Dr. Brett Starr, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Starr
Dr. Brett Starr is a thoracic surgery specialist in Hickory, NC, with 12 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Starr performed 512 Medicare services across 326 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Starr received a total of $41,684 from 28 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 138 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in thoracic surgery. The majority of payments are for consulting, which typically reflects recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Starr 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.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
161 | $91 | $246 |
| Critical care, first 30-74 min Emergency medical care for a critically ill or injured patient lasting between 30 and 74 minutes. This service involves direct patient care and medical decision making to stabilize the patient. |
70 | $163 | $648 |
| 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. |
47 | $132 | $481 |
| Endoscopic vein harvest A surgical procedure to remove a vein using an endoscope, which is a thin, lighted tube inserted through small incisions. |
30 | $9 | $33 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 30 | $155 | $488 |
| Bronchial secretion aspiration via endoscope Removal of initial lung airway secretions using an endoscope. This procedure involves inserting a scope into the airways to clear fluid or mucus. |
28 | $56 | $765 |
| Coronary artery bypass graft, 1 artery Surgical procedure to bypass a blocked coronary artery using a graft from another artery. This restores blood flow to the heart muscle. |
27 | $993 | $3,073 |
| Left atrial appendage exclusion Surgical closure of the left atrial appendage of the heart, performed as part of another chest procedure. |
23 | $85 | $236 |
| 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. |
20 | $122 | $341 |
| 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. |
19 | $60 | $171 |
| Coronary artery bypass graft, 2 grafts A surgical procedure to restore blood flow to the heart by creating bypasses using two vein or artery grafts. |
16 | $223 | $746 |
| Ultrasound guidance for blood vessel access Use of ultrasound imaging to help locate and access a blood vessel. This guidance assists healthcare providers in performing procedures such as inserting IV lines or drawing blood. |
15 | $11 | $31 |
| Treatment of broken chest bone | 13 | $207 | $1,308 |
| Surgical removal of pericardial tissue for drainage A surgical procedure to remove a piece of the sac surrounding the heart to allow for drainage. |
13 | $397 | $1,951 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2024)
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
The majority of payments (71%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers.
Geographic Context
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. Starr is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 14% in NC), with consulting-driven industry engagement in the top 17% of NC peers.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
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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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