Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Bruce Houston, D.O.
Family Medicine · Albany, GA
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. Houston 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. Houston
Dr. Bruce Houston is a family medicine specialist in Albany, GA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Houston performed 5,983 Medicare services across 3,631 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Houston received a total of $19,739 from 65 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 1243 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. Houston 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.
✓ 20 years in practice
▲ Top 5% volume in GA
$19,739 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗5,983
Medicare services
Top 5% in GA for family medicine
3,631
Unique beneficiaries
$29
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~299 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. |
902 | $75 | $217 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
799 | $8 | $30 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
695 | $10 | $118 |
| Hemoglobin A1c test (diabetes monitoring) A blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. |
350 | $9 | $106 |
| Lipid panel (cholesterol and triglycerides) A blood test that measures cholesterol and triglyceride levels. |
315 | $13 | $150 |
| Complete blood count (CBC) with differential An automated laboratory test that measures the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood, including a breakdown of the different types of white blood cells. |
224 | $7 | $68 |
| Annual depression screening | 219 | $17 | $28 |
| Annual wellness visit, follow-up A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service. |
218 | $121 | $130 |
| Magnesium level test A blood test to measure the amount of magnesium in your body. This helps check for magnesium deficiency or excess. |
188 | $7 | $33 |
| Urine microalbumin test (kidney screening) A laboratory test that measures the amount of microalbumin, a small protein, in a urine sample. This test is used to detect early signs of kidney damage. |
180 | $6 | $80 |
| Creatinine test (kidney function) A blood test that measures the amount of creatinine to assess kidney function or detect muscle injury. |
179 | $5 | $42 |
| 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. |
160 | $60 | $151 |
| Vitamin B-12 level test A blood test that measures the amount of vitamin B-12 in your body. |
144 | $15 | $87 |
| Vitamin D level test A blood test to measure the amount of Vitamin D-3 in your body. |
126 | $28 | $156 |
| LDL cholesterol level test A blood test that measures the amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in your blood. LDL is often referred to as "bad" cholesterol. |
120 | $10 | $80 |
| Parathyroid hormone level test A blood test that measures the amount of parathyroid hormone in your body. This hormone helps regulate calcium levels in the blood and bones. |
117 | $39 | $294 |
| Phosphate level test A blood test that measures the amount of phosphate in your body. Phosphate is a mineral that helps keep bones and teeth strong. |
108 | $5 | $18 |
| Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test A blood test that measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone to evaluate thyroid function. |
107 | $16 | $139 |
| Folic acid level test A blood test that measures the amount of folic acid in the serum. |
104 | $14 | $81 |
| Annual alcohol misuse screening, 5 to 15 minutes | 80 | $17 | $20 |
| Free thyroxine (T4) test A blood test that measures the level of free thyroxine, a thyroid hormone, in the bloodstream. |
77 | $9 | $95 |
| Advance care planning consultation, first 30 min A session focused on discussing and documenting future healthcare preferences and goals. This service covers the initial 30 minutes of the planning discussion. |
61 | $78 | $85 |
| PSA test (prostate cancer screening) A blood test that measures the level of prostate-specific antigen to screen for prostate cancer. |
51 | $18 | $154 |
| Automated urinalysis An automated laboratory test performed on a urine sample to analyze its chemical and physical properties. The procedure uses machinery to detect various substances and cells within the urine. |
43 | $2 | $28 |
| Office visit for established patient An office visit for an existing patient that may not require the healthcare professional to be present. |
41 | $8 | $16 |
| Chest X-ray, 2 views An X-ray imaging test of the chest that captures two different angles to visualize the lungs, heart, and chest wall. |
36 | $22 | $223 |
| Drug injection, under skin or into muscle A procedure involving the administration of a medication or substance via injection into the subcutaneous tissue or muscle. |
26 | $9 | $59 |
| HDL cholesterol level test A blood test that measures the amount of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in your blood. HDL is often referred to as 'good' cholesterol. |
24 | $8 | $71 |
| Uric acid level test A blood test that measures the level of uric acid in your body. Uric acid is a waste product formed when the body breaks down purines. |
23 | $4 | $45 |
| SARS-CoV-2 immunoassay test A laboratory test using immunoassay techniques to detect the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. |
23 | $35 | $100 |
| Transitional care management services, moderate complexity Services provided to coordinate care during the transition from an inpatient or other facility setting back to the community. This includes follow-up and management of a health problem of at least moderate complexity. |
