Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Damaris Vega, MD
Endocrinology · Houston, TX
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Speaking/Promotional
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. Vega 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. Vega?
Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →
What this data tells you about Dr. Vega
Dr. Damaris Vega is an endocrinology specialist in Houston, TX, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Vega performed 2,359 Medicare services across 783 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Vega received a total of $603,457 from 77 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 2676 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in endocrinology. The majority of payments are for speaking programs and promotional activities, reflecting participation in industry-sponsored events. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Vega 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 19% volume in TX
$603,457 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗2,359
Medicare services
Top 19% in TX for endocrinology
783
Unique beneficiaries
$47
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~124 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal care management for high-risk disease, first 30 minutes This service covers the initial 30 minutes of clinical staff time per calendar month to manage a single high-risk disease. It is directed by a healthcare professional. |
624 | $45 | $100 |
| Remote vital sign monitoring management, each additional 20 minutes This code covers the time spent by a provider managing patient data from remote vital sign monitoring devices. It applies to each additional 20-minute increment beyond the initial monthly service period. |
429 | $29 | $100 |
| Remote patient monitoring management, 20 min/month Management based on results from remote vital sign monitoring for the first 20 minutes per calendar month. |
341 | $35 | $107 |
| 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. |
218 | $119 | $310 |
| Remote patient monitoring device, 30 days Initial setup of devices for remote monitoring of body functions with daily data transmission or alerts. This service covers the first 30 days of the monitoring period. |
189 | $36 | $101 |
| 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. |
166 | $83 | $232 |
| Continuous glucose monitoring with interpretation This procedure involves monitoring blood sugar levels in tissue fluid using a sensor placed under the skin, along with the interpretation and reporting of the results. |
107 | $24 | $59 |
| Hemoglobin A1c test (diabetes monitoring) A blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. |
90 | $9 | $57 |
| Blood glucose level test A test that measures the amount of sugar in your blood. |
50 | $4 | $36 |
| Remote physiologic monitoring setup and education Initial setup of remote monitoring equipment and patient education on its use. |
36 | $14 | $100 |
| Additional 30 minutes of principal care management This service covers each additional 30 minutes of clinical staff time directed by a healthcare professional for managing a single high-risk disease, billed per calendar month. |
27 | $35 | $100 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 20 | $162 | $440 |
| Diabetes self-management training, individual Individualized education and training for managing diabetes, billed per 30-minute session. |
19 | $39 | $118 |
| 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. |
16 | $115 | $355 |
| Continuous glucose monitoring, tissue fluid This procedure involves continuous monitoring of blood sugar levels in tissue fluid using a sensor placed under the skin. |
15 | $43 | $150 |
| 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. |
12 | $58 | $157 |
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 ↗$603,457
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $86,208/year across 7 years
Top 3% in TX for endocrinology
77
Companies
2,676
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.
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$578,804 (95.9%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$24,653 (4.1%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$55,665
2023
$93,809
2022
$125,281
2021
$33,260
2020
$46,083
2019
$132,562
2018
$116,797
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Lilly USA, LLC
$315,353
Novo Nordisk Inc
$202,896
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$23,703
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$13,554
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$12,872
Intuity Medical Inc
$6,160
Medtronic MiniMed, Inc.
$4,306
Eli Lilly and Company
$3,658
Dexcom, Inc.
$2,921
Insulet Corporation
$2,234
Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc.
$1,496
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$1,451
Amgen Inc.
$1,294
Valeritas, Inc.
$1,276
Corcept Therapeutics
$804
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$669
Abbott Laboratories
$559
Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$482
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$460
Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC
$459
MannKind Corporation
$415
Radius Health, Inc.
$348
DEXCOM, INC.
$345
AbbVie Inc.
$336
Becton, Dickinson and Company
$313
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$303
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$263
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$253
Medtronic, Inc.
$253
IBSA Pharma Inc.
$249
CeQur Corporation
$226
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$223
GRT US Holding, Inc.
$200
BETA BIONICS, INC.
$179
PFIZER INC.
$170
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$170
Embecta Corp.
$168
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$162
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$161
Mannkind Corporation
$156
Clarus Therapeutics Inc.
$132
ABBVIE INC.
$128
Companion Medical, Inc.
$127
Shire North American Group Inc
$122
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$116
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$114
Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$100
AbbVie, Inc.
$98
VIVUS LLC
$84
Currax Pharmaceuticals LLC
$70
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$63
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.
$59
Kyowa Kirin, Inc.
$54
LifeScan, Inc.
$53
Zealand Pharma US, Inc.
$51
Ascendis Pharma Inc
$50
Nevro Corp.
$47
Averitas Pharma Inc.
