Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Gary Bucher, MD

Family Medicine - Adult · Chicago, IL
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Speaking/Promotional
2551 N CLARK ST, Chicago, IL 60614
3126232625
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1770664856 verify on NPPES ↗
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. Bucher 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. Bucher

Dr. Gary Bucher is a family medicine - adult specialist in Chicago, IL, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Bucher performed 689 Medicare services across 506 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Bucher received a total of $31,523 from 8 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 42 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in family medicine - adult. The majority of payments are for speaking programs and promotional activities, reflecting participation in industry-sponsored events. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.

The Data Coverage level for Dr. Bucher 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 ▲ 689 Medicare services $31,523 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
689
Medicare services
Bottom 46% in IL for family medicine - adult
506
Unique beneficiaries
$107
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~36 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
Skin biopsy, tangential
A procedure to remove a sample of the first identified skin growth for laboratory examination.
98 $43 $302
Anoscopy with biopsy
A procedure using a scope to examine the anus and take a tissue sample for testing.
98 $232 $810
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.
89 $71 $310
Additional skin growth biopsy
Removal of a sample of an additional skin growth for laboratory examination. This code is used for each extra lesion biopsied during the same session.
83 $42 $285
Anoscopy with magnification and chemical enhancement
A diagnostic exam of the anus using an endoscope with magnification and a chemical agent to enhance visualization.
66 $122 $1,500
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.
65 $97 $450
Blood draw (venipuncture)
Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample.
64 $8 $25
Smoking cessation counseling, 4-10 minutes
A brief counseling session focused on helping patients quit smoking and tobacco use. The provider spends 4 to 10 minutes discussing strategies and support for cessation.
55 $16 $28
Destruction of rectal growth
A procedure to destroy abnormal tissue or growths within the rectum.
29 $603 $3,900
Endoscopic destruction of anal polyp or growth
A procedure to remove or destroy a polyp or growth in the anal area using an endoscope. The endoscope allows the provider to view and treat the area without large incisions.
29 $75 $805
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.
13 $94 $410
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 ↗
$31,523
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $6,305/year across 5 years
Top 7% in IL for family medicine - adult
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
8
Companies
42
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.

Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$30,795 (97.7%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$728 (2.3%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$31,001
2023
$183
2022
$24
2019
$91
2018
$223

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
THD America, Inc.
$30,795
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$158
ViiV Healthcare Company
$48
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
THD America, Inc.
$30,962
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$158
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$128
Covidien LP
$95
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$91
ViiV Healthcare Company
$48
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$24
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$17
Top 3 companies account for 99.1% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Barrx · Beacon · GARDASIL · PIFELTRO · SAPIEN 3 Ultra RESILIA · SYMTUZA
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 →

The majority of payments (98%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in family medicine - adult and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 7% for family medicine - adult in IL.

Looking for a family medicine - adult specialist in Chicago?
Compare family medicine - adults in the Chicago area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse family medicine - adults nearby

Geographic Context

Family medicine - adults within 10 mi
46
Per 100K population
0.9
County median income
$81,797
Nearest hospital
ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC MEDICAL CENTER
1.2 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. Bucher is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 7% 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. Bucher experienced with skin biopsy, tangential?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Bucher performed 98 skin biopsy, tangential 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. Bucher receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Bucher received a total of $31,523 from 8 companies across 42 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. Bucher's costs compare to other family medicine - adults in Chicago?
Dr. Bucher's average Medicare payment per service is $107. 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. Bucher) 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 →
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.

Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology

Data Disclaimer — Data sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), Open Payments program, Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, and Provider Enrollment & Certification data (PECOS). Published under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Data may contain errors as reported to CMS by providers and reporting entities. Payments from industry are legal and do not indicate wrongdoing. Medicare data reflects only patients aged 65+ or those with qualifying disabilities. For corrections, contact CMS directly. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a healthcare provider. Procedure descriptions use plain language and do not reference CPT® codes, which are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Full methodology → · Report a data error → · Privacy policy →