Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Cristina Harnsberger, M.D.

Surgery · Santa Barbara, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
317 W PUEBLO ST, Santa Barbara, CA 93105
8058983140
In practice since 2011 (15 years)
NPI: 1497054126 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. Harnsberger 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. Harnsberger

Dr. Cristina Harnsberger is a surgery specialist in Santa Barbara, CA, with 15 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Harnsberger performed 620 Medicare services across 485 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Harnsberger received a total of $1,554 from 9 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 21 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in surgery. 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. Harnsberger 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.

✓ 15 years in practice ▲ Top 15% volume in CA $1,554 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
620
Medicare services
Top 15% in CA for surgery
485
Unique beneficiaries
$83
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~41 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, 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.
129 $40 $123
Anoscopy
A diagnostic exam of the anus using a thin, lighted tube called an endoscope to look inside.
125 $98 $350
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.
87 $92 $349
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.
58 $72 $249
Office visit for established patient
An office visit for an existing patient that may not require the healthcare professional to be present.
50 $19 $65
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.
34 $141 $524
Colonoscopy
A diagnostic exam of the lower portion of the large bowel using a flexible endoscope.
27 $147 $431
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.
24 $98 $353
New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) 21 $173 $597
New patient office visit, 15-29 minutes
An initial office visit for a new patient lasting 15 to 29 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter meets this duration threshold.
18 $59 $207
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.
13 $107 $357
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.
12 $67 $209
Colonoscopy with biopsy
A procedure to collect tissue samples from the large intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities or disease.
11 $114 $1,548
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.
11 $141 $453
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 2023 ↗
$1,554
Total received (2018-2023)
Avg $259/year across 6 years
Bottom 47% in CA for surgery
9
Companies
21
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
$1,517 (97.6%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$38 (2.4%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2023
$103
2022
$88
2021
$38
2020
$71
2019
$1,121
2018
$134

Payments by company (2023)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Integra LifeSciences Corporation
$75
Medtronic, Inc.
$27
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2023 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2023) ›
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
$981
Ethicon US, LLC
$260
Medtronic, Inc.
$116
Integra LifeSciences Corporation
$75
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$39
TETRAPHASE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$25
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$24
Shire North American Group Inc
$23
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
$12
Top 3 companies account for 87.3% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
BRIDION · Da Vinci Surgical System · EEA · EVICEL · EXPAREL · Echelon Powered Circular · GATTEX · Integra · OMNIGRAFT · SIGNIA · STRATAFIX · Xerava
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 (98%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Looking for a surgery specialist in Santa Barbara?
Compare surgerists in the Santa Barbara area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Surgerists within 10 mi
19
Per 100K population
4.3
County median income
$95,977
Nearest hospital
SANTA BARBARA COTTAGE HOSPITAL
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 2023
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. Harnsberger is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 15% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 15 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. Harnsberger experienced with hospital follow-up visit, low complexity?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Harnsberger performed 129 hospital follow-up visit, low 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. Harnsberger receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Harnsberger received a total of $1,554 from 9 companies across 21 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. Harnsberger's costs compare to other surgerists in Santa Barbara?
Dr. Harnsberger's average Medicare payment per service is $83. 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. Harnsberger) 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 →