Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Richard Lee, MD
Orthopedic Surgery · Newport Beach, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Consulting-driven
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. Lee 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. Lee
Dr. Richard Lee is an orthopedic surgery specialist in Newport Beach, CA, with 18 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Lee performed 4,125 Medicare services across 2,747 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Lee received a total of $17,891 from 23 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 113 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in orthopedic surgery. The majority of payments are for consulting, which typically reflects recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Lee 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 in practice
▲ Top 13% volume in CA
$17,891 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗4,125
Medicare services
Top 13% in CA for orthopedic surgery
2,747
Unique beneficiaries
$97
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~229 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
915 | $1 | $5 |
| Pelvis X-ray, 1-2 views An X-ray imaging test of the pelvic area using one to two different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
364 | $24 | $90 |
| 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. |
362 | $109 | $310 |
| 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. |
353 | $71 | $210 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, minimum of 4 views An X-ray imaging test of the lower back and sacrum using at least four different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
301 | $46 | $180 |
| Spinal fusion of additional segment A surgical procedure to join an additional section of the spine to the existing fusion. This is performed as a separate or subsequent step to stabilize more of the spinal column. |
172 | $307 | $1,184 |
| 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. |
145 | $135 | $480 |
| Trigger point injection, 1-2 muscles A procedure involving the injection of medication into one or two specific muscles to treat trigger points. |
123 | $46 | $160 |
| 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. |
116 | $12 | $80 |
| X-ray of entire middle and lower spine, 2-3 views An X-ray imaging test that captures 2 to 3 views of the entire middle and lower spine to visualize the bones and structures in these areas. |
113 | $61 | $203 |
| X-ray of upper spine, 4-5 views An X-ray imaging test of the upper spine using 4 to 5 different views to visualize the bones and structures in that area. |
108 | $48 | $180 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, 2-3 views An X-ray imaging test that captures 2 to 3 views of the lower back and sacral spine to visualize the bones and joints in this area. |
108 | $33 | $128 |
| Spine fusion with cage or mesh device insertion A surgical procedure to fuse spine bones by inserting a cage or mesh device into the disc space. |
87 | $190 | $826 |
| X-ray of middle spine, 2 views An X-ray imaging test that produces two views of the middle section of the spine to visualize the bones and joints. |
77 | $29 | $108 |
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range. |
71 | $91 | $320 |
| Anterior spinal fusion with partial disc removal, each additional disc This procedure involves fusing spine bones together through an incision in the front of the body, with partial removal of the disc, for each additional disc treated. |
56 | $206 | $1,080 |
| X-ray of upper spine, 2-3 views An X-ray imaging test of the upper spine using two to three different angles to visualize the bones and structures. |
56 | $33 | $130 |
| MRI of lower spine, without contrast A magnetic resonance imaging scan of the lower spinal canal that does not use contrast dye to create detailed images of the spine. |
46 | $123 | $1,580 |
| 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. |
42 | $154 | $420 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, minimum 6 views An X-ray imaging test that captures at least six views of the lower back and sacral spine to evaluate bone structure and alignment. |
40 | $55 | $240 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with nerve release, each additional segment This procedure involves the partial removal of spinal bone to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. It is billed for each additional spinal segment treated beyond the initial segment. |
36 | $171 | $718 |
| Aspiration of bone marrow for spine bone graft | 34 | $57 | $238 |
| Anterior lumbar interbody fusion with partial disc removal A surgical procedure to fuse the lower spine bones by accessing the area through the abdomen and partially removing a spinal disc. |
31 | $589 | $4,780 |
| Harvest of bone fragment for spine bone graft A surgical procedure to remove a piece of bone from the patient's body to be used as a graft during spine surgery. |
29 | $135 | $530 |
| Remote therapy monitoring setup and education This service involves setting up equipment and providing patient education for the remote monitoring of therapy. |
27 | $18 | $62 |
| 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. |
27 | $46 | $180 |
| Fusion of spine in lower back | 26 | $898 | $5,142 |
| Lower spine bone segment removal A surgical procedure to cut into or remove a segment of bone from the lower spine. |
23 | $678 | $4,872 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with nerve release, 1 segment A surgical procedure involving the partial removal of a bone segment in the spine to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. This is performed on a single spinal segment. |
19 | $466 | $3,610 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 19 | $188 | $600 |
| Spinal stabilization device placement, 2-3 segments Surgical placement of a device to stabilize the front of two to three spinal segments. |
18 | $541 | $2,441 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with nerve release, 1-2 segments This procedure involves the partial removal of spinal bone to explore and release the sacral spinal cord or nerves across one to two segments. |
17 | $462 | $3,335 |
