Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Venkatarama Donepudi, MD
Endocrinology · 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. Donepudi 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. Donepudi
Dr. Venkatarama Donepudi is an endocrinology specialist in Hickory, NC, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Donepudi performed 2,818 Medicare services across 2,095 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Donepudi received a total of $11,407 from 62 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 675 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in endocrinology. 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. Donepudi 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 27% volume in NC
$11,407 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗2,818
Medicare services
Top 27% in NC for endocrinology
2,095
Unique beneficiaries
$31
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~141 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free thyroxine (T4) test A blood test that measures the level of free thyroxine, a thyroid hormone, in the bloodstream. |
381 | $9 | $55 |
| Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test A blood test that measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone to evaluate thyroid function. |
381 | $16 | $79 |
| Free T3 thyroid hormone test A blood test that measures the level of free triiodothyronine (T3) hormone in your body. This helps assess how well your thyroid gland is functioning. |
381 | $16 | $97 |
| 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. |
276 | $80 | $200 |
| Hemoglobin A1c test (diabetes monitoring) A blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. |
248 | $9 | $51 |
| 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. |
217 | $114 | $290 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
176 | $8 | $25 |
| 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. |
159 | $54 | $150 |
| Vitamin D level test A blood test to measure the amount of Vitamin D-3 in your body. |
124 | $29 | $160 |
| Automated urinalysis An automated laboratory test performed on a urine sample to analyze its chemical and physical properties. The procedure uses machinery to detect various substances and cells within the urine. |
109 | $2 | $20 |
| Urine microalbumin test (kidney screening) A laboratory test that measures the amount of microalbumin, a small protein, in a urine sample. This test is used to detect early signs of kidney damage. |
96 | $5 | $73 |
| Creatinine test (kidney function) A blood test that measures the amount of creatinine to assess kidney function or detect muscle injury. |
96 | $5 | $35 |
| Total cortisol level test A blood test that measures the total amount of cortisol hormone in your body. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. |
52 | $15 | $105 |
| Ultrasound of head and neck soft tissue This procedure uses sound waves to create images of the soft tissues in the head and neck area. It allows for the visualization of structures beneath the skin without using radiation. |
46 | $68 | $275 |
| Continuous glucose monitoring with interpretation This procedure involves monitoring blood sugar levels in tissue fluid using a sensor placed under the skin, along with the interpretation and reporting of the results. |
40 | $24 | $82 |
| Bone density scan (DEXA) A test that uses low-dose X-rays to measure bone mineral density in the hip, pelvis, and spine. It helps assess bone strength and risk of fractures. |
36 | $35 | $350 |
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 ↗$11,407
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,630/year across 7 years
Top 27% in NC for endocrinology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
62
Companies
675
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
$11,398 (99.9%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$9 (0.1%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,191
2023
$1,904
2022
$1,835
2021
$1,318
2020
$390
2019
$1,853
2018
$1,916
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Eli Lilly and Company
$537
Lilly USA, LLC
$307
Amgen Inc.
$136
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$130
Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$126
Novo Nordisk Inc
$112
Corcept Therapeutics
$95
Madrigal Pharmaceuticals
$91
Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC
$79
Abbott Laboratories
$72
Medtronic, Inc.
$57
Radius Health, Inc.
$46
Dexcom, Inc.
$46
Mannkind Corporation
$44
Almatica Pharma LLC
$40
Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc.
$38
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$35
BETA BIONICS, INC.
$25
PFIZER INC.
$23
Kyowa Kirin, Inc.
$22
Endo USA, Inc.
$21
ABBVIE INC.
$21
Nevro Corp.
$20
Verity Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$19
CeQur Corporation
$18
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$15
Acella Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$14
Top 3 companies account for 44.8% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Lilly USA, LLC
$1,318
Novo Nordisk Inc
$1,076
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$1,049
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$818
Amgen Inc.
$740
Eli Lilly and Company
$537
Medtronic, Inc.
$446
Dexcom, Inc.
$425
Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$396
Corcept Therapeutics
$352
Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC
$281
Abbott Laboratories
$245
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$221
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$217
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$210
Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc.
