Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Brenda Watkins, MD

Dermatology · Dripping Springs, TX
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
170 BENNEY LN STE 203, Dripping Springs, TX 78620
5124447208
In practice since 2014 (11 years)
NPI: 1871904607 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. Watkins 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. Watkins

Dr. Brenda Watkins is a dermatology specialist in Dripping Springs, TX, with 11 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Watkins performed 5,421 Medicare services across 3,166 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Watkins received a total of $2,513 from 24 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 139 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in dermatology. 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. Watkins 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.

✓ 11 years in practice ▲ Top 21% volume in TX $2,513 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
5,421
Medicare services
Top 21% in TX for dermatology
3,166
Unique beneficiaries
$40
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~493 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
Destruction of precancerous skin growths, 2-14 1,999 $5 $13
Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) 872 $55 $175
Destruction of precancerous skin growth, 1 713 $35 $131
Destruction of skin growths (warts/lesions), 1-14 392 $74 $221
Skin biopsy, tangential 347 $59 $197
Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) 301 $80 $248
New patient office visit (30-44 min) 257 $64 $217
Destruction of cancer skin growth of trunk, arms, or legs, 1.1-2.0 cm 115 $117 $348
Biopsy of related skin growth, each additional growth 100 $37 $98
New patient office visit (45-59 min) 63 $100 $323
Destruction of precancer skin growth, 15 or more growths 52 $111 $328
Intermediate repair of wound of scalp, underarms, trunk, arms, or legs, 2.6-7.5 cm 39 $214 $592
Biopsy of ear 29 $43 $187
Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) 28 $37 $110
Steroid injection (triamcinolone) 26 $1 $2
Removal of cancer skin growth of body, arms, or legs, 1.1-2.0 cm 22 $94 $477
Injection into skin growth, 1-7 growths 21 $31 $111
Removal of noncancer skin growth of body, arms, or legs, 1.1-2.0 cm 18 $66 $335
Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of established patient that may not require presence of healthcare professional 15 $16 $45
Simple or single drainage of skin abscess 12 $80 $245
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 ↗
$2,513
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $359/year across 7 years
Bottom 43% in TX for dermatology
24
Companies
139
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
$2,349 (93.5%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$164 (6.5%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$861
2023
$464
2022
$506
2021
$324
2020
$57
2019
$69
2018
$232

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$400
ABBVIE INC.
$295
AbbVie Inc.
$259
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$248
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$202
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$164
AbbVie, Inc.
$164
UCB, Inc.
$115
LEO Pharma Inc.
$114
GENZYME CORPORATION
$87
Dermavant Sciences, Inc.
$86
Galderma Laboratories, L.P.
$63
Lilly USA, LLC
$55
Ortho Dermatologics, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$42
Incyte Corporation
$32
Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc.
$31
PFIZER INC.
$29
DUSA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$23
PruGen, Inc. Pharmaceuticals
$21
Amgen Inc.
$19
Allergan, Inc.
$18
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$17
Celgene Corporation
$16
VYNE Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$12
Top 3 companies account for 38.0% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ADBRY · AMZEEQ · ARAZLO · BLU-U Blue Light Photodynamic Therapy Illuminator Model 4170 · BOTOX COSMETIC · Bimzelx · COSENTYX · Cimzia · DUOBRII · DUPIXENT · ENSTILAR · EUCRISA · Enbrel · HUMIRA · Humira · ILUMYA · OPZELURA · REMICADE · RINVOQ · SILIQ · SKYRIZI · TALTZ · TREMFYA · VTAMA · Zoryve
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 (94%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Equivalent to $46 per 100 Medicare services performed
Looking for a dermatology specialist in Dripping Springs?
Compare dermatologists in the Dripping Springs area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse dermatologists nearby

Geographic Context

Dermatologists within 10 mi
85
Per 100K population
33.1
County median income
$85,827
Nearest hospital
ASCENSION SETON SOUTHWEST
11.2 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. Watkins is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 21% in TX), with low-engagement industry engagement.

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. Watkins experienced with destruction of precancerous skin growths, 2-14?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Watkins performed 1,999 destruction of precancerous skin growths, 2-14 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. Watkins receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Watkins received a total of $2,513 from 24 companies across 139 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. Watkins's costs compare to other dermatologists in Dripping Springs?
Dr. Watkins's average Medicare payment per service is $40. 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. Watkins) 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 →