Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Ricardo Pocurull, MD
Rheumatology · College Station, TX
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
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. Pocurull 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. Pocurull
Dr. Ricardo Pocurull is a rheumatology specialist in College Station, TX, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Pocurull performed 165,379 Medicare services across 2,373 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Pocurull received a total of $17,670 from 59 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 828 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. Pocurull 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 7% volume in TX
$17,670 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗165,379
Medicare services
Top 7% in TX for rheumatology
2,373
Unique beneficiaries
$9
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~8,704 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certolizumab injection (Cimzia) An injection of certolizumab pegol administered under the direct supervision of a physician. |
132,800 | $4 | $22 |
| Abatacept infusion (Orencia) An injection of abatacept administered under the direct supervision of a physician. This code is used for Medicare when the drug is not self-administered. |
18,350 | $33 | $130 |
| Infliximab infusion (Remicade) An injection of infliximab, excluding biosimilar versions, administered in a 10 mg dose. |
3,500 | $26 | $245 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
2,138 | $1 | $5 |
| Joint lubricant injection (GenVisc) An injection of hyaluronan or its derivative into a joint space to provide lubrication and cushioning. |
1,850 | $6 | $51 |
| Denosumab injection (Prolia/Xgeva) | 1,680 | $18 | $50 |
| Non-hormonal chemotherapy injection This procedure involves administering non-hormonal anti-neoplastic chemotherapy medication via injection into the skin or muscle tissue. |
707 | $56 | $211 |
| 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. |
604 | $90 | $313 |
| Autoimmune disorder antibody test A laboratory test that measures antibodies in the blood to help assess for autoimmune disorders. |
483 | $18 | $74 |
| Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) An office or outpatient visit for an existing patient lasting between 40 and 54 minutes. This level of service is determined by the total time spent on the date of the encounter. |
419 | $126 | $422 |
| Ultrasound-guided large joint aspiration or injection This procedure uses ultrasound imaging to guide the removal of fluid from or the injection of medication into a large joint. |
357 | $95 | $416 |
| 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. |
355 | $11 | $73 |
| Viscosupplementation injection for joint An injection of hyaluronic acid or a derivative into a joint to provide lubrication and cushioning. |
331 | $58 | $258 |
| Intravenous infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of medication or fluid directly into a vein for therapeutic, preventive, or diagnostic purposes. The procedure lasts one hour or less. |
279 | $49 | $224 |
| Complete ultrasound scan of joint An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to create detailed images of a joint. This procedure allows for the visualization of the joint's internal structures. |
188 | $40 | $340 |
| Immunoassay substance analysis, multiple step method A laboratory test that uses an immunoassay technique to analyze a substance. The process involves multiple steps to detect or measure the target material. |
122 | $11 | $47 |
| Additional hour of intravenous chemotherapy This code represents the administration of chemotherapy medication into a vein for each additional hour beyond the initial period. |
121 | $22 | $130 |
| Intravenous chemotherapy infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of chemotherapy medication directly into a vein. The procedure takes one hour or less to complete. |
104 | $100 | $600 |
| Vitamin D level test A blood test to measure the amount of Vitamin D-3 in your body. |
95 | $29 | $112 |
| Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
94 | $42 | $126 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 85 | $158 | $604 |
| DNA antibody test (native or double-stranded) A blood test that measures the level of antibodies targeting native or double-stranded DNA. This test is used to detect the presence of these specific antibodies in the body. |
71 | $13 | $57 |
| Measurement of dna antibody, single stranded | 71 | $12 | $50 |
| Rheumatoid factor level | 65 | $6 | $23 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis antibody test A blood test to measure antibodies used in assessing rheumatoid arthritis. |
64 | $13 | $53 |
| Tuberculosis test, enumeration of t-cells A blood test that counts T-cells to help detect tuberculosis infection. |
64 | $98 | $308 |
| Ultrasound guidance for needle placement Use of ultrasound imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
58 | $42 | $176 |
| Intravenous injection of additional new drug or substance Administration of an additional new medication or substance directly into a vein. |
56 | $12 | $68 |
| Diphenhydramine injection, up to 50 mg An injection of diphenhydramine hydrochloride, an antihistamine medication, administered in a dose of up to 50 milligrams. |
47 | $1 | $2 |
| Ultrasound-guided small joint aspiration or injection This procedure involves removing fluid from or injecting medication into a small joint while using ultrasound imaging to guide the needle placement. |
45 | $61 | $264 |
| 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. |
41 | $70 | $213 |
| Trigger point injection, 1-2 muscles A procedure involving the injection of medication into one or two specific muscles to treat trigger points. |
30 | $31 | $161 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
29 | $46 | $231 |
| Injection of carpal tunnel | 27 | $80 | $384 |
| Ultrasound-guided joint aspiration or injection Removal of fluid from or injection into a medium-sized joint using ultrasound guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
27 | $65 | $295 |
| 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. |
22 | $111 | $479 |
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.
