Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Austin Howard, MD
Cardiovascular Disease · Houston, TX
Practice pattern: Remote & Electrophysiology
— Practice combining remote and electrophysiology services
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. Howard 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. Howard
Dr. Austin Howard is a cardiovascular disease specialist in Houston, TX, with 12 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Howard performed 3,909 Medicare services across 3,338 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Howard received a total of $42,894 from 33 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 536 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cardiovascular disease. 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. Howard 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.
✓ 12 years in practice
▲ Top 25% volume in TX
$42,894 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗3,909
Medicare services
Top 25% in TX for cardiovascular disease
3,338
Unique beneficiaries
$42
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~326 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remote pacemaker/defibrillator monitoring, 90 days Remote evaluation of a pacemaker or implantable defibrillator system within 90 days of the last check. |
545 | $15 | $95 |
| Remote monitoring of implantable heart rhythm device Evaluation of data transmitted remotely from an implantable cardiovascular monitor, such as a loop recorder or subcutaneous cardiac rhythm monitor, over a period up to 30 days. |
525 | $35 | $55 |
| Remote cardiac rhythm monitor evaluation, up to 30 days Review and analysis of data from a remote cardiac rhythm monitoring system over a period of up to 30 days. |
480 | $18 | $80 |
| Remote pacemaker monitoring, 90 days Remote assessment of a pacemaker system, including single, dual, multiple lead, or leadless devices, performed up to 90 days apart. |
406 | $21 | $100 |
| Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report. |
309 | $10 | $93 |
| Pacemaker system evaluation Assessment of a pacemaker device, including single, dual, multiple lead, or leadless systems. |
290 | $36 | $114 |
| Remote monitoring of implantable heart device, up to 30 days Remote evaluation of an implanted heart or blood vessel monitoring system over a period of up to 30 days. |
172 | $18 | $70 |
| Remote evaluation of implantable defibrillator system Remote assessment of a single, dual, or multiple lead implantable defibrillator system within 90 days of the previous evaluation. |
140 | $26 | $180 |
| 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. |
140 | $91 | $291 |
| 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. |
113 | $128 | $471 |
| Evaluation of implantable heart and blood vessel monitoring system This procedure involves checking the function and data of an implanted device used to monitor heart and blood vessel activity. |
102 | $32 | $146 |
| Sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes Administration of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by the physician performing a procedure. This code covers the initial 15 minutes of sedation for patients aged 5 years or older. |
84 | $9 | $130 |
| Implantable defibrillator system check A check of the implanted defibrillator device to ensure it is functioning correctly. This evaluation covers single, dual, or multiple lead systems. |
71 | $45 | $177 |
| Pacemaker programming, dual lead system Adjustment and configuration of a dual-lead pacemaker device to ensure proper operation and settings. |
66 | $57 | $176 |
| Continuous ECG monitoring, up to 30 days Continuous heart rhythm monitoring for up to 30 days, including professional review and reporting of the results. |
58 | $19 | $70 |
| Initial hospital admission, high complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 75 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
46 | $129 | $569 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an existing patient involving moderate medical decision making. The visit requires at least 35 minutes of time spent on the date of service. |
42 | $60 | $200 |
| Pacemaker insertion with heart chamber electrodes A surgical procedure to implant a pacemaker device and place electrodes into the upper and lower chambers of the heart to regulate heart rhythm. |
39 | $384 | $1,274 |
| 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. |
33 | $118 | $477 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving moderate-level medical decision making, with at least 55 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
31 | $99 | $420 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
29 | $8 | $22 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity Subsequent hospital inpatient or observation care for an existing patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 50 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
26 | $87 | $283 |
| 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. |
24 | $55 | $188 |
| Basic metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of basic chemicals, including total calcium levels. |
19 | $8 | $42 |
| Programming of multiple lead implantable defibrillator system Adjustment and testing of the settings for an implanted heart device with multiple leads to ensure proper function. |
19 | $80 | $271 |
| Magnesium level test A blood test to measure the amount of magnesium in your body. This helps check for magnesium deficiency or excess. |
17 | $7 | $35 |
| Atrial fibrillation ablation with pulmonary vein isolation A procedure to treat atrial fibrillation by mapping the heart's electrical activity and destroying tissue causing irregular contractions. This is done by isolating the pulmonary veins using catheter-based destruction. |
17 | $704 | $2,836 |
| Removal of subcutaneous heart rhythm monitor This procedure involves the removal of a heart rhythm monitor that has been implanted under the skin. It is a minor surgical intervention to extract the device. |
16 | $42 | $353 |
| Pacemaker system programming Adjustment and testing of a multi-lead pacemaker to ensure proper function and settings. |
15 | $55 | $206 |
| Cardiac rhythm monitor evaluation Review and analysis of data recorded by a cardiac rhythm monitoring device to assess heart activity. |
13 | $37 | $111 |
| Removal and replacement of dual lead permanent pacemaker This procedure involves removing an existing permanent pacemaker with two leads and replacing it with a new device. It is performed to update or repair the heart rhythm management system. |
11 | $263 | $905 |
| Radiofrequency ablation for supraventricular tachycardia A procedure to locate and destroy abnormal heart tissue in the upper chambers of the heart that causes a rapid heart rate. |
11 | $621 | $2,125 |
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.
