Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Richard Hightower, M.D.
Family Medicine · Pooler, 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. Hightower 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. Hightower
Dr. Richard Hightower is a family medicine specialist in Pooler, GA, with 21 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Hightower performed 8,250 Medicare services across 3,833 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Hightower received a total of $13,819 from 70 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 940 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. Hightower 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.
✓ 21 years in practice
▲ Top 2% volume in GA
$13,819 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗8,250
Medicare services
Top 2% in GA for family medicine
3,833
Unique beneficiaries
$28
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~393 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. |
874 | $77 | $270 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
771 | $8 | $18 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
676 | $10 | $43 |
| 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. |
675 | $8 | $32 |
| Lipid panel (cholesterol and triglycerides) A blood test that measures cholesterol and triglyceride levels. |
651 | $13 | $55 |
| 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. |
640 | $10 | $39 |
| 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. |
601 | $61 | $181 |
| Creatinine test (kidney function) A blood test that measures the amount of creatinine to assess kidney function or detect muscle injury. |
566 | $5 | $21 |
| 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. |
555 | $6 | $24 |
| Annual wellness visit, follow-up A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service. |
244 | $113 | $342 |
| Annual depression screening | 222 | $17 | $54 |
| Hemoglobin A1c test (diabetes monitoring) A blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. |
207 | $9 | $40 |
| 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. |
173 | $52 | $183 |
| Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test A blood test that measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone to evaluate thyroid function. |
163 | $16 | $69 |
| Remote patient monitoring management, 20 min/month Management based on results from remote vital sign monitoring for the first 20 minutes per calendar month. |
161 | $35 | $158 |
| Remote patient monitoring device, 30 days Initial setup of devices for remote monitoring of body functions with daily data transmission or alerts. This service covers the first 30 days of the monitoring period. |
150 | $34 | $192 |
| Free thyroxine (T4) test A blood test that measures the level of free thyroxine, a thyroid hormone, in the bloodstream. |
127 | $9 | $37 |
| 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. |
109 | $9 | $75 |
| Initial nursing facility care, moderate complexity Initial care provided to a patient in a nursing facility with moderate medical decision making, taking at least 35 minutes. |
90 | $100 | $334 |
| Nursing facility visit, low complexity A daily follow-up visit for an existing patient in a nursing facility involving straightforward medical decision making. The visit requires at least 15 minutes of time if time is used to determine the level of care. |
82 | $54 | $173 |
| PSA test (prostate cancer screening) A blood test that measures the level of prostate-specific antigen to screen for prostate cancer. |
70 | $19 | $75 |
| 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. |
42 | $2 | $9 |
| Ferritin level test (iron stores) A blood test that measures the level of ferritin, a protein that stores iron in the body. |
41 | $13 | $56 |
| Iron level test | 31 | $6 | $26 |
| Nursing facility discharge management, 30 minutes or less This service covers the management of a patient's discharge from a nursing facility. It applies when the total time spent on discharge activities is 30 minutes or less. |
31 | $63 | $184 |
| Iron binding capacity test A blood test that measures the amount of iron in the blood and the blood's ability to bind and transport iron. |
30 | $9 | $36 |
| Basic metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of basic chemicals, including total calcium levels. |
29 | $8 | $35 |
| Total testosterone level test A blood test that measures the total amount of testosterone in your body. This hormone is important for various bodily functions in both men and women. |
29 | $25 | $106 |
| Retinal imaging with remote physician review This procedure involves imaging the retina followed by a remote review of the images by a physician. |
29 | $17 | $107 |
| Flu vaccine administration This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient. |
28 | $29 | $76 |
| Flu vaccine, high-dose High-dose seasonal influenza vaccine for adults aged 65 and older. Contains four times the antigen of standard-dose flu vaccines (60 mcg per strain), split-virus formulation, preservative-free, single-dose syringe. |
27 | $69 | $163 |
| Initial hospital admission, low complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving straightforward or low-level medical decision making, with at least 40 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
22 | $65 | $255 |
| Magnesium level test A blood test to measure the amount of magnesium in your body. This helps check for magnesium deficiency or excess. |
20 | $7 | $27 |
| 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. |
20 | $101 | $347 |
| Vitamin B-12 level test A blood test that measures the amount of vitamin B-12 in your body. |
18 | $13 | $62 |
| Urine total protein level A laboratory test that measures the total amount of protein present in a urine sample. |
18 | $4 | $15 |
| 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. |
15 | $5 | $19 |
| Folic acid level test A blood test that measures the amount of folic acid in the serum. |
13 | $12 | $60 |
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 ↗$13,819
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,974/year across 7 years
Top 3% in GA for family medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
70
Companies
940
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
$13,696 (99.1%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$122 (0.9%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,502
2023
$2,472
2022
$2,583
2021
$1,561
2020
$994
2019
$1,631
2018
$2,076
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Novo Nordisk Inc
$343
Lilly USA, LLC
$336
PFIZER INC.
$327
ABBVIE INC.
$268
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$247
Amgen Inc.
$142
Axsome Therapeutics, Inc.
$84
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$79
Abbott Laboratories
$75
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$68
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$66
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$55
Exact Sciences Corporation
$48
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$46
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$40
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$34
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$31
Dexcom, Inc.