21 | $152 | $334 |
| Methylprednisolone acetate injection, 80 mg An injection of 80 mg of methylprednisolone acetate, a corticosteroid medication. |
20 | $9 | $56 |
| Basic metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of basic chemicals, including total calcium levels. |
19 | $8 | $90 |
| 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. |
18 | $8 | $150 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 5-10 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 5 and 10 minutes to discuss medical matters. |
18 | $42 | $140 |
| Ferritin level test (iron stores) A blood test that measures the level of ferritin, a protein that stores iron in the body. |
17 | $13 | $50 |
| Respiratory virus detection test A laboratory test using immunoassay techniques to detect the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and influenza viruses. |
16 | $43 | $175 |
| Annual wellness visit, initial visit A yearly appointment to review your health and create a personalized prevention plan. This initial visit focuses on preventive care and health assessment. |
15 | $157 | $164 |
| Iron level test | 13 | $6 | $38 |
| Strep A rapid test A rapid test to detect Group A Streptococcus bacteria using an immunoassay method with direct visual observation. |
13 | $16 | $34 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
13 | $87 | $1,000 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 11-20 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 11 and 20 minutes. |
13 | $55 | $148 |
| Initial preventive physical examination, new Medicare beneficiary A comprehensive preventive health visit for new Medicare beneficiaries during their first 12 months of enrollment. The service is conducted as a face-to-face visit and is limited to preventive care. |
13 | $158 | $165 |
| Destruction of precancerous skin growth, 1 Removal of a single precancerous skin growth. This procedure destroys abnormal skin cells to prevent them from developing into cancer. |
12 | $37 | $188 |
| Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
11 | $42 | $116 |
| 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. |
11 | $136 | $336 |
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.
0.2% high complexity
0.8% medium
99.0% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$19,739
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $2,820/year across 7 years
Top 1% in GA for family medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
65
Companies
1,243
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
$19,739 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,603
2023
$2,861
2022
$2,890
2021
$3,124
2020
$2,120
2019
$3,234
2018
$2,908
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$310
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$275
Lilly USA, LLC
$243
Novo Nordisk Inc
$221
PFIZER INC.
$178
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$178
Dexcom, Inc.
$163
Amgen Inc.
$140
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.
$124
Abbott Laboratories
$95
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$87
Teleflex LLC
$77
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$74
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$66
ABBVIE INC.
$63
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$60
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$55
SHIELD THERAPEUTICS INC
$46
UCB, Inc.
$38
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$34
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$25
Exact Sciences Corporation
$19
Corcept Therapeutics
$16
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$15
Top 3 companies account for 31.8% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Novo Nordisk Inc
$2,381
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$1,567
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$1,272
Lilly USA, LLC
$1,238
PFIZER INC.
$1,096
Amgen Inc.
$1,029
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$920
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$865
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$839
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$604
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$520
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$432
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$429
Dexcom, Inc.
$424
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$370
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$335
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.
$333
AbbVie Inc.
$327
Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$316
Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$305
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$274
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$263
Organogenesis Inc.
$261
Allergan, Inc.
$250
ABBVIE INC.
$238
Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$236
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$205
Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
$202
Abbott Laboratories
$171
Allergan Inc.
$162
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$157
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$148
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$126
Eisai Inc.
$97
Boston Scientific Corporation
$95
IRONWOOD PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
$78
Teleflex LLC
$77
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$76
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$73
Biogen, Inc.
