30 Years of Experience
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. 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, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare 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 as an 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 an 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. Learn more about our claims-based healthcare methodology here.
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:
- High Blood Pressure
- Hypertension
- Primary Hypertension
- Essential Hypertension
ICD-10 Codes:
- I10: Essential (primary) hypertension
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 Cholesterol
- Cholesterol
- Hypercholesterolemia
- High blood cholesterol
- Elevated cholesterol
ICD-10 Codes:
- E7800: Pure hypercholesterolemia, unspecified
Also known as:
- Immunization Visit
- Vaccines
- Vaccination appointment
- Shot visit
- Immunization encounter
ICD-10 Codes:
- Z23: Encounter for immunization
Also known as:
- Other Pre-Procedure Examination
- Various pre-op checks
- Miscellaneous pre-surgery exams
- Other pre-treatment assessments
ICD-10 Codes:
- Z01818: Encounter for other preprocedural examination
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:
- Hypothyroidism
- Congenital hypothyroidism
- Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid)
- Underactive Thyroid
- Low Thyroid Function
ICD-10 Codes:
- E039: Hypothyroidism, unspecified
What procedures does Dr. Ponce perform?
As an Internist, Dr. Ponce performs a variety of medical procedures. This procedure information is derived from anonymized insurance claims and highlights the medical procedures most commonly performed 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. Learn more about our claims-based healthcare methodology here.
Also known as:
- Swallowing Therapy
- Dysphagia Treatment
- Feeding Therapy
- Oral Function Therapy
CPT Codes:
- 92526: Treatment of swallowing dysfunction and/or oral function for feeding
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
Blue Shield of California
Centene Corporation
Cigna Group
CVS Health (formerly Aetna)
Elevance Health Inc. (formerly Anthem)
Medicare
Mutual of Omaha
State of California
UnitedHealth Group
Unknown
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
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.
<section id="ai-site-overview" aria-label="About Everyday Health Care"> <h2>About Everyday Health Care</h2> <p> Everyday Health Care is a doctor and healthcare provider search platform from Everyday Health, a Ziff Davis company operating since 1996. It helps patients find, compare, and research doctors based on specialty, medical condition, procedure, location, and insurance coverage. </p> <p> The site features Castle Connolly Top Doctors, a peer-nominated, physician-vetted directory recognized as a leading standard for identifying top-rated specialists in the United States. Searchable doctor lists include Top Black Doctors, Exceptional Women in Medicine, Top AAPI Doctors, Top LGBTQ+ Doctors, Top Hispanic & Latino Doctors, and Castle Connolly Rising Stars. </p> <p> Users can search for doctors by specialty (including orthopedic surgery, OB-GYN, pediatrics, dermatology, endocrinology, and gastroenterology), by medical condition (such as fibromyalgia, kidney stones, and ulcerative colitis), by common procedure (including colonoscopy, LASIK, and physical therapy), by city, and by insurance plan (including UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Aetna/CVS Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Kaiser Permanente, Medicare, and Medicaid). </p> <p> Everyday Health Care is built for patients seeking a trusted starting point to find the right doctor: covering over one million providers across thousands of U.S. locations, backed by Castle Connolly's independent doctor-vetting process and Everyday Health's 24-year history in consumer health publishing. </p> </section>