Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Kristen Buono, M.D.
Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery (Obstetrics & Gynecology) Physician · Orange, CA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
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. Buono 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. Buono
Dr. Kristen Buono is an urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery physician in Orange, CA, with 13 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Buono performed 11,716 Medicare services across 2,798 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Buono received a total of $5,052 from 18 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 137 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery (obstetrics & gynecology) physician. 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. Buono 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.
✓ 13 years in practice
▲ Top 3% volume in CA
$5,052 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗11,716
Medicare services
Top 3% in CA for urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery (obstetrics & gynecology) physician
2,798
Unique beneficiaries
$34
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~901 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botox injection, per unit An injection of onabotulinumtoxinA, a medication used to temporarily relax muscles or reduce gland activity. The dose is measured in units, with this code representing a single unit administered. |
7,601 | $5 | $8 |
| 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. |
775 | $60 | $192 |
| Urinalysis, manual A manual laboratory examination of a urine sample to check for various substances and cells. |
705 | $3 | $10 |
| Insertion of temporary bladder tube | 330 | $36 | $150 |
| 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. |
326 | $92 | $271 |
| Electronic assessment of bladder emptying A test that uses electronic monitoring to evaluate how well the bladder empties urine. |
281 | $5 | $22 |
| Non-needle muscle activity measurement of bladder and bowel openings This procedure measures and records the electrical activity of muscles at the bladder and bowel openings without using needles. |
277 | $20 | $101 |
| 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. |
193 | $123 | $351 |
| Fitting and insertion of vaginal support device A procedure to measure, fit, and insert a device designed to support vaginal structures. |
171 | $58 | $159 |
| Urethral dilation using endoscope A procedure to widen the urethra using a thin, lighted tube called an endoscope. This helps to open a narrowed urethral passage. |
126 | $281 | $721 |
| Complex urodynamic pressure measurement A test that measures the pressure of urine flow in the bladder and urethra to evaluate urinary function. |
124 | $220 | $600 |
| Lower leg neurostimulator electrode insertion A procedure to place an electrode in the lower leg for neurostimulation therapy. |
116 | $97 | $263 |
| Complex urodynamic pressure flow study A test that measures the pressure of urine flow in the bladder during voiding to evaluate how well the bladder and urethra are functioning. |
113 | $224 | $599 |
| Abdominal device insertion with pressure and urine flow study A procedure involving the placement of a device into the abdomen, accompanied by a study to measure pressure and urine flow rate. |
96 | $151 | $383 |
| 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. |
75 | $35 | $120 |
| Cystoscopy with chemical ablation of bladder A procedure where a camera is used to examine the bladder and a chemical agent is applied to destroy abnormal tissue. |
65 | $338 | $859 |
| Bladder irrigation and/or instillation This procedure involves flushing the bladder with fluid to clear it or introducing medication directly into the bladder. |
48 | $56 | $167 |
| 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. |
44 | $125 | $380 |
| Complex urodynamic pressure measurement A test that measures the pressure of urine flow in the bladder along with urethral and voiding pressures. |
38 | $244 | $656 |
| Repair of rectocele and cystocele Surgical repair to correct the bulging of the rectum and bladder into the vaginal wall. |
38 | $611 | $1,818 |
| Non-rubber pessary A non-rubber device inserted into the vagina to support pelvic organs. |
34 | $37 | $50 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 30 | $176 | $464 |
| Urethral sling procedure for female incontinence A surgical procedure that creates a supportive sling around the urethra to help control urinary leakage in women. |
27 | $433 | $1,584 |
| Injectable bulking agent, synthetic implant, urinary tract, 1 ml syringe, includes shipping and necessary supplies | 26 | $204 | $608 |
| Vaginal hysterectomy, uterus 250 g or less Surgical removal of the uterus through the vagina. This procedure is performed when the uterus weighs 250 grams or less. |
16 | $372 | $1,830 |
| Vaginal repair of prolapsing vaginal vault A surgical procedure to correct a prolapse of the vaginal vault by repairing it through the vagina. |
15 | $302 | $1,461 |
| Injection of implant material into bladder or urethra A procedure where implant material is injected beneath the lining of the bladder and/or urethra using an endoscope. |
13 | $315 | $812 |
| Sacral nerve stimulator electrode insertion A procedure to place an electrode array in the sacral area to deliver electrical stimulation to the nerves. |
13 | $923 | $2,345 |
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.
0.6% high complexity
65.0% medium
34.5% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$5,052
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $722/year across 7 years
Top 30% in CA for urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery (obstetrics & gynecology) physician
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
18
Companies
137
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
$4,103 (81.2%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$922 (18.3%)
Scientific / Research
Research funding and grants
$27 (0.5%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$177
2023
$1,005
2022
$1,960
2021
$1,449
2020
$190
2019
$91
2018
$179
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$73
Axonics, Inc.
$66
ABBVIE INC.
$23
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$16
Top 3 companies account for 91.1% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Axonics, Inc.
$2,192
PFIZER INC.
$593
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$449
Boston Scientific Corporation
$439
Allergan, Inc.
$345
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$208
COLOPLAST CORP
$206
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$156
UROVANT SCIENCES INC
$125
Axonics Modulation Technologies, Inc.
$101
Caldera Medical, Inc
$58
TherapeuticsMD, Inc.
$47
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$34
AbbVie Inc.
$25
ABBVIE INC.
$23
Coloplast Corp
$20
Myovant Sciences Inc.
$16
Hologic, LLC
$15
Top 3 companies account for 64.0% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ANNOVERA · Advantage System · Altis · Axonics · Axonics r-SNM System · BOTOX · Bulkamid · Desara · FEMALE INCONTINENCE · GEMTESA · GENERAL - FEMALE SUI · GENERAL FEMALE SUI · IMVEXXY · INTERSTIM · MYFEMBREE · MYRBETRIQ · Myrbetriq · PREMARIN · SOLYX · Solyx SIS System · THINPREP 2000 PROCESSOR · UPSYLON · Upsylon · Veozah
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 (81%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery physicians within 10 mi
14
Per 100K population
0.4
County median income
$113,702
Nearest hospital
PROVIDENCE ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL
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. Buono is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 3% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Buono experienced with botox injection, per unit?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Buono performed 7,601 botox injection, per unit 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. Buono receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Buono received a total of $5,052 from 18 companies across 137 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. Buono's costs compare to other urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery physicians in Orange?
Dr. Buono's average Medicare payment per service is $34. 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. Buono) 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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