Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Vijay Kumar, MD

Rheumatology · Beaumont, TX
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
3570 COLLEGE ST, Beaumont, TX 77701
4098339797
In practice since 2005 (20 years)
NPI: 1972506236 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. Kumar 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. Kumar

Dr. Vijay Kumar is a rheumatology specialist in Beaumont, TX, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Kumar performed 6,472 Medicare services across 2,709 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Kumar received a total of $1,768 from 16 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 29 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in rheumatology. 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. Kumar 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 41% volume in TX $1,768 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
6,472
Medicare services
Top 41% in TX for rheumatology
2,709
Unique beneficiaries
$18
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~324 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
Blood draw (venipuncture)
Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample.
890 $8 $15
Sed rate test (inflammation marker)
This automated test measures how quickly red blood cells settle in a tube to detect inflammation in the body.
858 $3 $10
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.
833 $83 $315
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.
814 $8 $29
Basic metabolic blood panel
A blood test that measures a group of basic chemicals, including total calcium levels.
809 $8 $31
Liver function blood test panel 807 $8 $30
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.
727 $5 $19
Complement and antigen measurement
A laboratory test to measure levels of complement proteins and antigens in the blood.
154 $12 $44
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.
76 $61 $213
Uric acid level test
A blood test that measures the level of uric acid in your body. Uric acid is a waste product formed when the body breaks down purines.
70 $4 $21
Urinalysis, microscopic examination
A laboratory test that examines a urine sample under a microscope to check for cells, crystals, bacteria, or other substances.
61 $3 $11
Cardiac enzyme level (CK-MB) test
A blood test that measures the total level of creatine kinase, specifically the cardiac enzyme fraction, to help evaluate heart muscle damage.
59 $6 $24
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.
58 $2 $8
X-ray of hand, minimum of 3 views
An X-ray imaging test of the hand that captures at least three different angles to visualize the bones and joints.
48 $18 $58
Methylprednisolone acetate injection, 80 mg
An injection of 80 mg of methylprednisolone acetate, a corticosteroid medication.
41 $9 $54
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.
35 $115 $482
Foot X-ray, 3+ views
An X-ray imaging test of the foot that captures at least three different views to evaluate the bones and joints.
32 $18 $43
Knee X-ray, 3 views
An X-ray imaging test of the knee joint that captures three different angles to evaluate the bones and surrounding structures.
29 $23 $65
Joint injection, major joint
Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space.
26 $46 $212
X-ray of lower and sacral spine, minimum of 4 views
An X-ray imaging test of the lower back and sacrum using at least four different angles to visualize the bones and joints.
24 $25 $93
Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg 21 $4 $6
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 ↗
$1,768
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $253/year across 7 years
Bottom 35% in TX for rheumatology
16
Companies
29
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
$1,768 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$95
2023
$48
2022
$513
2021
$247
2020
$118
2019
$571
2018
$175

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Amgen Inc.
$550
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$236
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$127
Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
$124
PFIZER INC.
$98
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$97
Inspire Medical Systems, Inc.
$95
Stryker Corporation
$87
AbbVie, Inc.
$77
Mallinckrodt Enterprises LLC
$76
GENZYME CORPORATION
$49
Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc.
$48
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$43
Horizon Pharma plc
$24
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$24
AbbVie Inc.
$14
Top 3 companies account for 51.6% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTHAR · BENLYSTA · Enbrel · Humira · INSPIRE · LUPKYNIS · MAKO · Otezla · RAYOS · RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS DISEASE · SIMPONI ARIA · TREMFYA · VRAYLAR · XELJANZ
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 $27 per 100 Medicare services performed
Looking for a rheumatology specialist in Beaumont?
Compare rheumatologists in the Beaumont area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse rheumatologists nearby

Geographic Context

Rheumatologists within 10 mi
7
Per 100K population
2.8
County median income
$59,934
Nearest hospital
BAPTIST BEAUMONT HOSPITAL
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. Kumar is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement, with 20 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. Kumar experienced with blood draw (venipuncture)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Kumar performed 890 blood draw (venipuncture) 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. Kumar receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Kumar received a total of $1,768 from 16 companies across 29 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. Kumar's costs compare to other rheumatologists in Beaumont?
Dr. Kumar's average Medicare payment per service is $18. 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. Kumar) 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 →