Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Christopher Penning, D.O.

Family Medicine · Bridge City, TX
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
615 W ROUND BUNCH RD, Bridge City, TX 77611
4097357305
In practice since 2005 (20 years)
NPI: 1679555734 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. 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) 1,216 $85 $160
Dexamethasone injection (steroid) 784 $0 $6
Drug injection, under skin or into muscle 356 $10 $35
Ceftriaxone antibiotic injection 313 $0 $25
Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg 211 $5 $25
Ultrasound study of arm and leg arteries 204 $50 $200
Management using the results of remote vital sign monitoring per calendar month, each additional 20 minutes 118 $31 $80
Detection test by immunoassay with direct visual observation for streptococcus, group a (strep) 104 $16 $31
Detection test by immunoassay technique for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and influenza 91 $48 $140
Advance care planning consultation, first 30 min 88 $59 $160
Chronic care management, additional 20 min/month 76 $37 $91
Remote patient monitoring management, 20 min/month 76 $38 $77
Automated urinalysis 75 $2 $15
Annual wellness visit, follow-up 69 $125 $200
Remote patient monitoring device, 30 days 61 $38 $90
Flu vaccine, quadrivalent 51 $76 $90
Flu vaccine administration 51 $30 $40
Injection, lincomycin hcl, up to 300 mg 49 $7 $25
Annual depression screening 48 $18 $55
Chronic care management, first 20 min/month 44 $49 $119
Chest X-ray, 2 views 31 $21 $100
Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) 22 $41 $120
Remote monitoring of physiologic parameters, initial set-up and patient education on use of equipment 21 $14 $37
Urine microalbumin (protein) analysis 18 $6 $20
Creatinine test (kidney function) 18 $5 $20
X-ray of lower and sacral spine, 2-3 views 16 $25 $99
Testing for presence of drug, read by direct observation 16 $12 $25
Initial preventive physical examination; face-to-face visit, services limited to new beneficiary during the first 12 months of medicare enrollment 16 $161 $244
X-ray of knee, 1-2 views 15 $22 $76
Shoulder X-ray, 2+ views 14 $25 $84
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, 20 valent (pcv20), for intramuscular use 14 $281 $300
Pneumonia vaccine administration 14 $30 $40
Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 80 mg 14 $9 $40
Destruction of precancerous skin growth, 1 13 $40 $132
X-ray of abdomen, 1 view 13 $20 $75
Detection test by immunoassay technique for 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
Looking for a family medicine specialist in Bridge City?
Compare family medicine physicians in the Bridge City area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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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

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 →
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 →