Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Hector Picon, MD
Interventional Cardiology · Rome, GA
Practice pattern: Cardiac & Cardiac
— Practice combining cardiac and cardiac services
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. Picon 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. Picon
Dr. Hector Picon is an interventional cardiology specialist in Rome, GA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Picon performed 4,474 Medicare services across 3,780 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Picon received a total of $12,551 from 39 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 584 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in interventional cardiology. 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. Picon 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
▲ Top 12% volume in GA
$12,551 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗4,474
Medicare services
Top 12% in GA for interventional cardiology
3,780
Unique beneficiaries
$40
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~235 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
740 | $50 | $200 |
| 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. |
661 | $81 | $158 |
| EKG interpretation and report A standard electrocardiogram test that records the heart's electrical activity using at least 12 leads. The service includes a professional interpretation of the results and a written report. |
475 | $6 | $25 |
| 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. |
440 | $9 | $72 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
240 | $8 | $15 |
| Prothrombin time test (blood clotting) A laboratory test that measures how long it takes for blood to clot. This procedure evaluates the body's coagulation process. |
224 | $4 | $30 |
| Basic metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of basic chemicals, including total calcium levels. |
148 | $8 | $50 |
| 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. |
141 | $59 | $113 |
| Natriuretic peptide level test A blood test that measures the level of natriuretic peptide, a protein produced by the heart and blood vessels. |
112 | $38 | $90 |
| Sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes Administration of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by the physician performing a procedure. This code covers the initial 15 minutes of sedation for patients aged 5 years or older. |
105 | $9 | $40 |
| Lipid panel (cholesterol and triglycerides) A blood test that measures cholesterol and triglyceride levels. |
98 | $13 | $70 |
| Echocardiogram with color Doppler An ultrasound of the heart that uses color imaging to visualize blood flow, measure flow rate, and assess valve function. |
94 | $2 | $200 |
| 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. |
90 | $10 | $35 |
| Follow-up heart ultrasound An ultrasound of the heart performed to monitor or reassess a previously identified condition or treatment progress. |
82 | $19 | $165 |
| 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. |
80 | $96 | $212 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
76 | $10 | $60 |
| Cardiac catheterization | 65 | $189 | $1,405 |
| 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. |
55 | $7 | $40 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound test that uses sound waves to create images of the heart's blood flow, valves, and chambers. |
47 | $13 | $155 |
| 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. |
46 | $17 | $80 |
| Remote pacemaker monitoring, 90 days Remote assessment of a pacemaker system, including single, dual, multiple lead, or leadless devices, performed up to 90 days apart. |
41 | $23 | $90 |
| 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. |
39 | $49 | $107 |
| Transesophageal echocardiogram An ultrasound of the heart performed using a probe inserted into the esophagus to obtain detailed images of heart structures and function. |
37 | $79 | $495 |
| 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. |
36 | $133 | $302 |
| 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. |
32 | $73 | $158 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity Subsequent hospital inpatient or observation care for an existing patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 50 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
32 | $92 | $171 |
| Remote evaluation of implantable defibrillator system Remote assessment of a single, dual, or multiple lead implantable defibrillator system within 90 days of the previous evaluation. |
30 | $28 | $182 |
| Coronary stent placement A procedure to insert a stent into a coronary artery or its branch to keep it open, using balloon dilation during the process. |
25 | $416 | $3,010 |
| Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test A blood test that measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone to evaluate thyroid function. |
24 | $16 | $70 |
| External shock to heart to regulate heart beat A procedure that delivers an electric shock to the heart from outside the body to restore a normal heart rhythm. |
21 | $79 | $620 |
| Pacemaker system evaluation Assessment of a pacemaker device, including single, dual, multiple lead, or leadless systems. |
18 | $41 | $100 |
| Insertion of tube in left lower heart chamber, coronary artery and bypass graft for diagnosis with review by radiologist | 17 | $204 | $1,405 |
| 2-day continuous ECG with professional review A two-day continuous electrocardiogram recording that includes a review by a healthcare professional. |
16 | $12 | $390 |
| External EKG monitoring, 8-15 days Continuous external electrocardiogram recording and review over a period of 8 to 15 days to monitor heart rhythm. |
15 | $20 | $60 |
| 2-day continuous ECG monitoring A continuous electrocardiogram recording that captures heart activity over a 48-hour period. This test helps detect irregular heart rhythms or other cardiac issues that may not appear during a standard, short-term ECG. |
14 | $11 | $390 |
| Continuous external EKG monitoring, 8-15 days This procedure involves recording heart rhythm continuously using an external EKG device over a period of 8 to 15 days. |
14 | $8 | $45 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while an electrocardiogram is monitored under physician supervision. |
11 | $15 | $95 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram, with physician review of the results. |
11 | $10 | $130 |
| Continuous ECG monitoring, up to 30 days Continuous heart rhythm monitoring for up to 30 days, including professional review and reporting of the results. |
11 | $20 | $65 |
| Stress echocardiogram An ultrasound of the heart performed while at rest and during exercise or drug-induced stress to evaluate heart function under different conditions. |
11 | $48 | $305 |
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.
