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Dr. Richard Ponce, MD

Dr. Richard Ponce, MD

Santa Barbara, CA

30 Years of Experience

Accepting patients

Affiliated with a Castle Connolly Top Hospital

    Who is Dr. Ponce, Internist in Santa Barbara, CA?

    Dr. Richard Ponce, MD is an Internist, who primarily practices in Santa Barbara, CA with 2 additional practice locations. He has been practicing for over 30 years and is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Dr. Ponce graduated from University of California and completed his residency at Ucla Med Ctr, Internal Medicine. Dr. Ponce is fluent in English and Spanish, and is currently seeing new patients. Dr. Ponce’s practice accepts Medicare, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Cigna and other major insurance plans. To book an appointment or to confirm insurance options, please call Dr. Ponce’s office at (805) 681-1761.

    What are Areas of Expertise for Dr. Ponce?

    Dr. Richard Ponce, MD is a highly-rated, board-certified Internist known for expertly diagnosing, treating, and managing a wide array of related conditions or procedures. Utilizing the latest medical advancements and evidence-based practices, Dr. Ponce empowers patients to confidently navigate their health journey, specializing in Primary Care, or comprehensive wellness support. Serving the Santa Barbara/CA community, Dr. Ponce is dedicated to enhancing lives through expert, patient-centered care.

    Where did Dr. Ponce go to medical school and complete their residency?

    • Residency: Ucla Med Ctr, Internal Medicine | Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

    • Medical School: University of Ca, San Francisco, Sch of Med, San Francisco Ca | University of California

    Is Dr. Ponce board certified in Internist?

    Yes, Dr. Richard Ponce, MD is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine

    What languages does Dr. Ponce speak?

    Dr. Ponce and their clinical team can communicate with patients in the following languages:

    • English

    • Spanish

    What conditions does Dr. Ponce treat?

    As a Internist, Dr. Ponce diagnoses, treats, and manages a wide range of conditions. This condition information is derived from anonymized insurance claims and highlights the medical conditions most commonly treated by Dr. Ponce. It provides insight into the doctor’s areas of experience and expertise based on real-world patient encounters from the past two years, updated quarterly.

    Also known as:

    • Routine Adult Health Checkup
    • Health Checkup
    • Adult physical exam
    • Annual wellness visit for adults
    • General adult medical exam

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • Z0000: Encounter for general adult medical examination without abnormal findings

    Also known as:

    • Depression Screening
    • Depression
    • Health Screening
    • Depression Test
    • Mental Health Check for Depression
    • Mood Disorder Screening

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • Z1331: Encounter for screening for depression

    Also known as:

    • High Blood Pressure
    • Hypertension
    • Primary Hypertension
    • Essential Hypertension

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • I10: Essential (primary) hypertension

    Also known as:

    • High Cholesterol
    • Cholesterol
    • Hypercholesterolemia
    • High blood cholesterol
    • Elevated cholesterol

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • E7800: Pure hypercholesterolemia, unspecified

    Also known as:

    • One-Sided Weakness or Paralysis After Ischemic Stroke
    • Stroke
    • Paralysis
    • Post-stroke Problems
    • Effects of Stroke
    • Stroke After-effects
    • Post-ischemic stroke hemiplegia
    • Partial paralysis from ischemic stroke
    • Ischemic stroke-related body weakness
    • Hemiparesis after brain infarction

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • I69398: Other sequelae of cerebral infarction
    • I69354: Hemiplegia and hemiparesis following cerebral infarction affecting left non-dominant side

    Also known as:

    • Immunization Visit
    • Vaccines
    • Vaccination appointment
    • Shot visit
    • Immunization encounter

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • Z23: Encounter for immunization

    Also known as:

    • Pneumonia
    • Aspiration Pneumonia
    • Lung Infection
    • Chest Infection
    • Pneumonitis
    • Inhalation Pneumonia
    • Chemical Pneumonitis
    • Aspiration Lung Infection

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • J189: Pneumonia, unspecified organism
    • J690: Pneumonitis due to inhalation of food and vomit

    Also known as:

    • Having a Prosthetic Heart Valve
    • Heart Valve Disease
    • Artificial heart valve
    • Mechanical heart valve
    • Bioprosthetic valve

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • Z952: Presence of prosthetic heart valve

    Also known as:

    • Type 2 Diabetes
    • Diabetes Type 2
    • Type 2 diabetes
    • Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
    • Adult-Onset Diabetes
    • Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • E119: Type 2 diabetes mellitus without complications

    Also known as:

    • Vitamin D Deficiency
    • Low Vitamin D Levels
    • Lack of Vitamin D
    • Hypovitaminosis D

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • E559: Vitamin D deficiency, unspecified

    Also known as:

    • Brain disease (encephalopathy)
    • Brain Disease
    • Brain disorder
    • Brain dysfunction
    • Encephalopathy

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • G9340: Encephalopathy, unspecified

    Also known as:

    • High Blood Pressure Heart Disease with Heart Failure
    • Heart Failure
    • High Blood Pressure
    • Hypertensive Heart Failure
    • High Blood Pressure Causing Heart Failure

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • I110: Hypertensive heart disease with heart failure

