Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Christopher Hunt, MD
Anesthesiology · Hickory, NC
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. Hunt 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. Hunt
Dr. Christopher Hunt is an anesthesiology specialist in Hickory, NC, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Hunt performed 1,647 Medicare services across 1,124 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Hunt received a total of $8,656 from 37 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 375 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in anesthesiology. 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. Hunt 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.
✓ 20 years in practice
▲ Top 3% volume in NC
$8,656 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,647
Medicare services
Top 3% in NC for anesthesiology
1,124
Unique beneficiaries
$81
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~82 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 (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. |
402 | $52 | $312 |
| Drug screening test A laboratory test that uses a chemistry analyzer to detect the presence of drugs in a sample. |
213 | $60 | $354 |
| 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. |
165 | $66 | $474 |
| 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. |
120 | $98 | $2,669 |
| Definitive drug test using GC/MS or LC/MS A definitive drug test that identifies specific drugs and distinguishes between structural isomers using advanced methods like GC/MS or LC/MS. |
119 | $192 | $446 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
109 | $38 | $848 |
| Definitive drug test using GC/MS or LC/MS A definitive drug test that identifies specific drugs and distinguishes between structural isomers using advanced methods like GC/MS or LC/MS. |
85 | $153 | $352 |
| 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. |
48 | $115 | $2,171 |
| 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. |
46 | $9 | $152 |
| 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. |
42 | $233 | $7,228 |
| Methylprednisolone acetate injection, 80 mg An injection of 80 mg of methylprednisolone acetate, a corticosteroid medication. |
42 | $9 | $48 |
| 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. |
37 | $93 | $2,905 |
| 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. |
35 | $84 | $1,857 |
| 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. |
31 | $107 | $783 |
| 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. |
29 | $100 | $2,942 |
| Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg | 28 | $6 | $26 |
| 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. |
27 | $63 | $1,546 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement Use of real-time X-ray imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
22 | $20 | $770 |
| 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. |
18 | $188 | $2,792 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, additional joint This procedure uses imaging guidance to destroy nerves in an additional lower or sacral spinal facet joint. |
17 | $58 | $1,956 |
| Spinal neurostimulator generator insertion Surgical placement of a spinal neurostimulator generator or receiver device. |
12 | $136 | $3,944 |
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 ↗$8,656
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,237/year across 7 years
Top 6% in NC for anesthesiology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
37
Companies
375
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
$8,656 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,962
2023
$2,265
2022
$1,508
2021
$748
2020
$280
2019
$483
2018
$409
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Boston Scientific Corporation
$1,254
Medtronic, Inc.
$663
PAINTEQ LLC
$533
Curonix LLC
$169
Saluda Medical Americas, Inc.
$121
Nevro Corp.
$65
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$44
Avanos Medical
$41
SPR Therapeutics, Inc
$24
SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$23
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$21
Vertos Medical, Inc.
$4
Top 3 companies account for 82.7% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Boston Scientific Corporation
$2,719
Medtronic, Inc.
$1,447
PAINTEQ LLC
$1,151
Nevro Corp.
$1,135
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$494
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$300
Curonix LLC
$169
PFIZER INC.
$136
Abbott Laboratories
$128
Saluda Medical Americas, Inc.
$121
ABBVIE INC.
$87
Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.
$65
Vertos Medical, Inc.
$64
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$57
Avanos Medical
$54
Almatica Pharma LLC
$46
Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$41
ASSERTIO THERAPEUTICS, Inc.
$39
BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc.
$38
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$36
SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$36
GRT US Holding, Inc.
$35
Pernix Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.
$30
Merz Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$26
SPR Therapeutics, Inc
$24
AbbVie Inc.
$21
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$21
Inari Medical, Inc.
$16
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$15
AbbVie, Inc.
$15
INSYS Therapeutics Inc
$14
EAGLE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$14
Saol Therapeutics Inc.
$13
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$13
Assertio Therapeutics, Inc.
$12
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc
$12
Stimwave Technologies Incorporated
$12
Top 3 companies account for 61.4% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
BELBUCA · BOTOX · BUNAVAIL 2.1 mg 30-count box · BYFAVO · Belbuca · COOLIEF* COOLED RADIOFREQUENCY · Cambia · DYSPORT · Dysport · Evoke · FLOWTRIEVER CATHETER · Fixate · GENERAL THERAPIES · GENERAL - PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · GRALISE · General - Pain Management · General - Therapies · Gralise · INTELLIS · INTELLIS ADAPTIVESTIM · Infinion 16 · LUCEMYRA · LYRICA · MOVANTIK · Morphabond ER · NAPRELAN · Octrode SCS Leads · Omnia · PAINTEQ · PNS FREEDOM-4A PERMANENT NEUROSTIMULATOR RECEIVER KIT CHANNEL A · PROCLAIM · Proclaim Family of SCS IPGs · Proclaim IPG · Prodigy Family of SCS IPGs · QULIPTA · Qutenza · RELISTOR · RF ENHANCR II · S · SPECTRA WAVEWRITER · SPRINT PNS System · SUBSYS · SYNCHROMEDII · Senza · Senza Spinal Cord Stimulation System · StimQ Receiver Stimulator Kit Channel A US w/Receiver · Superion Indirect Decompression System · TYRX · UBRELVY · VANTA ADAPTIVESTIM · VECTRIS · VECTRIS SURESCAN · WAVEWRITER ALPHA · WaveWriter Alpha Prime 16 · XTAMPZA · Xeomin · ZOHYDRO ER · ZTLido · ZTLido 30 POUCH in 1 CARTON 1 PATCH in 1 POUCH · Zilretta · Zipsor · 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 (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians. Total industry engagement is in the top 6% for anesthesiology in NC.
Geographic Context
Anesthesiologists within 10 mi
46
Per 100K population
28.4
County median income
$64,544
Nearest hospital
FRYE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
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. Hunt is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 3% in NC), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 6% of NC peers, with 20 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. Hunt experienced with office visit, established patient (20-29 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Hunt performed 402 office visit, established patient (20-29 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. Hunt receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Hunt received a total of $8,656 from 37 companies across 375 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. Hunt's costs compare to other anesthesiologists in Hickory?
Dr. Hunt's average Medicare payment per service is $81. 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. Hunt) 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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