$30
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$30
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$29
Boston Scientific Corporation
$23
ITI, Inc. (d/b/a Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc.)
$22
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$18
Ardelyx, Inc.
$17
IBSA Pharma Inc.
$17
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$14
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 40.2% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Novo Nordisk Inc
$1,634
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$1,478
PFIZER INC.
$1,401
Lilly USA, LLC
$992
ABBVIE INC.
$812
Amgen Inc.
$613
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$525
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$501
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$474
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$449
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$431
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$388
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$287
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$216
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$212
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$205
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$203
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$200
Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
$182
MannKind Corporation
$171
Corium, LLC
$160
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$140
AbbVie Inc.
$135
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$125
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$122
Abbott Laboratories
$118
Axsome Therapeutics, Inc.
$108
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$108
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$101
Exact Sciences Corporation
$90
Boston Scientific Corporation
$83
VBI Vaccines (Delaware) Inc.
$65
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$61
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$56
Harmony Biosciences LLC
$55
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$55
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$54
Ironshore Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$53
Mannkind Corporation
$48
Nestle HealthCare Nutrition Inc.
$45
Allergan Inc.
$45
Circassia Pharmaceuticals Inc
$43
Shire North American Group Inc
$42
Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$39
Genentech USA, Inc.
$39
Dexcom, Inc.
$30
VistaPharm, Inc.
$30
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$29
Allergan, Inc.
$24
Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$23
ITI, Inc. (d/b/a Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc.)
$22
Biogen, Inc.
$22
NESTLE HEALTHCARE NUTRITION INC.
$21
SANOFI PASTEUR INC.
$19
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$18
Eisai Inc.
$18
Ardelyx, Inc.
$17
IBSA Pharma Inc.
$17
Bausch Health US, LLC
$17
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$16
Shield Therapeutics Inc
$16
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$16
Nalpropion Pharmaceuticals LLC
$15
Metuchen Pharmaceuticals
$13
Nevro Corp.
$13
Aytu BioScience, Inc
$13
JAZZ PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$12
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$12
Mission Pharmacal Company
$11
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 32.7% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACCRUFER · AFREZZA · AIRSUPRA · AJOVY · ANORO · APLENZIN · AREXVY · AVYCAZ · AZSTARYS · Aimovig · AirDuo Digihaler · Auvelity · Azstarys · BASAGLAR · BELSOMRA · BYSTOLIC · CAPLYTA · CHANTIX · CONTRAVE · Cologuard Collection Kit · DALVANCE · DUZALLO · Dayvigo · Descovy · Dexcom G6 Transmitter · ELIQUIS · EMGALITY · ENTRESTO · EVENITY · Edarbi · Edarbyclor · FARXIGA · FASENRA · FLUBLOK QUADRIVALENT NORTHERN HEMISPHERE · FREESTYLE LIBRE 3 · GARDASIL · GARDASIL 9 · GEMTESA · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · GVOKE PFS · General - Pain Management · IBSRELA · INVOKANA · JANUVIA · JARDIANCE · JORNAY PM · Jornay PM 20mg capsules (Bottle of 100) · KRYSTEXXA · Kerendia · LINZESS · LIVALO · LYRICA · Livalo · MOUNJARO · MOVANTIK · MYDAYIS · MYRBETRIQ · Myrbetriq · NEXLETOL · NOCDURNA · NURTEC ODT · Natesto · OFEV · Omnia · Otezla · Ozempic · PNEUMOVAX 23 · PREMARIN · PREVNAR - 13 · PREVNAR 13 · PREVNAR 20 · PreHevbrio · Prolia · QULIPTA · QUVIVIQ · RAYOS · REXULTI · RYBELSUS · Repatha · Rybelsus · SHINGRIX · SOLIQUA · SOLIQUA 100/33 · SPIRIVA RESPIMAT · SPRAVATO · STIOLTO RESPIMAT · SUNOSI · SYMBICORT · SYNJARDY · Saxenda · Skyclarys · Stendra · Strensiq · Sunosi · TLANDO · TOUJEO · TOVIAZ · TRADJENTA · TRELEGY ELLIPTA · TRINTELLIX · TRULANCE · TRULICITY · TUDORZA PRESSAIR · Thyquidity · Tirosint · Tresiba · UBRELVY · Uribel · VERQUVO · VESICARE · VIAGRA · VIBERZI · VOQUEZNA · VRAYLAR · VYVANSE · Vascepa · Veozah · Victoza · WAKIX · Wegovy · XARELTO · XIFAXAN · XYOSTED · Xofluza · ZENPEP · ZEPBOUND
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 3% for family medicine in GA.
Geographic Context
Family medicine physicians within 10 mi
149
Per 100K population
50.0
County median income
$69,575
Nearest hospital
CANDLER HOSPITAL
6.2 mi
6.2 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. Hightower is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 2% in GA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 3% of GA peers, with 21 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. Hightower experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Hightower performed 874 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. Hightower receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Hightower received a total of $13,819 from 70 companies across 940 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. Hightower's costs compare to other family medicine physicians in Pooler?
Dr. Hightower's average Medicare payment per service is $28. 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. Hightower) 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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