$40
Amryt Pharma Holdings Ltd
$37
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$36
Boston Scientific Corporation
$35
SHIELD THERAPEUTICS INC
$35
Tolmar, Inc.
$33
Sandoz Inc.
$31
Gemini Laboratories, LLC
$29
RECORDATI_RARE_DISEASES_INC.
$23
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc
$23
Senseonics, Incorporated
$22
EISAI INC.
$22
Nalpropion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$20
VIVUS, Inc.
$19
Bigfoot Biomedical Inc
$18
Acerus Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$15
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$14
Allergan Inc.
$13
Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$13
Eisai Inc.
$12
Top 3 companies account for 89.8% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACCRUFER · AFREZZA · Androgel · BAQSIMI · BD NANO · BD Nano · BD Nano 2nd Gen Pen Needle · BYSTOLIC · Belviq · CONTRAVE · CYCLOSET · CeQur Simplicity · Corlanor · Crysvita · DEXCOM CGM · DEXCOM G6 CGM SYSTEM · DEXCOM G6 TRANSMITTER · DEXCOM G7 GSS (161) · Dexcom CGM · Dexcom G6 Transmitter · Dojolvi · EVENITY · Edarbyclor · Eversense · FARXIGA · FORTEO · FREESTYLE LIBRE · FREESTYLE LIBRE 2 · FREESTYLE LIBRE 3 · FreeStyle Libre · FreeStyle Libre 2 · FreeStyle Libre blood glucose Flash Monitoring System · FreeStyle Lite system · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · GVOKE HYPOPEN · GVOKE PFS · HUMULIN · HUMULIN U · INVOKANA · InPen · JANUVIA · JARDIANCE · JATENZO · Kerendia · Korlym · LEQVIO · LICART · LINZESS · LYUMJEV · Livalo · MINIMED 780G · MOUNJARO · MYCAPSSA · Minimed 530G · Minimed 630G · Minimed 670G System · Minimed 770G System · NATPARA · NATPARA (PARATHYROID HORMONE) · NEXLETOL · NO PRODUCT DISCUSSED · NOCDURNA · Natesto · NovoLog · OTREXUP · Omnipod · OneTouch · Otrexup · Ozempic · PRALUENT · PRALUENT ALIROCUMAB INJECTION · PREVNAR 20 · Pogo Automatic Blood Glucose Monitoring System · Prolia · QSYMIA · QUTENZA · Qsymia · Qutenza · RECORLEV · RYBELSUS · Repatha · Rybelsus · SIGNIFOR LAR · SOLIQUA · SOLIQUA 100/33 · SOMATULINE DEPOT · SOMAVERT · STEGLUJAN · STRENSIQ · SYNJARDY XR · SYNTHROID · Saxenda · Senza · SlimTip lead DRG Lead · Soliris · Strensiq · Synthroid · TEPEZZA · TLANDO · TOUJEO · TRADJENTA · TRULICITY · TZIELD · Tirosint · Tresiba · Tymlos · UNITHROID · UNITY DIABETES MANAGEMENT SYSTEM · V-GO · Vascepa · Veozah · Victoza · WaveWriter Alpha Prime 16 · Wegovy · XARELTO · XYOSTED · Xultophy 100/3.6 · iLet Bionic Pancreas · t-slim insulin pump · t:slim X2 Insulin Pump with Control-IQ · t:slim X2 insulin pump
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 →
The majority of payments (96%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in endocrinology and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 3% for endocrinology in TX.
Equivalent to $25,581 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Endocrinologists within 10 mi
126
Per 100K population
2.6
County median income
$73,104
Nearest hospital
HOUSTON METHODIST WILLOWBROOK HOSPITAL
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. Vega is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 19% in TX), with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 3% 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. Vega experienced with principal care management for high-risk disease, first 30 minutes?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Vega performed 624 principal care management for high-risk disease, first 30 minutes 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. Vega receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Vega received a total of $603,457 from 77 companies across 2,676 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. Vega's costs compare to other endocrinologists in Houston?
Dr. Vega's average Medicare payment per service is $47. 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. Vega) 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 →
Explore related providers
Specialty guide
Understanding Endocrinology
Common procedures, typical costs, and what industry payments mean in endocrinology.
Same specialty & city
Endocrinologists in Houston
Browse endocrinologists in Houston ranked by procedure volume and transparency data.
Highest volume
Top Endocrinologists in TX
Endocrinologists ranked by total Medicare services performed statewide.
Industry payments
Pharma Payments to Endocrinologists in TX
Which TX endocrinologists receive the most from drug and device companies.
By company
Lilly USA, LLC Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from Lilly USA, LLC.
By company
Novo Nordisk Inc Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from Novo Nordisk Inc.
By company
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP.
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