41.7% high complexity
0.0% medium
58.3% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$42,894
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $6,128/year across 7 years
Top 12% in TX for cardiovascular disease
33
Companies
536
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
$26,994 (62.9%)
Scientific / Research
Research funding and grants
$14,330 (33.4%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$1,031 (2.4%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$539 (1.3%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,058
2023
$1,542
2022
$15,258
2021
$7,160
2020
$10,833
2019
$3,489
2018
$2,554
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Boston Scientific Corporation
$9,563
Abbott Laboratories
$8,649
Medtronic, Inc.
$4,807
BIOTRONIK INC.
$4,755
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$4,336
Biosense Webster, Inc.
$3,773
Medical Device Business Services, Inc.
$1,695
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$846
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$654
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$551
Amgen Inc.
$377
ATRICURE, INC.
$357
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$351
ABIOMED
$348
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$314
Impulse Dynamics (USA) Inc.
$290
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$290
PFIZER INC.
$211
Baylis Medical Company Inc
$161
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$102
Ethicon US, LLC
$74
Chiesi USA, Inc.
$55
PORTOLA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$51
CHIESI USA, INC.
$49
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$42
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$37
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
$34
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
$26
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$24
Aziyo Biologics, Inc.
$23
PORTOLA PHARMACEUTICALS, LLC
$21
HeartFlow, Inc.
$16
Allergan Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 53.7% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACCENT · AMPLATZER TorqVue Delivery Systm · ANDEXXA · ARCTIC FRONT ADVANCE · ASSURITY · ATTAIN COMMAND + SUREVALVE · AURORA EV-ICD MRI SURESCAN · AVEIR · AZURE XT DR MRI SURESCAN · Accent Pacemaker · Acticor 7 VR-T DX · Adapta · Advisa · Advisor Catheter · Arctic Front · Assurity Pacemaker · Azure · BEVYXXA · BIOMONITOR · BRILINTA · CAMZYOS · CARDENE · CARDIOMEMS · CARTO 3 · CHANTIX · CLEVIPREX 50MG/100ML · COBALT DR MRI SURESCAN · CareLink · Carto 3 · Carto 3 System · Cobalt · Confirm Rx · Corlanor · DIAMONDTEMP BIDIRECTIONAL ABLATION CATHETER · ECM Patch · ELIQUIS · EMBLEM MRI S-ICD · ENSITE · ENSITE PRECISION · ENTRESTO · EPI-SENSE GUIDED COAGULATION SYSTEM WITH VISITRAX · Edora 8 DR-T · Ellipse ICD · EnSite Precision Cardiac Mapping System · Ensite Cardiac Mapping System · FORTIFY ASSURA · Fortify Assura · GALLANT · GENERAL BRADY · GENERAL EP · GENERAL THERAPIES · GENERAL - BRADY · GENERAL EP · GORE CARDIOFORM Septal Occluder · General - EP · Gore Septal Occluder · IGT D Peripheral · Impella · JOT DX · KENGREAL · LEXISCAN · LINQ II · LINZESS · LUX-Dx Insertable Cardiac Monitor · LifeVest · MICRA · MULTAQ · Merlin Connectivity and Remote · Micra · Mitra Clip system · NA · NRG needle · OCTARAY MAPPING CATHETER · OPSUMIT · OPSUMIT MACITENTAN · Optimizer · PULSESELECT · Perclose ProGlide suture mediated closure system · Pouch · QDOT MICRO Catheter · QUADRA ASSURA · Quadra Assura CRT Defibrillator · Quartet CRT Lead · RHYTHMIA · Repatha · Rhythmia Mapping System · Rivacor 7 DR-T · SENSITHERM MULTI · SENSOR ENABLED · Smartablate · TACTICATH ABLATION CATHETER · TENDRIL · UPTRAVI · VISTASEAL · VYNDAQEL · WATCHMAN · XARELTO · ZIO XT Patch · Zio monitor
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 (63%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Equivalent to $1,097 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Cardiologists within 10 mi
396
Per 100K population
8.3
County median income
$73,104
Nearest hospital
HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE MEDICAL CENTER
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. Howard is a remote & electrophysiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 25% in TX), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 12% of TX peers.
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. Howard experienced with remote pacemaker/defibrillator monitoring, 90 days?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Howard performed 545 remote pacemaker/defibrillator monitoring, 90 days 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. Howard receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Howard received a total of $42,894 from 33 companies across 536 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. Howard's costs compare to other cardiologists in Houston?
Dr. Howard's average Medicare payment per service is $42. 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. Howard) 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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