Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Wynndel Buenger, MD
Pain Medicine · Alton, IL
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
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. Buenger 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. Buenger
Dr. Wynndel Buenger is a pain medicine specialist in Alton, IL, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Buenger performed 29,157 Medicare services across 2,351 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Buenger received a total of $24,560 from 51 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 664 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in pain 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. Buenger 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 7% volume in IL
$24,560 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗29,157
Medicare services
Top 7% in IL for pain medicine
2,351
Unique beneficiaries
$14
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~1,535 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contrast dye for imaging, lower concentration | 14,638 | $0 | $1 |
| Dexamethasone injection (steroid) An injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a dose of 1 milligram. |
7,220 | $0 | $3 |
| Injection, ropivacaine hydrochloride, 1 mg | 1,999 | $0 | $13 |
| Contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based) A contrast agent containing 300-399 mg/ml of iodine used to enhance imaging studies. It is administered per milliliter to improve the visibility of internal structures. |
1,601 | $0 | $5 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
1,091 | $1 | $4 |
| Injection, propofol, 10 mg | 822 | $0 | $1 |
| Sacral spine nerve root injection with imaging guidance An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into a sacral spine nerve root. The procedure uses imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
212 | $223 | $1,862 |
| Injection into lower spine canal with imaging guidance A procedure where a substance is injected into the lower part of the spinal canal. The injection is performed using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
184 | $183 | $905 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement Use of real-time X-ray imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
116 | $85 | $297 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
114 | $54 | $341 |
| Spine facet joint injection with imaging guidance, single level An injection is administered into a single facet joint of the lower or sacral spine while using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
101 | $174 | $1,144 |
| Spinal injection with imaging guidance A procedure where medication is injected into the middle or upper part of the spinal canal. Imaging technology is used to guide the needle to the correct location. |
96 | $190 | $952 |
| Facet joint injection, second level, with imaging guidance An injection into a lower or sacral spine facet joint using imaging guidance for the second level treated. |
88 | $98 | $589 |
| Cefazolin sodium injection, 500 mg An injection of 500 mg of cefazolin sodium, an antibiotic medication, administered into the body. |
86 | $1 | $4 |
| Injection of anesthetic or steroid into sacroiliac joint with imaging guidance This procedure involves injecting an anesthetic or steroid medication into the joint connecting the lower spine and hip bone. Imaging guidance is used to ensure accurate placement of the injection. |
77 | $154 | $1,212 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, single joint A procedure to destroy nerves in a single lower or sacral spinal facet joint using imaging guidance to target pain signals. |
76 | $447 | $3,003 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, additional joint This procedure uses imaging guidance to destroy nerves in an additional lower or sacral spinal facet joint. |
67 | $252 | $1,227 |
| 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. |
55 | $127 | $559 |
| Spinal neurostimulator electrode insertion A procedure to place an electrode array into the spine through the skin. The electrode is used to deliver electrical stimulation to the nervous system. |
52 | $1,261 | $5,200 |
| Midazolam injection, per 1 mg Administration of midazolam hydrochloride, a sedative medication, measured in 1 mg increments. |
50 | $0 | $3 |
| 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. |
46 | $100 | $357 |
| Additional sacral spine nerve root injection with imaging An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into an additional sacral spine nerve root level, guided by imaging. |
44 | $86 | $610 |
| 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. |
44 | $86 | $368 |
| 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. |
43 | $71 | $235 |
| Spine facet joint injection with imaging guidance, single level An injection is administered into a single facet joint of the upper or middle spine while using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
35 | $198 | $1,209 |
| Facet joint injection, second level, with imaging An injection into a second spinal facet joint in the upper or middle spine, guided by imaging to ensure accurate placement. |
33 | $105 | $633 |
| Injection, fentanyl citrate, 0.1 mg | 29 | $1 | $5 |
| Knee nerve block injection with imaging guidance An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into a nerve branch of the knee, performed using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
27 | $200 | $1,437 |
| Additional sedation, per 15 minutes Administration of a drug to deepen sedation during a procedure. This code covers each additional 15-minute increment of sedation beyond the initial period. |
19 | $8 | $75 |
| 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. |
17 | $37 | $100 |
| Spinal neurostimulator generator insertion Surgical placement of a spinal neurostimulator generator or receiver device. |
16 | $199 | $1,922 |
| Spinal fracture stabilization with imaging guidance A procedure to stabilize a broken bone in the middle spine by placing a device, using imaging guidance during the treatment. |
15 | $4,343 | $21,000 |
| Destruction of nerve branches of knee using imaging guidance | 15 | $357 | $2,303 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, single joint This procedure uses imaging guidance to destroy the nerves supplying a single upper or middle spinal facet joint. It is performed to interrupt pain signals from that specific joint. |
15 | $448 | $2,807 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, additional joint This procedure uses imaging guidance to destroy nerves in an additional upper or middle spinal facet joint. |
14 | $265 | $1,308 |
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 ↗$24,560
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $3,509/year across 7 years
Top 9% in IL for pain medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
51
Companies
664
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
$15,916 (64.8%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$8,644 (35.2%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$1,448
2023
$1,572
2022
$2,517
2021
$1,874
2020
$1,688
2019
$6,563
2018
$8,898
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Abbott Laboratories
$921
Vertos Medical, Inc.