13.4% high complexity
85.2% medium
1.4% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$17,670
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $2,524/year across 7 years
Top 20% in TX for rheumatology
59
Companies
828
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
$17,670 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,104
2023
$2,256
2022
$2,454
2021
$2,072
2020
$1,758
2019
$3,718
2018
$3,308
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Amgen Inc.
$2,855
Merz North America, Inc.
$2,258
UCB, Inc.
$2,078
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$1,241
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$841
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$751
PFIZER INC.
$718
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$523
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$472
Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc.
$461
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$452
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$437
Genentech USA, Inc.
$410
Radius Health, Inc.
$403
Lilly USA, LLC
$374
ABBVIE INC.
$349
Celgene Corporation
$256
AbbVie Inc.
$189
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$163
AbbVie, Inc.
$159
Octapharma USA, Inc.
$158
MERZ NORTH AMERICA, INC.
$144
Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA
$136
GENZYME CORPORATION
$134
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$125
NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
$123
Organon LLC
$118
Sandoz Inc.
$102
Organon Llc
$85
ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$84
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$80
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$79
SOBI, INC
$63
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$58
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.
$58
MEDEXUS PHARMA, INC.
$55
West-Ward Pharmaceuticals
$53
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
$52
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$52
Sobi, Inc
$49
Mylan Institutional Inc.
$45
Mallinckrodt Enterprises LLC
$41
TerSera Therapeutics LLC
$40
Mallinckrodt LLC
$35
FIDIA PHARMA USA INC.
$30
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$30
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$28
Galderma Laboratories, L.P.
$27
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$27
Allergan Inc.
$26
Kyowa Kirin, Inc.
$21
Fidia Pharma USA Inc.
$20
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
$19
HOSPIRA, INC.
$16
Bioventus LLC
$14
Biocon Biologics Inc
$14
SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$14
Avion Pharmaceuticals
$13
BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc.
$12
Top 3 companies account for 40.7% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTHAR · AMJEVITA · AVSOLA · Actemra · Arcalyst · BENLYSTA · BUNAVAIL 2.1 mg 30-count box · Belbuca · Bimzelx · COSENTYX · CRYSVITA · CYLTEZO · Cimzia · Crysvita · EVENITY · EVUSHELD · Enbrel · Exparel · FORTEO · GELSYN 3 · Gloperba · HADLIMA · HUMIRA · HYALGAN · HYRIMOZ · Hulio · Humira · Hymovis · ILARIS · INFLECTRA · Iovera · KEVZARA · KINERET · LUPKYNIS · LYRICA · MONOVISC · Mitigare · OCTAGAM IMMUNE GLOBULIN (HUMAN) · OFEV · ORENCIA · ORTHOVISC · OTREXUP · Otezla · Otrexup · PANZYGA · PREVNAR - 13 · PREVNAR 13 · PURIFIED CORTROPHIN GEL · Prolia · QUVIVIQ · Quzyttir · RAYOS · REMICADE · RENFLEXIS · RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS DISEASE · RINVOQ · Rasuvo · Rinvoq · Rituxan · SAPHNELO · SIMPONI · SIMPONI ARIA · SKYRIZI · STELARA · STRENSIQ · Strensiq · TALTZ · TAVNEOS · TREMFYA · Tavneos · Truxima · Tymlos · ULTOMIRIS · Uloric · XELJANZ · XEOMIN · XYOSTED · ZTLido
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 $11 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Rheumatologists within 10 mi
5
Per 100K population
2.1
County median income
$58,388
Nearest hospital
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER- COLLEGE STATI
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. Pocurull is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 7% in TX), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 20% of TX peers, 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. Pocurull experienced with certolizumab injection (cimzia)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Pocurull performed 132,800 certolizumab injection (cimzia) 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. Pocurull receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Pocurull received a total of $17,670 from 59 companies across 828 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. Pocurull's costs compare to other rheumatologists in College Station?
Dr. Pocurull's average Medicare payment per service is $9. 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. Pocurull) 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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