| Partial spine bone removal with nerve release, 1 interspace This procedure involves removing part of the spine bone, re-exploring the area, and releasing the lower spinal cord or nerves, along with removing a disc at one spinal level. |
17 | $1,100 | $4,225 |
| Spinal stabilization device placement, 7-12 segments Surgical placement of a device to stabilize the back involving 7 to 12 spine bone segments. |
16 | $664 | $2,787 |
| Spinal fusion exploration A surgical procedure to examine the site of a previous spinal fusion. The surgeon inspects the area to assess the status of the fusion and surrounding structures. |
15 | $349 | $2,439 |
| Insertion of instrumentation to pelvic bones A surgical procedure involving the placement of hardware or devices into the pelvic bones. |
15 | $272 | $1,188 |
| Remote therapeutic monitoring, first 20 minutes Physician management of remote therapeutic monitoring data for the first 20 minutes per calendar month. |
15 | $43 | $153 |
| MRI of middle spinal canal, without contrast This procedure uses magnetic resonance imaging to create detailed pictures of the middle section of the spinal canal. It is performed without the use of contrast dye. |
14 | $96 | $1,620 |
| MRI of upper spine without contrast An MRI scan of the upper spinal canal that does not use contrast dye. This imaging test uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed pictures of the spine. |
13 | $97 | $1,532 |
| Spinal stabilization device placement, 3-6 segments Surgical placement of a device to stabilize three to six vertebrae in the back. |
12 | $621 | $2,401 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with nerve release A surgical procedure involving the partial removal of spinal bone to release pressure on the lower spinal cord or nerves, and/or the removal of a spinal disc. |
12 | $614 | $2,917 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, 2-3 views with bending An X-ray imaging test of the lower back and sacrum using 2 to 3 views, including bending positions. |
12 | $37 | $170 |
| Hip X-ray, 2-3 views An X-ray imaging test of the hip joint using two to three different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
12 | $43 | $134 |
| Treatment of broken or dislocated lower spine bone This procedure involves the medical or surgical management of a fracture or dislocation in the lower spine. It focuses on stabilizing the injury and addressing the structural damage to the vertebrae. |
11 | $580 | $4,505 |
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.
9.4% high complexity
29.7% medium
60.9% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$17,891
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $2,556/year across 7 years
Top 22% in CA for orthopedic surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
23
Companies
113
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.
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$10,092 (56.4%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$7,799 (43.6%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$1,353
2023
$1,057
2022
$677
2021
$1,761
2020
$1,314
2019
$11,256
2018
$473
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Nexxt Spine LLC
$428
Globus Medical, Inc.
$294
OsteoCentric Technologies, Inc.
$177
Carbofix Spine Inc
$121
Boston Scientific Corporation
$118
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$118
OssDsign Incorporated
$97
Top 3 companies account for 66.5% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Stryker Corporation
$10,578
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$1,494
Osseus Fusion Systems, LLC
$1,241
Orthofix Medical, Inc.
$1,114
Nexxt Spine LLC
$428
NuVasive, Inc.
$373
SPINAL ELEMENTS, INC.
$341
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$318
Globus Medical, Inc.
$294
Medtronic, Inc.
$286
OsteoCentric Technologies, Inc.
$177
SPINEART USA INC
$158
Camber Spine Technologies LLC
$147
Spineart USA Inc
$142
Carbofix Spine Inc
$121
Boston Scientific Corporation
$118
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$118
Medicrea USA, Corp.
$106
Integra LifeSciences Corporation
$99
OssDsign Incorporated
$97
PRECISION SPINE, INC.
$83
Nevro Corp.
$43
ZIMVIE INC.
$16
Top 3 companies account for 74.4% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACF · ACIS · AEGIS · ALIF · ALIF Instruments (Universal) · ASCENT;ASCENT LE;FIREBIRD SFS;ICON SFS;SFS · BRAINLAB · Biomet OrthoPak Non-invasive Bone Growth Stimulator System · CD HORIZON · CONDUIT · CONFIDENCE · CONFIDENCE SPINAL CEMENT SYSTEM · CONSTRUX - MINI PEEK VBR;CONSTRUX - MINI PTC · COUGAR · DuraSorb Monofilament Mesh · EVEREST SPINAL SYSTEM · EXPEDIUM · FORZA · FUSE · Intracept · M6-C · MOUNTAINEER · Mariner · NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT · Nexxt Matrixx Systems · OMNIGRAFT · OssDsign Catalyst · OsteoCentric 4.0 x 130mm LOCKING BONE SCREW FASTENER ST · PASS-LP · PERLA TL · PILLAR AL · PILLAR PL · QUVIVIQ · REFORM TI CT MODULAR MIS PEDICLE SCREW SYSTEM · SCARLET AL-T · SKYHAWK · SKYLINE · STEALTH AUTOGUIDE SYSTEM · SYMPHONY · SYNCAGE · SYNFIX · Senza Spinal Cord Stimulation System · Spotlight · TRITANIUM · VIPER · XLIF
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 →
The majority of payments (56%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers.
Geographic Context
Orthopedic surgeons within 10 mi
273
Per 100K population
8.6
County median income
$113,702
Nearest hospital
COLLEGE HOSPITAL COSTA MESA
2.8 mi
2.8 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. Lee is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 13% in CA), with consulting-driven industry engagement, 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. Lee experienced with steroid injection (triamcinolone)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Lee performed 915 steroid injection (triamcinolone) 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. Lee receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Lee received a total of $17,891 from 23 companies across 113 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. Lee's costs compare to other orthopedic surgeons in Newport Beach?
Dr. Lee's average Medicare payment per service is $97. 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. Lee) 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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