Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Richard Friedman, M.D.

Cardiovascular Disease · San Diego, CA
Practice pattern: Electrophysiology & Device — Practice focused on heart rhythm disorders and cardiac device management
Low-engagement
4060 FOURTH AVE, San Diego, CA 92103
6198197222
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1881789196 verify on NPPES ↗
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. Friedman 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. Friedman? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Friedman

Dr. Richard Friedman is a cardiovascular disease specialist in San Diego, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Friedman performed 1,651 Medicare services across 1,029 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Friedman received a total of $3,280 from 25 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 179 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cardiovascular disease. 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. Friedman 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.

✓ 19 years in practice ▲ 1,651 Medicare services $3,280 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
1,651
Medicare services
Bottom 46% in CA for cardiovascular disease
1,029
Unique beneficiaries
$40
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~87 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
EKG interpretation and report
A standard electrocardiogram test that records the heart's electrical activity using at least 12 leads. The service includes a professional interpretation of the results and a written report.
431 $6 $28
Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead
A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report.
351 $11 $62
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.
323 $65 $150
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.
181 $65 $169
Ultrasound of arm or leg veins
An ultrasound exam of the veins in the arm or leg. The test uses sound waves to check blood flow and may include compression and other maneuvers.
73 $25 $79
Echocardiogram, transthoracic
An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function.
67 $172 $700
Pacemaker programming, dual lead system
Adjustment and configuration of a dual-lead pacemaker device to ensure proper operation and settings.
43 $66 $86
Ultrasound of arm or leg veins
An ultrasound exam of the veins in one arm or leg using compression and other maneuvers to assess blood flow and check for blockages.
37 $15 $51
Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG
A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram, with physician review of the results.
34 $11 $35
Prothrombin time test (blood clotting)
A laboratory test that measures how long it takes for blood to clot. This procedure evaluates the body's coagulation process.
32 $4 $8
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.
32 $143 $449
New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) 28 $172 $410
Continuous ECG monitoring, up to 30 days
Continuous heart rhythm monitoring for up to 30 days, including professional review and reporting of the results.
19 $20 $53
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.
6.7% high complexity
8.7% medium
84.6% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$3,280
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $469/year across 7 years
Top 50% in CA for cardiovascular disease
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
25
Companies
179
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
$3,280 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$361
2023
$446
2022
$666
2021
$672
2020
$526
2019
$296
2018
$314

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$147
Kestra Medical Technology Services, Inc.
$43
Philips North America LLC
$36
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$33
Medtronic, Inc.
$25
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$21
PFIZER INC.
$20
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$18
Abbott Laboratories
$18
Top 3 companies account for 62.7% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$925
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$613
PFIZER INC.
$263
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$209
Abbott Laboratories
$161
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$136
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$121
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$110
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$97
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$81
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
$62
Baxter Healthcare
$62
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$60
CVRx, Inc.
$58
Kestra Medical Technology Services, Inc.
$43
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$42
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
$37
Philips North America LLC
$36
BIOTRONIK INC.
$35
Medtronic, Inc.
$25
Coala Life Inc
$23
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$23
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$21
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$21
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$20
Top 3 companies account for 54.9% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
(5044) MCOT · (CK4) MCOT · ANDEXXA · AQUAMANTYS · AVEIR · Arcalyst · Assure WCD · Assurity Pacemaker · BRILINTA · Barostim Neo System · CAMZYOS · CardioMEMS HF System · Coala Heart Monitor · ELIQUIS · ENTRESTO · FARXIGA · GALLANT · Hillrom - Cardiac Ambulatory Monitor · JARDIANCE · LEQVIO · LifeVest · MITRACLIP · MULTAQ · MYCARELINK · ONPATTRO · OPSUMIT · OPSUMIT MACITENTAN · PRADAXA · Reveal LINQ · UPTRAVI · VERQUVO · VYNDAQEL · XARELTO · ZIO XT Patch
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.

Looking for a cardiovascular disease specialist in San Diego?
Compare cardiologists in the San Diego area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse cardiologists nearby

Geographic Context

Cardiologists within 10 mi
239
Per 100K population
7.3
County median income
$102,285
Nearest hospital
UC SAN DIEGO HEALTH HILLCREST - HILLCREST MED CTR
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. Friedman is an electrophysiology & device specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 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. Friedman experienced with ekg interpretation and report?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Friedman performed 431 ekg interpretation and report 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. Friedman receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Friedman received a total of $3,280 from 25 companies across 179 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. Friedman's costs compare to other cardiologists in San Diego?
Dr. Friedman's average Medicare payment per service is $40. 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. Friedman) 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 →
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.

Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology

Data Disclaimer — Data sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), Open Payments program, Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, and Provider Enrollment & Certification data (PECOS). Published under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Data may contain errors as reported to CMS by providers and reporting entities. Payments from industry are legal and do not indicate wrongdoing. Medicare data reflects only patients aged 65+ or those with qualifying disabilities. For corrections, contact CMS directly. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a healthcare provider. Procedure descriptions use plain language and do not reference CPT® codes, which are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Full methodology → · Report a data error → · Privacy policy →