    Also known as:

    • Moderate Recurrent Major Depression
    • Depression
    • Moderate chronic depression
    • Moderate recurring depression
    • Moderate depressive episodes

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • F331: Major depressive disorder, recurrent, moderate

    Also known as:

    • Adult Health Checkup with Abnormal Findings
    • Health Checkup
    • Adult Physical Exam with Issues
    • Routine Checkup with Concerns
    • General Medical Exam with Abnormal Results

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • Z0001: Encounter for general adult medical examination with abnormal findings

    Also known as:

    • COVID-19
    • COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019)
    • Coronavirus Disease 2019
    • SARS-CoV-2 Infection
    • Novel Coronavirus

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • U071: COVID-19

    Also known as:

    • Oropharyngeal Dysphagia
    • Swallowing Disorder
    • Difficulty Swallowing in Throat
    • Trouble Starting to Swallow
    • Throat Swallowing Problems

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • R1312: Dysphagia, oropharyngeal phase

    Also known as:

    • Lymphedema
    • Lymphatic Swelling
    • Fluid Retention in Limbs
    • Chronic Swelling

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • I890: Lymphedema, not elsewhere classified

    Also known as:

    • Long-Term Blood Thinner Use
    • Blood Thinners
    • Chronic anticoagulant therapy
    • Ongoing blood thinner treatment
    • Anticoagulant medication use

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • Z7901: Long term (current) use of anticoagulants

    Which procedures does Dr. Ponce perform as a Internist?

    As a Internist, procedures performed by an Dr. Richard Ponce may include:

    For detailed information, please contact Dr. Ponce's office.

    Does Dr. Ponce accept my insurance?

    Dr. Ponce accepts most major insurance plans. Important: Please call our office at (805) 681-1761 before your appointment to verify that your specific plan and network are accepted.

    What insurance plans does Dr. Ponce accept in Santa Barbara, CA?

    Dr. Ponce in Santa Barbara, CA accepts plans from many carriers. While this list is updated regularly, it is not a guarantee of coverage.

    Top Insurances

    • Aetna

    • All Other Third Party

    • Blue Shield of California

    • Centene

    • CVS Health (formerly Aetna)

    • HealthComp

    • Medicare

    • Mutual of Omaha

    • Santa Barbara Select IPA

    • UnitedHealthcare

    View All Insurances

    Where is Dr. Ponce's office located?

    Dr. Richard Ponce's Primary Practice

    215 Pesetas Ln

    Santa Barbara, CA 93110

    (805) 681-1761

    Get Directions

    Dr. Richard Ponce's Practice 2

    2320 Calle Real

    Santa Barbara, CA 93105

    Get Directions

    Dr. Richard Ponce's Practice 3

    29 W Anapamu St Ste 202

    Santa Barbara, CA 93101

    Get Directions

    What is Dr. Ponce's NPI number?An National Provider Identifier (NPI) is a unique ID number that identifies doctors and healthcare providers nationwide.

    Dr. Ponce's National Provider Identifier (NPI) number is 1578576450.

    What common questions do patients ask about Dr. Ponce?

    Here are answers to patients Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) about Dr. Ponce

    What is Dr. Richard Ponce's specialty?

    Dr. Ponce is a Internist near Santa Barbara, CA.

    A physician who provides long-term, comprehensive care in the office and the hospital, managing both common and complex illness of adolescents, adults and the elderly. Internists are trained in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, infections and diseases affecting the heart, blood, kidneys, joints and digestive, respiratory and vascular systems. They are also trained in the essentials of primary care internal medicine, which incorporates an understanding of disease prevention, wellness, substance abuse, mental health and effective treatment of common problems of the eyes, ears, skin, nervous system and reproductive organs.

    Contact Dr. Ponce to book an appointment today.

    Is this Dr. Richard Ponce affiliated with a ranked Castle Connolly Top Hospital?

    Yes, Dr. Ponce is affiliated with Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital which is a Castle Connolly Top Hospital. Castle Connolly Top Hospitals are healthcare institutions recognized for their excellence in specific medical procedures and overall patient care. They are identified through a rigorous peer nomination process, evaluating factors like patient outcomes, quality of care, and expertise. The list recognizes hospitals that excel in 20 or more specific medical procedures, representing the top 25% nationwide. Castle Connolly Top Hospitals

    Where can I learn more about Internist?

    Explore Internist with insights from trusted medical experts on EverydayHealth.com, where you'll find the most relevant content and helpful condition guides for up-to date information about symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment and more. See all our health guides to find trusted information on medical conditions from our experts at Everyday Health.

    Is Richard Ponce accepting new patients in Santa Barbara, CA?

    Yes, Dr. Richard Ponce is accepting new patients at this time.

    Does Dr. Richard Ponce offer online booking?

    Please contact Dr. Ponce's office at (805) 681-1761 for information about online booking, telehealth, or to schedule an appointment.

    How can I make an appointment with Richard Ponce?

    Please contact Dr. Ponce's office at (805) 681-1761 for information regarding telehealth appointment availability or for scheduling assistance.

    Which board certifications does Dr. Richard Ponce have?

    Dr. Richard Ponce is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

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