Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Richard Sperling, M.D.

Gastroenterology · Austin, TX
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
7951 SHOAL CREEK BLVD STE 200, Austin, TX 78757
5124545888
In practice since 2005 (20 years)
NPI: 1881679959 verify on NPPES ↗
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. Sperling 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. Sperling

Dr. Richard Sperling is a gastroenterology in Austin, TX, with 20 years in practice. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Sperling performed 1,270 Medicare services across 1,240 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Sperling received a total of $14,535 from 42 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 669 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. Sperling 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.

✓ 20 years in practice▲ Top 16% volume in TX$ $14,535 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
1,270
Medicare services
Top 16% in TX for gastroenterology
1,240
Unique beneficiaries
$96
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~64 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.

ProcedureVolumeAvg. paidAvg. submitted
Colonoscopy with biopsy295$83$883
Office visit, established patient (20-29 min)227$61$160
Removal of polyps or growths of large bowel using an endoscope with mechanical snare207$186$1,171
Office visit, established patient (30-39 min)130$89$235
Upper GI endoscopy with biopsy121$65$592
New patient office visit (30-44 min)100$72$235
Colorectal cancer screening; colonoscopy on individual at high risk40$179$803
New patient office visit (45-59 min)38$109$365
Diagnostic exam of esophagus, stomach, and/or upper small bowel using a flexible endoscope29$58$575
Insertion of guide wire with dilation of esophagus using a flexible endoscope24$82$694
Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity13$62$165
Injection beneath lining of large bowel using a flexible endoscope12$13$855
Study of esophagus to assess movement12$167$882
Dilation of esophagus11$27$250
Measurement of liver stiffness11$23$75
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 ↗
$14,535
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $2,076/year across 7 years
Top 14% in TX for gastroenterology
42
Companies
669
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
$11,546 (79.4%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$2,989 (20.6%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$2,216
2023
$2,332
2022
$1,547
2021
$1,704
2020
$959
2019
$1,328
2018
$4,450

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$3,267
AbbVie Inc.
$1,853
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$1,740
ABBVIE INC.
$1,279
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$897
Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
$723
AbbVie, Inc.
$657
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$655
PFIZER INC.
$550
Celgene Corporation
$536
GENZYME CORPORATION
$295
Ardelyx, Inc.
$202
Lilly USA, LLC
$196
QOL Medical, LLC
$164
UCB, Inc.
$152
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$145
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$142
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$127
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$125
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$80
IRONWOOD PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
$79
Pharmacosmos Therapeutics Inc.
$76
AIMMUNE THERAPEUTICS, INC.
$71
Romark Laboratories, LC
$66
Braintree Laboratories, Inc.
$53
Nestle HealthCare Nutrition Inc.
$40
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$39
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$35
Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc
$34
Shire North American Group Inc
$32
INTERCEPT PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$29
Sandoz Inc.
$25
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$25
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$24
Shield Therapeutics Inc
$22
Allergan Inc.
$19
Alfasigma USA, Inc.
$15
Madrigal Pharmaceuticals
$15
Organon LLC
$14
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc
$14
RedHill Biopharma Inc.
$13
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$12
Top 3 companies account for 47.2% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACCRUFER · ALINIA · AMITIZA · APRISO · Alinia Tablets 500mg 30 count bottle · Amitiza · CREON · CYLTEZO · Cimzia · Creon · DIFICID · DUPIXENT · Dexilant · ENTYVIO · EOHILIA · Entyvio · GATTEX · HUMIRA · HYRIMOZ · Humira · IBSRELA · INFLECTRA · INJECTAFER · IQIRVO · Kanuma · LINZESS · Linzess · MAVYRET · MOTEGRITY · Mavyret · Monoferric · Motegrity · OCALIVA · OMVOH · RELISTOR · REMICADE · RENFLEXIS · RESMETIROM · RINVOQ · SIMPONI ARIA · SKYRIZI · STELARA · SUCRAID · SUFLAVE · SUTAB · Sucraid · TREMFYA · TRULANCE · Talicia · Trulance · VIBERZI · VOQUEZNA · VOWST · Vemlidy · WATCHMAN · XELJANZ · XIFAXAN · XIFIXAN · 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 (79%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Equivalent to $1,144 per 100 Medicare services performed
Looking for a gastroenterology in Austin?
Compare gastroenterologys in the Austin area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Gastroenterologys within 10 mi
79
Per 100K population
6.0
County median income
$97,169
Nearest hospital
NORTHWEST HILLS SURGICAL HOSPITAL
2.1 mi

Data Sources

Provider Registry NPPESWeekly updates
Medicare Enrollment PECOSMonthly updates
Practice Data Medicare Util.Annual (CY lag)
Industry Payments Open PaymentsCY 2024
Disciplinary History— Not publicN/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. Sperling is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 16% in TX), and high industry engagement (low-engagement, top 14%), with 20 years of practice experience.

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. Sperling experienced with colonoscopy with biopsy?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Sperling performed 295 colonoscopy with biopsy 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. Sperling receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Sperling received a total of $14,535 from 42 companies across 669 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. Sperling's costs compare to other gastroenterologys in Austin?
Dr. Sperling's average Medicare payment per service is $96. 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. Sperling) 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 →
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.

Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology

Data Disclaimer — Data sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), Open Payments program, Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, and Provider Enrollment & Certification data (PECOS). Published under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Data may contain errors as reported to CMS by providers and reporting entities. Payments from industry are legal and do not indicate wrongdoing. Medicare data reflects only patients aged 65+ or those with qualifying disabilities. For corrections, contact CMS directly. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a healthcare provider. Procedure descriptions use plain language and do not reference CPT® codes, which are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Full methodology → · Report a data error → · Privacy policy →