Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Nakul Rao, M.D.
Vascular Surgery Physician · Philadelphia, PA
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. 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 →
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What this data tells you about Dr. Rao
Dr. Nakul Rao is a vascular surgery physician in Philadelphia, PA, with 15 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Rao performed 1,417 Medicare services across 1,120 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Rao received a total of $21,619 from 33 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 230 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in vascular surgery physician. 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. 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.
✓ 15 years in practice
▲ Top 14% volume in PA
$21,619 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,417
Medicare services
Top 14% in PA for vascular surgery physician
1,120
Unique beneficiaries
$66
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~94 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. |
298 | $101 | $240 |
| 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. |
176 | $134 | $365 |
| 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. |
155 | $31 | $130 |
| Ultrasound of leg arteries or grafts An imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the blood vessels in the legs or any surgical grafts present. |
153 | $30 | $130 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in one arm or leg using compression and other maneuvers to assess blood flow and check for blockages. |
122 | $18 | $75 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in the arm or leg. The test uses sound waves to check blood flow and may include compression and other maneuvers. |
82 | $28 | $115 |
| 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. |
82 | $67 | $160 |
| 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. |
73 | $109 | $300 |
| Ultrasound of leg arteries or grafts An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to create images of the arteries in one leg or any grafts present in that leg. |
66 | $17 | $80 |
| Complete ultrasound of aorta, vena cava, groin vessels or bypass grafts A complete ultrasound exam of the aorta, vena cava, groin vessels, or bypass grafts. This imaging test uses sound waves to visualize these blood vessels. |
51 | $31 | $130 |
| 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. |
49 | $12 | $45 |
| Ultrasound of hemodialysis access An ultrasound imaging test used to evaluate the blood flow and structure of a hemodialysis access site. |
27 | $15 | $80 |
| Radiologist review of abdominal aorta image A radiologist reviews images of the abdominal aorta to evaluate the blood vessel. |
24 | $56 | $180 |
| Vena cava filter insertion with radiologist review A procedure to place a filter in the vena cava to prevent blood clots from traveling to the lungs, including review by a radiologist. |
15 | $179 | $750 |
| Radiologist review of arm or leg artery image A radiologist reviews images of the arteries in the arm or leg. This process involves analyzing the visual data to assess the blood vessels. |
15 | $69 | $280 |
| 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. |
15 | $148 | $445 |
| 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. |
14 | $74 | $165 |
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.
3.6% high complexity
46.2% medium
50.2% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$21,619
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $3,088/year across 7 years
Top 12% in PA for vascular surgery physician
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
33
Companies
230
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
$13,474 (62.3%)
Scientific / Research
Research funding and grants
$8,144 (37.7%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,408
2023
$3,851
2022
$3,399
2021
$1,198
2020
$3,639
2019
$6,959
2018
$164
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Inari Medical, Inc.
$562
Tactile Systems Technology Inc
$317
Endologix LLC
$277
Medtronic, Inc.
$260
Abbott Laboratories
$175
CVRx, Inc.
$149
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
$131
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$90
Silk Road Medical, Inc.
$87
Cagent Vascular INC
$78
Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
$69
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$50
Ethicon US, LLC
$43
LeMaitre Vascular, Inc.
$32
Acera Surgical, Inc.
$28
Boston Scientific Corporation
$27
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$22
Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 48.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$8,144
Medtronic, Inc.
$3,065
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
$2,581
Silk Road Medical, Inc.
$1,427
Inari Medical, Inc.
$1,129
Endologix LLC
$771
Tactile Systems Technology Inc
$519
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$447
LeMaitre Vascular, Inc.
$435
Endologix, Inc.
$407
Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
$308
Bolton Medical Inc
$288
Terumo Medical Corporation
$260
Abbott Laboratories
$223
Shockwave Medical, Inc
$192
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$173
CVRx, Inc.
$149
Penumbra, Inc.
$140
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$125
Allergan Inc.
$122
Endologix, LLC
$122
KCI USA, Inc
$115
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$90
Cagent Vascular INC
$78
Boston Scientific Corporation
$72
Melinta Therapeutics, Inc.
$64
Ethicon US, LLC
$43
KCI USA, Inc.
$31
Acera Surgical, Inc.
$28
Avinger Inc.
$24
LimFlow Inc.
$21
Canon Medical Systems USA, Inc.
$15
Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 63.8% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTIVAC · AFX2 Bifurcated Endograft System · ALPHAVAC · ANDEXXA · ANGIOVAC · ARTEGRAFT · ARTEGRAFT VASCULAR GRAFT · AURYON LASER SYSTEM 100-120 VAC · AZUR CX DETACHABLE · Alto Abdominal Stent Graft System · Barostim Neo System · Baxdela · COLLAGENASE SANTYL · COVERA · DALVANCE · Denali Vena Cava Filter · ENDOCROSS Device · ENDURANT IIS · ENHANCE Transcarotid Peripheral Access Kit · ENROUTE .014 Guidewire · ENROUTE Transcarotid Neuroprotection System · ENROUTE Transcarotid Stent · ESPRIT · EXCLUDER AAA Endoprosthesis · EXCLUDER Iliac Branch Endoprosthesis · Endurant · FLOWTRIEVER CATHETER · Flexitouch Plus · FlowTriever · GLIDESHEATH SLENDER · GORE EXCLUDER AAA Endoprosthesis · GORE EXCLUDER Iliac Branch Endoprosthesis · GORE PROPATEN Vascular Graft · GORE PROPATEN Vascular Graft Pediatric Shunt · GORE TAG Conformable Thoracic Endoprosthesis · GORE TAG Thoracic Branch Endoprosthesis · GORE TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis · GORE VIABAHN Endoprosthesis · GORE VIABAHN VBX Balloon Expandable Endo · GORE-TEX Vascular Graft · HAWKONE · HELI-FX ENDOANCHOR SYSTEM · HawkOne · IN.PACT Admiral · INTERVENTIONAL ANGIOGRAPHY SYSTEM · JETI · JETI PERIPHERAL CATHETER · LIMFLOW SYSTEM · METACROSS OTW · Ovation · PANTHERIS · PICO · PICO7 · PREVENA · PROLENE · PROPATEN Vascular Graft · Penumbra System · Polyester Vascular Graft · R2P MISAGO · RENASYS GO v2 HOME · RESTOREFLOW · Restrata Wound Matrix · S · SHOCKWAVE IVL SYSTEM WITH THE SHOCKWAVE C2 CORONARY IVL CATHETER · STEERANT · SUPERA · Serrantor · Shockwave IVL System with the Shockwave C2 Coronary IVL Catheter · TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis · TREO ABDOMINAL STENT-GRAFT SYSTEM · TRIVEX SYSTEM · Torus Stent Graft System · VAC VERAFLO · VALIANT CAPTIVIA · VASCUTAPE RADIOPAQUE TAPE · VENOVO · Vascular Lithotripsy · Venovo · XENOSURE BIOLOGIC PATCH
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 (62%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Vascular surgery physicians within 10 mi
85
Per 100K population
5.4
County median income
$60,698
Nearest hospital
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
0.4 mi
0.4 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 clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 14% in PA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 12% of PA peers, with 15 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 298 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 $21,619 from 33 companies across 230 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 vascular surgery physicians in Philadelphia?
Dr. Rao's average Medicare payment per service is $66. 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 →
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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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