$207
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$194
Radius Health, Inc.
$187
MannKind Corporation
$153
Ascendis Pharma Inc
$133
Insulet Corporation
$131
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$126
Mannkind Corporation
$123
Nevro Corp.
$99
PFIZER INC.
$98
Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$96
Madrigal Pharmaceuticals
$91
AbbVie Inc.
$90
Gemini Laboratories, LLC
$90
ABBVIE INC.
$87
GRT US Holding, Inc.
$81
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$81
CeQur Corporation
$75
Shire North American Group Inc
$71
RECORDATI_RARE_DISEASES_INC.
$65
Valeritas, Inc.
$53
IBSA Pharma Inc.
$45
EUSA Pharma (US) LLC
$44
AbbVie, Inc.
$43
Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$42
Almatica Pharma LLC
$40
Strongbridge US INC.
$38
LIFESCAN, INC.
$37
Clarus Therapeutics Inc.
$37
Kyowa Kirin, Inc.
$36
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$33
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$31
Acella Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$29
EISAI INC.
$28
Medtronic MiniMed, Inc.
$27
BETA BIONICS, INC.
$25
Eisai Inc.
$24
Endo USA, Inc.
$21
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$21
Averitas Pharma Inc.
$21
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$21
Verity Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$19
DEXCOM, INC.
$18
Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
$17
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc
$17
Companion Medical, Inc.
$15
Roche Diabetes Care, Inc.
$12
Top 3 companies account for 30.2% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AFREZZA · AVEED · Adthyza · Androgel · BAQSIMI · BASAGLAR · BYDUREON · Belviq · CYCLOSET · CeQur Simplicity · Crysvita · DC ACCU-CHEK FASTCLIX Lancet and Device Kit · DEXCOM CGM · DEXCOM G6 CGM SYSTEM · DEXCOM G6 TRANSMITTER · DIABETES - DISEASE · Dexcom CGM · Dexcom G6 Transmitter · EVENITY · FARXIGA · FORTEO · FREESTYLE LIBRE 2 · FREESTYLE LIBRE 3 · FreeStyle Libre 2 · FreeStyle Libre blood glucose Flash Monitoring System · GVOKE HYPOPEN · GVOKE PFS · HUMULIN · INVOKANA · ISTURISA · InPen · JANUVIA · JARDIANCE · JATENZO · Kerendia · Korlym · LEQVIO · LYUMJEV · MACRILEN · MINIMED 770G · MINIMED 780G · MOUNJARO · Macrilen · Minimed 670G System · Minimed 770G System · NATPARA · NATPARA (PARATHYROID HORMONE) · NP Thyroid 60 · ONETOUCH VERIO REFLECT · Omnia · Omnipod · Ozempic · PRALUENT · PROCLAIM · Prolia · QUTENZA · Qutenza · RECORLEV · RESMETIROM · RYBELSUS · Repatha · Rybelsus · SIGNIFOR LAR · SOLIQUA · SOLIQUA 100/33 · SOMATULINE DEPOT · SOMAVERT · STEGLATRO · STRENSIQ · SYNTHROID · Saxenda · Senza · Sylvant · Synthroid · TEPEZZA · TERIPARATIDE · TESTOPEL · TOUJEO · TRULICITY · TZIELD · Tempo Welcome Kit · Tirosint · Tlando · Tresiba · Tymlos · UNITHROID · V-GO · Vascepa · Victoza · Wegovy · ZEPBOUND · iLet Bionic Pancreas · t-slim insulin pump · t:slim X2 Insulin Pump with Control-IQ
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
Endocrinologists within 10 mi
3
Per 100K population
1.9
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. Donepudi is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 27% in NC), with low-engagement industry engagement, 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. Donepudi experienced with free thyroxine (t4) test?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Donepudi performed 381 free thyroxine (t4) test 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. Donepudi receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Donepudi received a total of $11,407 from 62 companies across 675 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. Donepudi's costs compare to other endocrinologists in Hickory?
Dr. Donepudi's average Medicare payment per service is $31. 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. Donepudi) 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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