Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Sarah Buenviaje-Smith, MD
Anesthesiology · Apple Valley, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
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. Buenviaje-Smith 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. Buenviaje-Smith
Dr. Sarah Buenviaje-Smith is an anesthesiology specialist in Apple Valley, CA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Buenviaje-Smith performed 2,637 Medicare services across 1,145 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Buenviaje-Smith received a total of $3,349 from 25 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 200 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in anesthesiology. 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. Buenviaje-Smith 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.
✓ 20 years in practice
▲ Top 2% volume in CA
$3,349 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗2,637
Medicare services
Top 2% in CA for anesthesiology
1,145
Unique beneficiaries
$57
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~132 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
276 | $11 | $40 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 11-20 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 11 and 20 minutes. |
273 | $70 | $251 |
| 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. |
237 | $98 | $300 |
| Vitamin B-12 injection An injection of vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin) with a dose of up to 1000 mcg. |
229 | $1 | $60 |
| Ketorolac injection, per 15 mg An injection of ketorolac tromethamine, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, administered in doses measured per 15 mg. |
228 | $0 | $33 |
| Drug test with direct observation A drug screening test performed under direct observation to ensure the sample is provided correctly. This method is used to verify the integrity of the specimen collection process. |
183 | $12 | $150 |
| 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. |
183 | $70 | $250 |
| Dexamethasone injection (steroid) An injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a dose of 1 milligram. |
112 | $0 | $54 |
| Psychological test administration, first 30 minutes A technician administers psychological or neuropsychological testing for the first 30 minutes. |
93 | $29 | $200 |
| Complete ultrasound scan of joint An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to create detailed images of a joint. This procedure allows for the visualization of the joint's internal structures. |
75 | $43 | $329 |
| Auditory brainstem response test A test that measures how the brain responds to sound to help diagnose nervous system disorders. The results are interpreted and reported by a medical professional. |
67 | $70 | $222 |
| Awake and drowsy EEG A test that records electrical activity in the brain while the patient is awake and drowsy. |
67 | $326 | $1,652 |
| Visual evoked potential test A test that measures how quickly electrical signals travel from the eye to the brain in response to visual stimuli. |
67 | $56 | $592 |
| Digital analysis of brain wave activity (EEG) This procedure involves the digital analysis of brain wave activity recorded via an electroencephalogram (EEG). It focuses on the technical interpretation of the digital data rather than the initial recording or supervision. |
67 | $232 | $1,386 |
| Psychological test administration, each additional 30 minutes A technician administers psychological or neuropsychological testing. This code covers each additional 30-minute increment of administration time. |
67 | $30 | $200 |
| Electrocardiogram, 1-3 leads with physician review A heart rhythm test using one to three electrodes to record electrical activity, with interpretation by a physician. |
66 | $11 | $56 |
| Neuropsychological test evaluation, first hour A professional assessment of cognitive and behavioral functioning using standardized tests. This service covers the initial hour of the evaluation process. |
63 | $102 | $200 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 21-30 minutes A telephone conversation with a physician lasting between 21 and 30 minutes. This code covers the time spent discussing medical matters over the phone. |
45 | $97 | $288 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
35 | $49 | $303 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement Use of real-time X-ray imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
35 | $94 | $413 |
| Trigger point injection, 1-2 muscles A procedure involving the injection of medication into one or two specific muscles to treat trigger points. |
30 | $37 | $297 |
| Psychological test evaluation, first hour A healthcare professional evaluates the results of psychological testing during an initial one-hour session. |
29 | $97 | $200 |
| Remote therapy monitoring setup and education This service involves setting up equipment and providing patient education for the remote monitoring of therapy. |
24 | $16 | $285 |
| Musculoskeletal remote monitoring device supply, 30 days A device supply that records and transmits data for remote monitoring of the musculoskeletal system over a 30-day period. |
22 | $42 | $248 |
| Spine facet joint injection with imaging guidance, single level An injection is administered into a single facet joint of the lower or sacral spine while using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
18 | $202 | $1,333 |
| Facet joint injection, second level, with imaging guidance An injection into a lower or sacral spine facet joint using imaging guidance for the second level treated. |
18 | $109 | $678 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, single joint A procedure to destroy nerves in a single lower or sacral spinal facet joint using imaging guidance to target pain signals. |
15 | $447 | $1,847 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 45 and 59 minutes. This code covers the total time spent by the physician or qualified healthcare professional on the date of the encounter. |
13 | $105 | $400 |
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 ↗$3,349
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $478/year across 7 years
Top 7% in CA for anesthesiology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
25
Companies
200
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
$3,349 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$191
2023
$196
2022
$232
2021
$599
2020
$439
2019
$703
2018
$989
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$84
SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$39
Boston Scientific Corporation
$34
PFIZER INC.
$19
PAINTEQ LLC
$14
Top 3 companies account for 82.5% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
PFIZER INC.
$598
Boston Scientific Corporation
$510
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$482
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$412
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$284
Stimwave Technologies Incorporated
$180
Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$110
Nevro Corp.
$93
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$83
Pernix Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.
$75
Kaleo, Inc.
$72
Purdue Pharma L.P.
$72
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$61
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$54
SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$39
RedHill Biopharma Inc.
$37
Avanos Medical
$34
Amgen Inc.
$30
Abbott Laboratories
$25
BIODELIVERY SCIENCES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
$23
BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc.
$17
Allergan Inc.
$15
FIDIA PHARMA USA INC.
$15
PAINTEQ LLC
$14
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 47.5% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AJOVY · Aimovig · BELBUCA · BOTOX · BUNAVAIL 2.1 mg 30-count box · Belbuca · CHANTIX · COOLIEF* COOLED RADIOFREQUENCY · EVZIO · Evzio · FLECTOR · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENERAL - PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENVISC 850 SODIUM HYALURONATE · General - Pain Management · Hymovis · LYRICA · MONOVISC · MOVANTIK · Morphabond ER · Movantik · NURTEC ODT · ORTHOVISC · OXYCONTIN · Omnia · PAINTEQ · Proclaim Family of SCS IPGs · RELISTOR · REYVOW · SPECTRA WAVEWRITER · SUPERION · SYMPROIC · Senza Spinal Cord Stimulation System · Superion · XIFAXAN · XTAMPZA · ZOHYDRO ER · ZTLido · ZTLido 30 POUCH in 1 CARTON 1 PATCH in 1 POUCH
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. Total industry engagement is in the top 7% for anesthesiology in CA.
Geographic Context
Anesthesiologists within 10 mi
22
Per 100K population
1.0
County median income
$82,184
Nearest hospital
PROVIDENCE ST MARY MEDICAL CENTER
0.0 mi
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 reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Buenviaje-Smith is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 2% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 7% of CA peers, with 20 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. Buenviaje-Smith experienced with drug injection, under skin or into muscle?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Buenviaje-Smith performed 276 drug injection, under skin or into muscle 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. Buenviaje-Smith receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Buenviaje-Smith received a total of $3,349 from 25 companies across 200 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. Buenviaje-Smith's costs compare to other anesthesiologists in Apple Valley?
Dr. Buenviaje-Smith's average Medicare payment per service is $57. 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. Buenviaje-Smith) 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 →
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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. 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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