Dr. John Howe, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Howe
Dr. John Howe is an ophthalmology in Harlingen, TX, with 19 years in practice. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Howe performed 6,152 Medicare services across 2,226 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Howe received a total of $306 from 5 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 7 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in ophthalmology. 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. Howe 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.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive eye exam, established patient | 1,716 | $86 | $175 |
| Extended exam of the back part of the eye with retinal drawing | 1,401 | $18 | $50 |
| Retinal imaging (OCT scan) | 914 | $28 | $100 |
| Microfluid analysis of tears | 624 | $22 | $50 |
| Eye injection for retinal disease | 311 | $83 | $500 |
| Retinal photography (fundus photo) | 299 | $24 | $130 |
| Aflibercept eye injection (Eylea) | 272 | $693 | $1,945 |
| Injection, bevacizumab, 10 mg | 161 | $54 | $250 |
| Visual field test, extended | 135 | $42 | $150 |
| Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan) | 107 | $26 | $100 |
| Other service or procedure on eye | 67 | $29 | $200 |
| Comprehensive eye exam, new patient | 51 | $88 | $275 |
| Corneal topography and eye depth measurement | 28 | $27 | $100 |
| Destruction of growth of retina using a laser | 21 | $390 | $1,800 |
| Measurement of nerve conduction using visual stimulation testing with report | 17 | $50 | $300 |
| 2d ultrasound scan of eye tissue and structures | 16 | $35 | $234 |
| Exam of retinal blood vessels using a special camera after injection of a dye | 12 | $104 | $260 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2024)
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
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. Howe is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 14% in TX), and low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 years of practice experience.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data. It describes data availability and patterns — not clinical quality. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
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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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