Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Sunder Rao, MD
Cardiovascular Disease · Butler, PA
Practice pattern: Cardiac & Electrophysiology
— Practice combining cardiac and electrophysiology services
Speaking/Promotional
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. Rao 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 →
Are you Dr. Rao?
Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →
What this data tells you about Dr. Rao
Dr. Sunder Rao is a cardiovascular disease specialist in Butler, PA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Rao performed 1,351 Medicare services across 1,122 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Rao received a total of $154,848 from 54 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 1342 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cardiovascular disease. 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. Rao 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
▲ 1,351 Medicare services
$154,848 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,351
Medicare services
Bottom 44% in PA for cardiovascular disease
1,122
Unique beneficiaries
$51
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~68 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 (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. |
396 | $79 | $171 |
| Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report. |
218 | $9 | $45 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
172 | $70 | $172 |
| 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. |
123 | $61 | $116 |
| EKG interpretation and report A standard electrocardiogram test that records the heart's electrical activity using at least 12 leads. The service includes a professional interpretation of the results and a written report. |
77 | $6 | $45 |
| 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. |
51 | $54 | $118 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while an electrocardiogram is monitored under physician supervision. |
46 | $14 | $75 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram, with physician review of the results. |
46 | $10 | $63 |
| Nuclear stress test of heart muscle A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow to the heart muscle at rest and during stress using a special camera. |
41 | $50 | $150 |
| Chronic care management, first 20 min/month This service covers the first 20 minutes of clinical staff time directed by a healthcare professional each calendar month to manage chronic conditions. |
32 | $48 | $97 |
| 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. |
28 | $90 | $167 |
| 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. |
25 | $98 | $260 |
| Ultrasound of head and neck blood flow, bilateral An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow in the vessels of both the head and the neck. |
22 | $20 | $64 |
| External EKG monitoring, 8-15 days Continuous external electrocardiogram recording and review over a period of 8 to 15 days to monitor heart rhythm. |
20 | $20 | $43 |
| Initial hospital admission, low complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving straightforward or low-level medical decision making, with at least 40 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
14 | $64 | $163 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving moderate-level medical decision making, with at least 55 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
14 | $100 | $220 |
| Continuous EKG monitoring review, 48-7 days Review and interpretation of continuous external EKG recordings lasting more than 48 hours up to 7 days. |
13 | $18 | $39 |
| Follow-up heart ultrasound An ultrasound of the heart performed to monitor or reassess a previously identified condition or treatment progress. |
13 | $19 | $41 |
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.
12.7% high complexity
12.4% medium
74.8% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$154,848
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $22,121/year across 7 years
Top 4% in PA for cardiovascular disease
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
54
Companies
1,342
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
$126,170 (81.5%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$25,843 (16.7%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$2,835 (1.8%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$14,744
2023
$15,180
2022
$15,212
2021
$20,876
2020
$17,403
2019
$17,744
2018
$53,689
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Lilly USA, LLC
$7,354
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$3,997
SCPHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$376
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$303
Amgen Inc.
$303
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$253
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$246
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$215
Novo Nordisk Inc
$210
HEARTFLOW, INC.
$210
PFIZER INC.
$196
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$170
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$141
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$131
Abbott Laboratories
$131
Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
$92
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$87
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$79
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$56
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$34
Tactile Systems Technology Inc
$33
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$24
CVRx, Inc.
$24
Boston Scientific Corporation
$24
United Therapeutics Corporation
$19
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$17
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$16
Top 3 companies account for 79.5% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$101,755
Lilly USA, LLC
$14,084
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$10,892
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$3,884
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$3,085
Amgen Inc.
$2,599
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$2,056
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$1,485
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$1,407
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$1,390
PFIZER INC.
$1,251
Novo Nordisk Inc
$1,146
NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
$1,136
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$794
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$707
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$700
SCPHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$630
HeartFlow, Inc.
$558
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$489
CVRx, Inc.
$471
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$333
Abbott Laboratories
$328
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$257
Vifor Pharma, Inc.
$252
United Therapeutics Corporation
$222
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$220
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$217
HEARTFLOW, INC.
$210
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$210
Lundbeck LLC
$204
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
$170
Kestra Medical Technology Services, Inc.
$161
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$149
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$141
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$127
ABBVIE INC.
$114
Boston Scientific Corporation
$97
Getinge USA Sales, LLC
$94
AtriCure, Inc.
$94
Relypsa, Inc.
$94
Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
$92
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$80
Maquet Cardiovascular U.S. Sales, L.L.C.
$68
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$52
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$52
Currax Pharmaceuticals LLC
$50
Tactile Systems Technology Inc
$47
Allergan Inc.
$45
AltaThera Pharmaceuticals LLC
$43
ARALEZ PHARMACEUTICALS US INC.
$26
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$25
GE HealthCare
$22
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$19
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 81.8% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACC2 Cardiac Cryosurgical System · ANDEXXA · ATRICURE CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM · Adempas · Arcalyst · Assure WCD · AtriCure AtriClip LAA Exclusion System · BRILINTA · BYSTOLIC · Barostim Neo System · CAMZYOS · CARDIOHELP · CHANTIX · CardioMEMS HF System · Cardiohelp · Corlanor · ELIQUIS · EMBLEM SICD ELECTRODE DELIVERY SYSTEM · ENTRESTO · EVKEEZA · FARXIGA · FFRct · FLEXITOUCH · FUROSCIX · Flexitouch Plus · GALLANT · HYPERLIPIDEMIA - DISEASE · HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular Dev · INJECTAFER · Inpefa · JARDIANCE · Kerendia · LEQVIO · LOKELMA · LifeVest · Livalo · MOVANTIK · MULTAQ · NEXLETOL · NEXLIZET · NO PRODUCT DISCUSSED · NORTHERA · OFEV · ONPATTRO · OPSUMIT · OPSUMIT MACITENTAN · ORENITRAM · Ozempic · PRADAXA · PRALUENT · PRALUENT ALIROCUMAB INJECTION · RYBELSUS · Repatha · Rybelsus · SAMSCA · Saxenda · Sotalol Hydrochloride · TRADJENTA · TYVASO · UPTRAVI · VERQUVO · VIBERZI · VRAYLAR · VYNDAQEL · Vascepa · Veltassa · Verquvo · WATCHMAN · WATCHMAN FLX · Wegovy · XARELTO · ZIO XT Patch · ZONTIVITY
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 (82%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in cardiovascular disease and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 4% for cardiovascular disease in PA.
Geographic Context
Cardiologists within 10 mi
24
Per 100K population
12.3
County median income
$86,775
Nearest hospital
INDEPENDENCE HEALTH SYSTEM BUTLER MEMORIAL HOSPITA
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. Rao is a cardiac & electrophysiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 4% of PA 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. Rao experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Rao performed 396 office visit, established patient (30-39 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. Rao receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Rao received a total of $154,848 from 54 companies across 1,342 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. Rao's costs compare to other cardiologists in Butler?
Dr. Rao's average Medicare payment per service is $51. 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. Rao) 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 →
Explore related providers
Same specialty & city
Cardiologists in Butler
Browse cardiologists in Butler ranked by procedure volume and transparency data.
Highest volume
Top Cardiologists in PA
Cardiologists ranked by total Medicare services performed statewide.
Industry payments
Pharma Payments to Cardiologists in PA
Which PA cardiologists receive the most from drug and device companies.
By company
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
By company
Lilly USA, LLC Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from Lilly USA, LLC.
By company
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC.
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