Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Christopher Penning, D.O.
Family Medicine · Bridge City, 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. Penning 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. Penning?
Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →
What this data tells you about Dr. Penning
Dr. Christopher Penning is a family medicine specialist in Bridge City, TX, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Penning performed 4,352 Medicare services across 1,822 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Penning received a total of $7,296 from 54 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 509 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in family medicine. 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. Penning 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 5% volume in TX
$7,296 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗4,352
Medicare services
Top 5% in TX for family medicine
1,822
Unique beneficiaries
$39
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~218 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. |
1,216 | $85 | $160 |
| Dexamethasone injection (steroid) An injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a dose of 1 milligram. |
784 | $0 | $6 |
| Drug injection, under skin or into muscle A procedure involving the administration of a medication or substance via injection into the subcutaneous tissue or muscle. |
356 | $10 | $35 |
| Ceftriaxone antibiotic injection This code represents the administration of ceftriaxone sodium, an antibiotic medication. The charge is calculated for every 250 mg of the drug administered. |
313 | $0 | $25 |
| Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg | 211 | $5 | $25 |
| Ultrasound of arm and leg arteries This procedure uses sound waves to create images of the blood vessels in the arms and legs. It allows healthcare providers to examine the structure and blood flow within these arteries. |
204 | $50 | $200 |
| Remote vital sign monitoring management, each additional 20 minutes This code covers the time spent by a provider managing patient data from remote vital sign monitoring devices. It applies to each additional 20-minute increment beyond the initial monthly service period. |
118 | $31 | $80 |
| Strep A rapid test A rapid test to detect Group A Streptococcus bacteria using an immunoassay method with direct visual observation. |
104 | $16 | $31 |
| Respiratory virus detection test A laboratory test using immunoassay techniques to detect the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and influenza viruses. |
91 | $48 | $140 |
| Advance care planning consultation, first 30 min A session focused on discussing and documenting future healthcare preferences and goals. This service covers the initial 30 minutes of the planning discussion. |
88 | $59 | $160 |
| Chronic care management, additional 20 min/month This service covers an extra 20 minutes of clinical staff time directed by a healthcare professional for managing two or more chronic conditions each calendar month. |
76 | $37 | $91 |
| Remote patient monitoring management, 20 min/month Management based on results from remote vital sign monitoring for the first 20 minutes per calendar month. |
76 | $38 | $77 |
| 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. |
75 | $2 | $15 |
| Annual wellness visit, follow-up A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service. |
69 | $125 | $200 |
| Remote patient monitoring device, 30 days Initial setup of devices for remote monitoring of body functions with daily data transmission or alerts. This service covers the first 30 days of the monitoring period. |
61 | $38 | $90 |
| Flu vaccine, quadrivalent A flu shot containing four strains of the influenza virus to help prevent seasonal influenza infection. |
51 | $76 | $90 |
| Flu vaccine administration This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient. |
51 | $30 | $40 |
| Lincomycin antibiotic injection An injection of lincomycin hydrochloride, an antibiotic medication, administered in a dose of up to 300 mg. |
49 | $7 | $25 |
| Annual depression screening | 48 | $18 | $55 |
| 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. |
44 | $49 | $119 |
| Chest X-ray, 2 views An X-ray imaging test of the chest that captures two different angles to visualize the lungs, heart, and chest wall. |
31 | $21 | $100 |
| 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. |
22 | $41 | $120 |
| Remote physiologic monitoring setup and education Initial setup of remote monitoring equipment and patient education on its use. |
21 | $14 | $37 |
| Urine microalbumin test A laboratory test that measures the amount of a specific protein called microalbumin in a urine sample. This analysis helps assess kidney function. |
18 | $6 | $20 |
| Creatinine test (kidney function) A blood test that measures the amount of creatinine to assess kidney function or detect muscle injury. |
18 | $5 | $20 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, 2-3 views An X-ray imaging test that captures 2 to 3 views of the lower back and sacral spine to visualize the bones and joints in this area. |
16 | $25 | $99 |
| Drug test with direct observation A drug screening test performed under direct observation to ensure the sample is provided correctly. This method is used to verify the integrity of the specimen collection process. |
16 | $12 | $25 |
| Initial preventive physical examination, new Medicare beneficiary A comprehensive preventive health visit for new Medicare beneficiaries during their first 12 months of enrollment. The service is conducted as a face-to-face visit and is limited to preventive care. |
16 | $161 | $244 |
| Knee X-ray, 1-2 views An X-ray imaging test of the knee joint using one to two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
15 | $22 | $76 |
| Shoulder X-ray, 2+ views An X-ray imaging test of the shoulder joint using at least two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
14 | $25 | $84 |
| Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) An intramuscular injection of the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. It is used to protect against diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. |
14 | $281 | $300 |
| Pneumonia vaccine administration This procedure involves the injection of a vaccine to protect against pneumococcal disease. It is administered by a healthcare provider. |
14 | $30 | $40 |
| Methylprednisolone acetate injection, 80 mg An injection of 80 mg of methylprednisolone acetate, a corticosteroid medication. |
14 | $9 | $40 |
| Destruction of precancerous skin growth, 1 Removal of a single precancerous skin growth. This procedure destroys abnormal skin cells to prevent them from developing into cancer. |
13 | $40 | $132 |
| Abdominal X-ray, 1 view An X-ray image of the abdomen taken from a single angle to visualize internal structures. |
13 | $20 | $75 |
| SARS-CoV-2 immunoassay test A laboratory test using immunoassay techniques to detect the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. |
12 | $35 | $90 |
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 ↗$7,296
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,042/year across 7 years
Top 8% in TX for family medicine
54
Companies
509
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
$7,150 (98.0%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$146 (2.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$1,075
2023
$1,181
2022
$1,068
2021
$1,093
2020
$1,048
2019
$785
2018
$1,044
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$896
ABBVIE INC.
