Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Richard Ellington, M.D.
Gastroenterology · Amarillo, TX
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. Ellington 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. Ellington
Dr. Richard Ellington is a gastroenterology specialist in Amarillo, TX, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Ellington performed 2,274 Medicare services across 1,956 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Ellington received a total of $8,670 from 33 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 481 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in gastroenterology. 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. Ellington is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. This is not a quality rating. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
✓ 19 years in practice
▲ Top 5% volume in TX
$8,670 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗2,274
Medicare services
Top 5% in TX for gastroenterology
1,956
Unique beneficiaries
$80
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~120 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. |
348 | $87 | $230 |
| Upper GI endoscopy with biopsy A procedure to collect tissue samples from the esophagus, stomach, or upper small intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities. |
252 | $58 | $580 |
| 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. |
174 | $90 | $230 |
| Colon polyp removal with endoscopic snare This procedure removes polyps or growths from the large bowel using a flexible tube with a camera and a wire loop tool. The snare is used to cut off the growths during the examination. |
144 | $200 | $962 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
129 | $8 | $13 |
| 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. |
127 | $57 | $162 |
| Complete blood count (CBC) with differential An automated laboratory test that measures the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood, including a breakdown of the different types of white blood cells. |
121 | $8 | $26 |
| 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. |
115 | $114 | $350 |
| 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. |
92 | $96 | $300 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
86 | $10 | $50 |
| Balloon dilation of esophagus, stomach, or upper small bowel, less than 3.0 cm A procedure using a flexible endoscope to widen a narrowed section of the esophagus, stomach, or upper small bowel with a balloon that is less than 3.0 cm in length. |
83 | $92 | $338 |
| Colonoscopy with biopsy A procedure to collect tissue samples from the large intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities or disease. |
82 | $111 | $919 |
| 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. |
65 | $62 | $160 |
| Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening A colonoscopy performed to screen for colorectal cancer in individuals who are not at high risk for the disease. |
49 | $175 | $798 |
| C-reactive protein test (inflammation marker) A blood test that measures the level of C-reactive protein to detect the presence of infection or inflammation in the body. |
48 | $5 | $26 |
| Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening, high risk A colonoscopy performed to screen for colorectal cancer in individuals identified as being at high risk for the disease. |
45 | $177 | $714 |
| Limited abdominal ultrasound A focused ultrasound examination of the abdomen to evaluate specific organs or areas. This procedure uses sound waves to create images of internal structures. |
40 | $34 | $131 |
| Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level test A blood test that measures the amount of alpha-fetoprotein in the serum. This test is used to monitor certain health conditions. |
35 | $16 | $26 |
| Ferritin level test (iron stores) A blood test that measures the level of ferritin, a protein that stores iron in the body. |
35 | $13 | $57 |
| Colonoscopy A diagnostic exam of the large bowel using a flexible endoscope to visualize the interior of the colon. |
34 | $137 | $714 |
| Prothrombin time test (blood clotting) A laboratory test that measures how long it takes for blood to clot. This procedure evaluates the body's coagulation process. |
34 | $4 | $20 |
| Dilation of esophagus | 31 | $32 | $251 |
| Liver function blood test panel | 25 | $8 | $50 |
| Upper endoscopy (EGD) A diagnostic exam of the esophagus, stomach, and upper small bowel using a flexible endoscope. |
24 | $82 | $750 |
| Endoscopy of digestive tract Imaging of the digestive tract performed from the inside using an endoscope. |
23 | $509 | $1,841 |
| Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test A blood test that measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone to evaluate thyroid function. |
20 | $16 | $37 |
| Amylase enzyme level test A blood test that measures the amount of amylase, an enzyme produced by the pancreas and salivary glands, to help evaluate pancreatic health. |
13 | $6 | $25 |
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 ↗$8,670
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,239/year across 7 years
Top 23% in TX for gastroenterology
33
Companies
481
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
$8,670 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,283
2023
$1,828
2022
$1,039
2021
$906
2020
$315
2019
$990
2018
$1,309
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ABBVIE INC.
$1,989
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$1,431
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$1,089
PFIZER INC.
$642
AbbVie, Inc.
$583
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$500
UCB, Inc.
$342
Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$253
AbbVie Inc.
$251
INTERCEPT PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$179
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$150
GENZYME CORPORATION
$148
Olympus America Inc.
$147
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$144
QOL Medical, LLC
$99
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$92
Ardelyx, Inc.
$72
Allergan Inc.
$69
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$62
Lilly USA, LLC
$58
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc
$57
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$53
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$47
Celgene Corporation
$38
Madrigal Pharmaceuticals
$37
Amgen Inc.
$24
Mylan Institutional Inc.
$21
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$21
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$18
NESTLE HEALTHCARE NUTRITION INC.
$17
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$16
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$11
Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc
$11
Top 3 companies account for 52.0% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AVSOLA · Amitiza · Bylvay · CREON · CYLTEZO · Cimzia · Creon · DIFICID · DUPIXENT · Dexilant · ENTYVIO · Entyvio · Epclusa · GATTEX · HUMIRA · Hulio · Humira · IBSRELA · INFLECTRA · INJECTAFER · IQIRVO · ISENTRESS · LINZESS · MAVYRET · MOTEGRITY · MOVIPREP · Mavyret · Motegrity · OCALIVA · OMVOH · Olympus Biliary Devices · Olympus EndoTherapy Accessories · Olympus Foreign Body Retrieval Devices · Olympus GI Accessories · Olympus Hemostasis Devices · REBYOTA · REMICADE · RESMETIROM · RINVOQ · SIMPONI ARIA · SKYRIZI · STELARA · SUCRAID · TERLIVAZ · TREMFYA · TRULANCE · Trintellix · Trulance · VELSIPITY · VIBERZI · VOQUEZNA · ViziShot Respiratory Needles · XELJANZ · XIFAXAN · ZENPEP · ZEPATIER · ZEPOSIA
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.
Equivalent to $381 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Gastroenterologists within 10 mi
12
Per 100K population
10.3
County median income
$50,448
Nearest hospital
NORTHWEST TEXAS HOSPITAL
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 measures how much public data is available about a provider — not how good they are. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Ellington is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 5% in TX), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data. It describes data availability and patterns — not clinical quality. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Ellington experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Ellington performed 348 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. Ellington receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Ellington received a total of $8,670 from 33 companies across 481 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. Ellington's costs compare to other gastroenterologists in Amarillo?
Dr. Ellington's average Medicare payment per service is $80. 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. Ellington) 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. The Transparency Score measures 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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