$122
Curonix LLC
$98
BIOTRONIK NRO, Inc.
$81
Valinor Pharma, LLC
$45
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$42
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$41
PAINTEQ LLC
$34
SPR Therapeutics, Inc
$25
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$23
Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$14
Top 3 companies account for 78.8% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Abbott Laboratories
$6,087
Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$5,516
TerSera Therapeutics LLC
$3,402
SPR Therapeutics, Inc
$1,330
Nevro Corp.
$1,132
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$949
Stryker Corporation
$884
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$825
Vertos Medical, Inc.
$800
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$604
Medtronic, Inc.
$353
Boston Scientific Corporation
$285
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$266
BIOTRONIK NRO, Inc.
$216
Lilly USA, LLC
$163
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$155
Egalet US Inc
$146
PFIZER INC.
$146
Zyla Life Sciences
$135
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$126
BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc.
$119
Curonix LLC
$98
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$84
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$73
Radius Health, Inc.
$65
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$53
Valinor Pharma, LLC
$45
Pernix Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.
$39
Purdue Pharma L.P.
$38
PAINTEQ LLC
$34
Amgen Inc.
$32
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$31
GRT US Holding, Inc.
$28
Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.
$27
Sentynl Therapeutics, Inc.
$27
AbbVie Inc.
$26
Arbor Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$25
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
$21
ABBVIE INC.
$17
Nalu Medical, Inc.
$16
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$15
Kaleo, Inc.
$15
RedHill Biopharma Inc.
$15
Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$14
Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
$13
Horizon Pharma plc
$13
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$13
BIODELIVERY SCIENCES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
$12
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$11
Pacira Therapeutics, Inc.
$11
Bioventus LLC
$11
Top 3 companies account for 61.1% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ADAPTIVESTIM · AIMOVIG · AJOVY · ARYMO ER · Aimovig · Amitiza · Axium INS DRG IPG · BELBUCA · BIOTRONIK · BUNAVAIL 2.1 mg 30-count box · Belbuca · COLOGUARD DNA CAPTURE REAGENTS · DRG IPGs · Durolane · EMGALITY · ETERNA · EUFLEXXA · EVZIO · FLECTOR · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENERAL - PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · Gel One · HORIZANT · Horizant · INTELLIS · INTELLIS ADAPTIVESTIM · IVS - MULTIGEN 2RF · IVS - VERTEBRAL AUGMENTATION PRODUCTS · KYPHON EXPRESS II KYPHOPAK TRAY · LYRICA · Levorphanol Tartrate · MONOVISC · MOVANTIK · MYSTIM · Morphabond ER · Motegrity · Movantik · N'VISION · NURTEC ODT · Nalu Neurostimulation System · Nucynta · Nucynta ER · ORTHOVISC · Octrode SCS Leads · Omnia · PAINTEQ · PNS FREEDOM-4A PERMANENT NEUROSTIMULATOR RECEIVER KIT CHANNEL A · PRIALT · PROCLAIM · Prialt · Proclaim Family of SCS IPGs · Proclaim IPG · Prodigy Family of SCS IPGs · Prospera · QULIPTA · Qutenza · RELISTOR · RELISTOR ORAL · RESTORE · S-Series SCS Leads · SCS IPGs · SCS leads · SPECIFY · SPECTRA WAVEWRITER · SPINEJACK · SPRINT PNS System · SPRIX · SYMPROIC · SYNCHROMED · SYNCHROMEDII · Senza · Senza Spinal Cord Stimulation System · Tymlos · UBRELVY · VECTRIS · VIMOVO · Vanta · WAVEWRITER ALPHA · WaveWriter Alpha Prime 16 · XTAMPZA · XTAMPZAER · Xtampza ER · ZOHYDRO ER · ZORVOLEX · Zilretta · mild Device Kit
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 (65%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians. Total industry engagement is in the top 9% for pain medicine in IL.
Geographic Context
Pain medicines within 10 mi
3
Per 100K population
1.1
County median income
$74,800
Nearest hospital
ALTON MEMORIAL 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 reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Buenger is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 7% in IL), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 9% of IL peers, 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. Buenger experienced with contrast dye for imaging, lower concentration?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Buenger performed 14,638 contrast dye for imaging, lower concentration 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. Buenger receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Buenger received a total of $24,560 from 51 companies across 664 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. Buenger's costs compare to other pain medicines in Alton?
Dr. Buenger's average Medicare payment per service is $14. 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. Buenger) 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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