$66
ORGANOGENESIS INC.
$64
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$63
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$62
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$55
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$53
KVK-Tech, Inc.
$51
AbbVie, Inc.
$46
SHIELD THERAPEUTICS INC
$46
DEXCOM, INC.
$42
Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$40
UCB, Inc.
$38
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
$36
Nevro Corp.
$35
Corium, LLC
$33
SANOFI PASTEUR INC.
$29
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$28
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$25
Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc
$24
Exact Sciences Corporation
$19
Seqirus USA Inc
$19
Shield Therapeutics Inc
$19
Corcept Therapeutics
$16
Sanofi Pasteur Inc.
$13
Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$13
Genentech USA, Inc.
$12
Top 3 companies account for 26.4% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACCRUFER · ADUHELM · AIRSUPRA · AJOVY · AMITIZA · AMYVID · ANORO · ANORO ELLIPTA · APTIOM · AUSTEDO · Adlarity · Aimovig · Amitiza · BASAGLAR · BELSOMRA · BREO · BREZTRI · BREZTRI AEROSPHERE · CAMZYOS · CAPVAXIVE · CHANTIX · COMIRNATY · CREON · Cologuard Collection Kit · Creon · DEXCOM G6 TRANSMITTER · Dayvigo · Dexcom G6 Transmitter · DreamStat Cpap Auto · DreamWear Full · ELIQUIS · EMGALITY · ENTRESTO · EUCRISA · EVENITY · EVUSHELD · Edarbi · FARXIGA · FLUZONE HIGH-DOSE · FORTEO · FREESTYLE LIBRE 2 · FREESTYLE LIBRE 3 · Fluad Quadrivalent · FreeStyle Libre 2 · GEMTESA · INGREZZA · INJECTAFER · INVOKANA · JANUVIA · JARDIANCE · KISUNLA · Kerendia · Korlym · LEQVIO · LINZESS · LONHALA MAGNAIR · LYNPARZA · LYRICA · Linzess · Livalo · MOUNJARO · MYRBETRIQ · Myrbetriq · NEXLETOL · NUEDEXTA · NURTEC ODT · NUZYRA · Nayzilam · Nuedexta · OFEV · OXTELLAR XR · Omnia · Ongentys · Otezla · Ozempic · PAXLOVID · PNEUMOVAX 23 · PREVNAR - 13 · PREVNAR 13 · PREVNAR 20 · Prolia · Puraply · Puraply Antimicrobial · QULIPTA · REXULTI · RYBELSUS · Repatha · Rybelsus · SHINGRIX · SOLIQUA · SOLIQUA 100/33 · SPIRIVA RESPIMAT · STEGLATRO · STIOLTO RESPIMAT · SYMBICORT · Saxenda · TEFLARO · TOUJEO · TRADJENTA · TRELEGY ELLIPTA · TRINTELLIX · TROKENDI XR · TRULICITY · Tresiba · Trintellix · Trulance · UBRELVY · UROLIFT · Utibron · VERQUVO · VESICARE · VIBERZI · VOQUEZNA · VRAYLAR · Vascepa · Veozah · Victoza · WATCHMAN Access System · Wegovy · XARELTO · XIFAXAN · Xofluza · ZEPBOUND · ZTLido
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. Total industry engagement is in the top 1% for family medicine in GA.
Geographic Context
Family medicine physicians within 10 mi
68
Per 100K population
81.0
County median income
$46,784
Nearest hospital
PHOEBE WORTH MEDICAL CENTER
15.6 mi
15.6 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. Houston is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 5% in GA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 1% of GA peers, with 20 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. Houston experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Houston performed 902 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. Houston receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Houston received a total of $19,739 from 65 companies across 1,243 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. Houston's costs compare to other family medicine physicians in Albany?
Dr. Houston's average Medicare payment per service is $29. 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. Houston) 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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