$854
Novo Nordisk Inc
$841
Lilly USA, LLC
$479
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$319
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$316
Shire North American Group Inc
$257
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$223
AbbVie Inc.
$208
Corium, LLC
$203
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$198
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$187
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$169
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$167
Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc
$146
Allergan, Inc.
$130
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$121
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$112
Tris Pharma Inc
$102
Amgen Inc.
$93
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$92
PFIZER INC.
$77
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$73
Exact Sciences Corporation
$72
Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$67
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$64
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$63
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$61
Ironshore Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$59
Dexcom, Inc.
$50
Assertio Therapeutics, Inc.
$46
ASSERTIO THERAPEUTICS, Inc.
$43
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$42
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$40
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$39
Allergan Inc.
$38
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$38
Radius Health, Inc.
$32
Genentech USA, Inc.
$31
Verity Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$26
Eisai Inc.
$26
Noven Therapeutics, LLC
$21
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$19
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$17
Hologic, LLC
$17
Currax Pharmaceuticals LLC
$15
AbbVie, Inc.
$14
Shionogi Inc
$14
Arbor Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$14
Lupin Inc.
$13
Adlon Therapeutics L.P.
$13
Mission Pharmacal Company
$13
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$13
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 35.5% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ADHANSIA XR · AIRSUPRA · AJOVY · AREXVY · Aimovig · Azstarys · BEVESPI AEROSPHERE · BOOSTRIX · BREZTRI · BREZTRI AEROSPHERE · BYDUREON · BYSTOLIC · CONTRAVE · Cologuard Collection Kit · Dayvigo · Dexcom G6 Transmitter · Dyanavel XR · ELIQUIS · EMGALITY · EUCRISA · Edarbi · Edarbyclor · FARXIGA · FLUMIST QUADRIVALENT · GRALISE · Gralise · INJECTAFER · INVOKANA · JANUVIA · JARDIANCE · JORNAY PM · Kerendia · LEQVIO · LINZESS · Linzess · MOUNJARO · MYDAYIS · MYRBETRIQ · NEXLETOL · NURTEC ODT · Otezla · Otrexup · Ozempic · PNEUMOVAX 23 · PREVNAR - 13 · QELBREE · QULIPTA · QUVIVIQ · Quillivant XR · REYVOW · RYBELSUS · Repatha · Rybelsus · SEGLENTIS · SHINGRIX · SOLIQUA 100/33 · SUPRAX · SYMBICORT · SYNTHROID · Saxenda · Symproic · Synthroid · THINPREP 2000 PROCESSOR · TOUJEO · TRADJENTA · TRELEGY ELLIPTA · TRINTELLIX · TRULICITY · Tlando · Trulance · Tymlos · UBRELVY · Uribel · VOQUEZNA · VRAYLAR · VYVANSE · Vascepa · Veozah · Wegovy · XARELTO · XIFAXAN · XYOSTED · Xelstrym · Xofluza · Zipsor
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 (98%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians. Total industry engagement is in the top 8% for family medicine in TX.
Equivalent to $168 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Family medicine physicians within 10 mi
82
Per 100K population
96.5
County median income
$73,372
Nearest hospital
THE MEDICAL CENTER OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS
11.5 mi
11.5 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. Penning is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 5% in TX), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 8% of TX peers, 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. Penning experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Penning performed 1,216 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. Penning receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Penning received a total of $7,296 from 54 companies across 509 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. Penning's costs compare to other family medicine physicians in Bridge City?
Dr. Penning's average Medicare payment per service is $39. 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. Penning) 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
Specialty guide
Understanding Family Medicine
Common procedures, typical costs, and what industry payments mean in family medicine.
Same specialty & city
Family Medicine Physicians in Bridge City
Browse family medicine physicians in Bridge City ranked by procedure volume and transparency data.
Highest volume
Top Family Medicine Physicians in TX
Family medicine physicians ranked by total Medicare services performed statewide.
Industry payments
Pharma Payments to Family Medicine Physicians in TX
Which TX family medicine physicians receive the most from drug and device companies.
By company
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP.
By company
ABBVIE INC. Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from ABBVIE INC.
By company
Novo Nordisk Inc Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from Novo Nordisk Inc.
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