Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Branden Cord, MD, PHD
Neurological Surgery · Sacramento, CA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
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. Cord 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 →
Are you Dr. Cord?
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What this data tells you about Dr. Cord
Dr. Branden Cord is a neurological surgery specialist in Sacramento, CA, with 13 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Cord performed 1,177 Medicare services across 931 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Cord received a total of $91,304 from 18 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 255 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in neurological 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. Cord 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 7% volume in CA
$91,304 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,177
Medicare services
Top 7% in CA for neurological surgery
931
Unique beneficiaries
$171
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~91 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an existing patient involving moderate medical decision making. The visit requires at least 35 minutes of time spent on the date of service. |
149 | $66 | $257 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, low complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an established patient with straightforward or low-level medical decision making. The visit requires at least 25 minutes of time spent on the day of service. |
123 | $41 | $158 |
| Sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes Administration of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by the physician performing a procedure. This code covers the initial 15 minutes of sedation for patients aged 5 years or older. |
101 | $10 | $207 |
| Neck artery catheter insertion with radiology review A tube is inserted into an artery in the neck for diagnostic or treatment purposes. A radiologist reviews the procedure. |
73 | $270 | $10,390 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving moderate-level medical decision making, with at least 55 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
71 | $108 | $504 |
| Ultrasound guidance for blood vessel access Use of ultrasound imaging to help locate and access a blood vessel. This guidance assists healthcare providers in performing procedures such as inserting IV lines or drawing blood. |
58 | $11 | $86 |
| 3D radiographic procedure with computerized image postprocessing A radiographic imaging procedure that creates three-dimensional images using computerized processing of the captured data. |
55 | $31 | $224 |
| Radiologist review of image for embolization A radiologist reviews medical images to guide the insertion of material designed to block blood flow. |
53 | $57 | $384 |
| Occlusion of central nervous system or spinal cord artery | 51 | $747 | $4,195 |
| Arterial catheter insertion in neck A tube is inserted into an artery in the neck for diagnostic or treatment purposes. A radiologist reviews the procedure. |
45 | $125 | $1,713 |
| Blood vessel imaging Imaging test to visualize the blood vessels. |
44 | $72 | $488 |
| Brain artery catheterization A tube is inserted into an artery in the brain for diagnosis or treatment, with review by a radiologist. |
38 | $203 | $11,388 |
| Spinal tap with imaging guidance A procedure to remove cerebrospinal fluid from the lower back using imaging guidance to assist with the spinal tap. |
38 | $82 | $1,218 |
| 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. |
37 | $78 | $502 |
| 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. |
34 | $107 | $646 |
| Brain fluid drainage shunt placement Surgical placement of a shunt to drain excess fluid from the brain to another part of the body, such as the abdomen or chest. |
28 | $829 | $3,855 |
| Head artery clot removal and dissolution A procedure to remove a blood clot from an artery in the head and inject medication to dissolve remaining clots, guided by fluoroscopy. |
27 | $657 | $2,999 |
| Skull bone removal for brain blood aspiration A surgical procedure involving the removal of a portion of the skull bone to access and drain a blood accumulation located in the upper brain, either outside or below the brain membrane. |
22 | $1,515 | $7,570 |
| Initial hospital admission, low complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving straightforward or low-level medical decision making, with at least 40 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
20 | $69 | $380 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 11-20 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 11 and 20 minutes. |
20 | $49 | $109 |
| Brain artery infusion with tube insertion and imaging A procedure involving the insertion of a tube into an artery of the brain to deliver a chemical agent, accompanied by imaging guidance for the initial treatment area. |
17 | $293 | $2,030 |
| 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. |
17 | $110 | $699 |
| Emergency department visit, moderate complexity An emergency department visit for an established or new patient involving a moderate level of medical decision making. |
17 | $99 | $681 |
| Initial hospital admission, high complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 75 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
13 | $144 | $726 |
| Hospital discharge day management, 30 minutes or less This service covers the final day of hospital care when the patient is being discharged. It includes coordination of care and instructions for the patient within a time frame of 30 minutes or less. |
13 | $68 | $275 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 5-10 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 5 and 10 minutes to discuss medical matters. |
13 | $27 | $57 |
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.
