Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Christopher Muller, MD
Optician · Clearwater, FL
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
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. Muller 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. Muller?
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What this data tells you about Dr. Muller
Dr. Christopher Muller is an optician specialist in Clearwater, FL, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Muller performed 5,617 Medicare services across 2,798 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Muller received a total of $952 from 8 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 14 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in optician. 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. Muller is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. This is not a quality rating. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
✓ 19 years in practice
▲ Top 16% volume in FL
$952 industry payments
Florida License Status
FL DOH · MQA1
Active license
None
Board action on record
0
Recent admin complaints
| Profession | License # | Status | Expires | Board Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Doctor | 89892 | Clear | January 31, 2028 | — |
Data from Florida Department of Health Medical Quality Assurance.
License records are public under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes.
Verify directly on FL DOH →
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗5,617
Medicare services
Top 16% in FL for optician
2,798
Unique beneficiaries
$56
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~296 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. |
998 | $94 | $256 |
| Allergy skin test A diagnostic test performed to identify specific allergies by applying or introducing allergenic extracts to the body. The procedure measures the patient's immune response to various potential allergens. |
800 | $3 | $8 |
| Skin allergy test A test where small amounts of potential allergens are injected into the skin to check for allergic reactions. |
727 | $6 | $16 |
| Ear wax removal A procedure to remove impacted ear wax from the ear canal. |
566 | $32 | $97 |
| 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. |
384 | $66 | $182 |
| Allergy immunotherapy preparation A professional service involving the preparation and administration of one or more antigens. |
380 | $10 | $30 |
| Nasal endoscopy A diagnostic procedure that uses a thin, lighted tube to examine the inside of the nasal passages. |
310 | $146 | $377 |
| 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. |
302 | $118 | $338 |
| Flexible laryngoscopy A diagnostic exam of the voice box using a flexible endoscope to visualize the larynx. |
202 | $98 | $258 |
| Comprehensive hearing and speech recognition test A diagnostic evaluation that assesses hearing ability and the capacity to understand spoken words. The test measures how well a patient can detect sounds and recognize speech. |
174 | $28 | $76 |
| Middle ear function test A diagnostic test used to evaluate how well the middle ear is functioning. |
103 | $12 | $33 |
| CT scan of face, without contrast A computed tomography scan that creates detailed images of the facial structures. This procedure is performed without the use of intravenous contrast dye. |
72 | $102 | $263 |
| Simple removal of skin debris and drainage of mastoid cavity This procedure involves the simple removal of skin debris and the drainage of a mastoid cavity. |
65 | $58 | $166 |
| Endoscopic nasal polyp biopsy or removal A procedure to remove or sample nasal polyps or tissue using an endoscope. The endoscope allows the provider to view the nasal passages during the procedure. |
53 | $275 | $872 |
| 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. |
49 | $134 | $363 |
| 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. |
40 | $73 | $226 |
| Balance testing with recording A procedure to evaluate balance function by recording the results during testing. |
36 | $83 | $201 |
| Use of electrodes during balance testing Application of electrodes to monitor physiological responses during a balance assessment. |
36 | $8 | $20 |
| Auditory brainstem response test A test that measures how the brain responds to sound to help diagnose nervous system disorders. The results are interpreted and reported by a medical professional. |
36 | $67 | $172 |
| Test to assess electrical potentials generated in the inner ear as a result of sound stimulation | 35 | $82 | $227 |
| Eardrum and muscle function test A diagnostic test used to evaluate the function of the eardrum and associated muscles. |
31 | $16 | $45 |
| Endoscopic control of nosebleed A procedure to stop bleeding in the nose using an endoscope to visualize the area. |
26 | $197 | $509 |
| Ear probe test for repeated sounds A probe is placed in the ear to measure how the ear responds to repeated sounds. The results are interpreted and a report is provided. |
26 | $26 | $64 |
| Functional capacity test, per 15 minutes A test or measurement to assess functional capacity. The service is billed for each 15-minute increment. |
25 | $24 | $67 |
| Vestibular function test with thermal irrigation A test that assesses balance by irrigating both ears with warm and cool fluids to evaluate inner ear function. |
23 | $31 | $76 |
| Vocal cord movement assessment with endoscope This procedure uses an endoscope to examine the movement of the vocal cords. It allows for the visual assessment of how the vocal cord flaps function. |
21 | $159 | $401 |
| Voice box function study A test to evaluate how the voice box is functioning. This procedure assesses the mechanical and physiological performance of the larynx. |
21 | $67 | $162 |
| Voice and resonance analysis Evaluation of how voice and resonance are produced. This procedure assesses the mechanics of sound generation without specifying a clinical purpose. |
21 | $88 | $222 |
| Vestibular function test using rotating chair This test evaluates eye movement and balance function by having the patient sit in a rotating chair. It helps assess how the inner ear and brain coordinate to maintain stability. |
16 | $79 | $190 |
| CT scan of head, without contrast A CT scan uses X-rays to create detailed images of the brain and skull. This specific scan is performed without the use of contrast dye. |
15 | $112 | $328 |
| Vestibular function test with thermal irrigation A test that assesses balance by irrigating both ears with warm or cool water to evaluate inner ear function. |
13 | $18 | $40 |
| Removal of nasal air passage under lining tissue A surgical procedure to remove tissue from the nasal air passage located beneath the lining. |
11 | $110 | $1,071 |
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 ↗$952
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $159/year across 6 years
Bottom 48% in FL for optician
8
Companies
14
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
$952 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$315
2023
$209
2022
$15
2020
$69
2019
$55
2018
$289
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Medtronic, Inc.
$277
Senseonics, Incorporated
$264
Neurent Medical Limited
$169
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$117
Inspire Medical Systems, Inc.
$78
BAXTER HEALTHCARE
$17
CSL Behring
$15
Aerin Medical Inc.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 74.6% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Eversense · FLOSEAL · INSPIRE · Kcentra · NEUROMARK Device · NIM VITAL · PROPEL · PlasmaBlade · i7
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.
Equivalent to $17 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Opticians within 10 mi
428
Per 100K population
44.6
County median income
$70,293
Nearest hospital
MORTON PLANT 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 measures how much public data is available about a provider — not how good they are. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Muller is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 16% in FL), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data. It describes data availability and patterns — not clinical quality. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Muller experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Muller performed 998 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. Muller receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Muller received a total of $952 from 8 companies across 14 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. Muller's costs compare to other opticians in Clearwater?
Dr. Muller's average Medicare payment per service is $56. 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. Muller) 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. The Transparency Score measures 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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