22.0% high complexity
5.5% medium
72.5% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$12,551
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,793/year across 7 years
Top 36% in GA for interventional cardiology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
39
Companies
584
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
$12,519 (99.7%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$32 (0.3%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$877
2023
$1,657
2022
$1,765
2021
$987
2020
$1,131
2019
$1,420
2018
$4,713
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Medtronic, Inc.
$250
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$199
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$166
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$95
Abbott Laboratories
$56
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$45
Novo Nordisk Inc
$19
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$17
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$15
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 70.1% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$3,454
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$3,256
Abbott Laboratories
$1,142
Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
$590
ABIOMED
$507
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$393
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$390
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$369
Medtronic, Inc.
$353
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$277
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$204
Boston Scientific Corporation
$189
ATRICURE, INC.
$185
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$183
Amgen Inc.
$154
PFIZER INC.
$140
Chiesi USA, Inc.
$107
CVRx, Inc.
$76
ACIST MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
$60
Shockwave Medical, Inc
$58
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
$55
Osprey Medical Inc
$54
CMP Pharma, Inc.
$36
Lantheus Medical Imaging, Inc.
$33
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$29
CHIESI USA, INC.
$27
Impulse Dynamics (USA) Inc.
$25
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$23
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$21
CHF Solutions, Inc
$21
Terumo Medical Corporation
$20
Novo Nordisk Inc
$19
BIOTRONIK INC.
$17
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
$16
Nuwellis, Inc.
$16
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$15
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$14
Penumbra, Inc.
$14
Bardy Diagnostics, Inc.
$10
Top 3 companies account for 62.6% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ABRE · ASSURITY · AVEIR · Allure Quadra RF CRT Pacemaker · Aquadex · Aquadex Smartflow Console · BRILINTA · Barostim Neo System · CAMZYOS · CARDIOFORM Septal Occluder · CHANTIX · CLEVIPREX · CardioMEMS HF System · Carnation Ambulatory Monitor · Carospir · Confirm Rx · CoreValve Evolut · Coronary Orbital Atherectomy System · DEFINITY · Diamondback Coronary · Durata Defibrillation ICD Lead · DyeVert · ELCA · ELIQUIS · ENTRESTO · EPI-SENSE GUIDED COAGULATION SYSTEM WITH VISITRAX · FARXIGA · GENERAL STENTS · GORE CARDIOFORM Septal Occluder · HeartMate · Heartrail · INJECTAFER · Impella · Indigo · KENGREAL · KENGREAL 50MG/10ML L · Kerendia · LEQVIO · Legacy · LifeVest · NEXLETOL · ONYX FRONTIER · OPSUMIT · OPSUMIT MACITENTAN · OPTIMIZER · Ozempic · PCI Optimization · PRALUENT ALIROCUMAB INJECTION · Quartet CRT Lead · RESOLUTE ONYX · RXI CONSUMABLES · Repatha · Resolute · SHOCKWAVE INTRAVASCULAR LITHOTRIPSY (IVL) SYSTEM WITH THE SHOCKWAVE C2+ CORONARY · SHOCKWAVE IVL SYSTEM WITH THE SHOCKWAVE C2 CORONARY IVL CATHETER · SYMPLICITY G3 · Shockwave IVL System with the Shockwave C2 Coronary IVL Catheter · Shockwave Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL) System with the Shockwave C2+ Coronary · Telescope · UPTRAVI · VYNDAQEL · WATCHMAN Access System · XARELTO · Xience Sierra CSS · Xience Sierra Coronary Stent
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.
Geographic Context
Interventional cardiologists within 10 mi
4
Per 100K population
4.0
County median income
$62,540
Nearest hospital
ADVENTHEALTH REDMOND
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 reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Picon is a cardiac & cardiac specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 12% in GA), with low-engagement industry engagement, 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. Picon experienced with echocardiogram, transthoracic?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Picon performed 740 echocardiogram, transthoracic 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. Picon receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Picon received a total of $12,551 from 39 companies across 584 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. Picon's costs compare to other interventional cardiologists in Rome?
Dr. Picon's average Medicare payment per service is $40. 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. Picon) 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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