14.7% high complexity
11.9% medium
73.4% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$91,304
Total received (2019-2024)
Avg $15,217/year across 6 years
Top 11% in CA for neurological surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
18
Companies
255
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
$47,225 (51.7%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$27,799 (30.4%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$16,280 (17.8%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$33,994
2023
$21,131
2022
$11,814
2021
$9,706
2020
$8,825
2019
$5,834
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Penumbra, Inc.
$14,623
QAPEL MEDICAL INC
$8,400
Silk Road Medical, Inc.
$7,251
MicroVention, Inc.
$1,921
Stryker Corporation
$976
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$256
Imperative Care, Inc
$203
Route 92 Medical, Inc.
$188
Rapid Medical Ltd
$142
Inari Medical, Inc.
$33
Top 3 companies account for 89.1% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2019-2024) ›
Silk Road Medical, Inc.
$39,944
Penumbra, Inc.
$16,498
Aesculap, Inc.
$8,913
QAPEL MEDICAL INC
$8,400
Stryker Corporation
$7,890
MicroVention, Inc.
$3,236
Medtronic, Inc.
$1,945
Medical Device Business Services, Inc.
$1,625
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$1,347
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$371
Route 92 Medical, Inc.
$351
Viz.ai, Inc.
$243
Imperative Care, Inc
$203
Rapid Medical Ltd
$142
Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
$134
Inari Medical, Inc.
$33
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$28
Scientia Vascular
$3
Top 3 companies account for 71.6% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
1488 · 8F BASE CAMP SHEATH SYSTEM · ABRE · AESCULAP · ALPHAVAC · AXS VECTA 71 · Aristotle Guidewire · Artemis · BALLOON CATHETER · Benchmark · CATALYST · CHAPERON GUIDING CATHETER · CORE · CorPath Imaging System · EMBOTRAP · ENHANCE Transcarotid Peripheral Access Kit · ENROUTE .014 Guidewire · ENROUTE Transcarotid Neuroprotection System · ENROUTE Transcarotid Stent · ERIC RETRIEVAL DEVICE · EVOLVE · FLOCONTROL · FLOWTRIEVER CATHETER · FRED · IDEAL EYES · INFINITY · KYPHON Balloon Kyphoplasty · KYPHON EXPRESS II KYPHOPAK TRAY · LEGEND · LVIS JUNIOR · M.BLUE · NEUROFORM EZ · NSE - CUTTING ACCESSORIES · NSE - HIGH SPEED DRILLS · OSTEOCOOL RF ABLATION · PIPELINE · PROGAV 2.0 · PULSERIDER · Penumbra Coil 400 · Penumbra System · Pipeline · RED 72 · S · SOFIA 6F-131CM STR · SOLITAIRE X · STENT · SURPASS EVOLVE · Smart Coil · Solitaire · TARGET · TIGERTRIEVER 17 REVASCULARIZATION DEVICE · TREVO · TRUFILL · UNIVERSAL NEURO 3 · Viz.AI LVO · WEB · WEB ANEURYSM EMBOLIZATION SYSTEM · ZOOM 88-T LARGE DISTAL PLATFORM
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 (52%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers.
Geographic Context
Neurological surgerists within 10 mi
66
Per 100K population
4.2
County median income
$88,724
Nearest hospital
SUTTER MEDICAL CENTER, SACRAMENTO
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. Cord is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 7% in CA), with consulting-driven industry engagement in the top 11% of CA peers.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Cord experienced with hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Cord performed 149 hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity 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. Cord receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Cord received a total of $91,304 from 18 companies across 255 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. Cord's costs compare to other neurological surgerists in Sacramento?
Dr. Cord's average Medicare payment per service is $171. 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. Cord) 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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