corporation
$38
Acella Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$32
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$27
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$25
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$24
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$24
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$23
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$17
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$17
Lilly USA, LLC
$13
AbbVie, Inc.
$13
IMPEL PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$12
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$12
Top 3 companies account for 38.9% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AJOVY · Aimovig · Cologuard Collection Kit · Creon · Durolane · ENTRESTO · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · KRYSTEXXA · LEQVIO · LO LOESTRIN FE · MOUNJARO · MRI Ready Leads · NP Thyroid 60 · NURTEC ODT · ORTHOVISC · Omnia · Proclaim IPG · QULIPTA · RELISTOR ORAL · SHINGRIX · STRENSIQ · SYNVISC-ONE · Strensiq · Supartz · Trudhesa · UBRELVY · VRAYLAR · Vascepa · Vemlidy · XYOSTED
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
Internal medicine physicians in nearby ZIP areas
4,998
County median income
$87,760
Nearest hospital to ZIP centroid (approximate)
GLENDALE ADVENTIST MEDICAL CENTER
3.1 mi
3.1 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. Alvarado is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 1% in CA), with 18 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. Alvarado experienced with joint lubricant injection (genvisc)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Alvarado performed 7,096 joint lubricant injection (genvisc) 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. Alvarado receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Alvarado received a total of $1,774 from 27 companies across 73 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. Alvarado's costs compare to other internal medicine physicians in Pasadena?
Dr. Alvarado's average Medicare payment per service is $40. 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. Alvarado) 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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