Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Robert Houghton, M.D.

Family Medicine · San Diego, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
1855 1ST AVE STE 200, San Diego, CA 92101
6192334044
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1124138045 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. Houghton 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. Houghton? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Houghton

Dr. Robert Houghton is a family medicine specialist in San Diego, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Houghton performed 259 Medicare services across 110 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Houghton received a total of $32,497 from 60 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 1671 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in family medicine. 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. Houghton 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 ▲ 259 Medicare services $32,497 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
259
Medicare services
Bottom 38% in CA for family medicine
Lower Medicare volume may reflect subspecialty focus, hospital-based work, or a higher share of non-Medicare patients.
110
Unique beneficiaries
$76
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~14 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
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.
196 $88 $235
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.
23 $54 $160
Flu vaccine administration
This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient.
22 $31 $35
Quadrivalent influenza vaccine, preservative-free
A flu shot containing four strains of the influenza virus, formulated without preservatives, administered in a 0.5 ml dose.
18 $21 $45
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 ↗
$32,497
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $4,642/year across 7 years
Top 1% in CA for family medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
60
Companies
1,671
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
$32,152 (98.9%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$345 (1.1%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$4,569
2023
$5,103
2022
$4,604
2021
$5,445
2020
$3,571
2019
$4,687
2018
$4,518

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ViiV Healthcare Company
$1,500
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$1,399
ABBVIE INC.
$273
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$244
EMD Serono, Inc.
$211
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$123
Amgen Inc.
$98
PFIZER INC.
$93
Exact Sciences Corporation
$88
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$82
Verity Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$78
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$56
Theratechnologies Inc.
$55
Tolmar, Inc.
$43
Hologic Sales and Service, LLC
$43
Napo Pharmaceuticals Inc
$39
Lilly USA, LLC
$27
Seqirus USA Inc
$24
Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$23
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$22
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$18
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$17
Philips North America LLC
$15
Top 3 companies account for 69.4% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$7,882
ViiV Healthcare Company
$7,639
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$2,221
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$1,229
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$1,092
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$1,068
PFIZER INC.
$973
Theratechnologies Inc.
$877
EMD Serono, Inc.
$842
ABBVIE INC.
$824
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$776
Janssen Products, LP
$743
AbbVie Inc.
$570
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$528
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$437
Lilly USA, LLC
$411
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$386
AbbVie, Inc.
$371
Nestle HealthCare Nutrition Inc.
$276
Amgen Inc.
$263
Allergan Inc.
$257
Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$250
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$249
Novo Nordisk Inc
$211
Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$188
Aytu BioScience, Inc
$182
Eisai Inc.
$145
Exact Sciences Corporation
$141
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$126
Napo Pharmaceuticals Inc
$102
Tolmar, Inc.
$96
Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$92
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$83
Verity Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$78
Seqirus USA Inc
$78
Arbor Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$74
Allergan, Inc.
$70
Acerus Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$68
INSYS Therapeutics Inc
$67
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$59
Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$52
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$52
Hologic Sales and Service, LLC
$43
Dynavax Technologies Corporation
$31
DAVOL INC.
$27
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$24
Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc.
$23
Hologic, LLC
$23
Abbott Laboratories
$22
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$22
Boston Scientific Corporation
$20
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$17
Kaleo, Inc.
$17
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$16
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$16
Philips North America LLC
$15
Clarus Therapeutics Inc.
$14
Shire North American Group Inc
$13
Purdue Pharma L.P.
$13
Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 54.6% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
(CK7) Extended Holter · AIRSUPRA · ANORO ELLIPTA · APRETUDE · APTIMA · AREXVY · AVEED · Amitiza · Androgel · BELSOMRA · BREZTRI · BYDUREON · BYSTOLIC · Biktarvy · CABENUVA · CHANTIX · COLOGUARD · CREON · Cologuard Collection Kit · Creon · DALVANCE · DELSTRIGO · DOVATO · Dayvigo · Descovy · EDEX · EGRIFTA · EGRIFTA SV · ELIQUIS · EMGALITY · ENTRESTO · EUCRISA · Edarbi · Edarbyclor · Evzio · FANAPT · FARXIGA · FLUCELVAX QUADRIVALENT · Fluad Quadrivalent · Flucelvax · HETLIOZ · Heplisav-B · Horizant · ISENTRESS · JANUVIA · JARDIANCE · JATENZO · JULUCA · KAPSPARGO · Kerendia · LEQVIO · LINZESS · LIVALO · LYRICA · Livalo · MOUNJARO · MYDAYIS · Movantik · Mytesi · NOCDURNA · NUEDEXTA · NURTEC ODT · Natesto · OCTRODE · ONZETRA Xsail · OTREXUP · Otezla · Otrexup · Ozempic · PAXLOVID · PIFELTRO · PREMARIN · PREVNAR - 13 · PREVNAR 13 · PREVNAR 20 · PREZCOBIX · QULIPTA · QUVIVIQ · RUKOBIA · RYBELSUS · Repatha · Rybelsus · SEROSTIM · SHINGRIX · SIVEXTRO · SUPERION · SYMPROIC · SYMTUZA · SYNDROS · Serostim · Sunlenca · Symtuza · Synthroid · TEFLARO · THIRD WAVE · TLANDO · TOVIAZ · TRELEGY ELLIPTA · TRINTELLIX · TRIUMEQ · TROGARZO · TRULICITY · Tlando · Trintellix · Truvada · UBRELVY · VIAGRA · VRAYLAR · Vascepa · XIAFLEX · XYOSTED · ZENPEP · ZERBAXA
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 (99%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians. Total industry engagement is in the top 1% for family medicine in CA.

Looking for a family medicine specialist in San Diego?
Compare family medicine physicians in the San Diego area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Family medicine physicians within 10 mi
1,207
Per 100K population
36.8
County median income
$102,285
Nearest hospital
NMC San Diego
1.6 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. Houghton is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 1% of CA peers, 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. Houghton experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Houghton performed 196 office visit, established patient (30-39 min) 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. Houghton receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Houghton received a total of $32,497 from 60 companies across 1,671 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. Houghton's costs compare to other family medicine physicians in San Diego?
Dr. Houghton's average Medicare payment per service is $76. 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. Houghton) 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.

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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 →