Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Jacobo Nurko, M.D.
Vascular Surgery Physician · Houston, 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. Nurko 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. Nurko
Dr. Jacobo Nurko is a vascular surgery physician in Houston, TX, with 18 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Nurko performed 826 Medicare services across 651 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Nurko received a total of $17,338 from 60 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 267 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in vascular surgery physician. 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. Nurko 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.
✓ 18 years in practice
▲ Top 29% volume in TX
$17,338 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗826
Medicare services
Top 29% in TX for vascular surgery physician
651
Unique beneficiaries
$125
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~46 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telephone medical discussion, 5-10 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 5 and 10 minutes to discuss medical matters. |
181 | $41 | $110 |
| Ultrasound of head and neck blood flow, bilateral An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow in the vessels of both the head and the neck. |
93 | $139 | $1,003 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in the arm or leg. The test uses sound waves to check blood flow and may include compression and other maneuvers. |
71 | $148 | $1,028 |
| Ultrasound of arm and leg arteries This procedure uses sound waves to create images of the blood vessels in the arms and legs. It allows healthcare providers to examine the structure and blood flow within these arteries. |
69 | $58 | $484 |
| 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. |
46 | $53 | $150 |
| Hemodialysis circuit intervention with balloon dilation A procedure to insert a needle or tube into a hemodialysis circuit and dilate the dialysis segment using a balloon, with radiological review. |
43 | $185 | $1,136 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in one arm or leg using compression and other maneuvers to assess blood flow and check for blockages. |
39 | $93 | $680 |
| Skin and tissue removal, 20 sq cm or less This procedure involves the surgical excision of skin and underlying tissue from an area measuring 20 square centimeters or smaller. |
35 | $45 | $298 |
| Ultrasound of hemodialysis access An ultrasound imaging test used to evaluate the blood flow and structure of a hemodialysis access site. |
30 | $104 | $776 |
| Radiologist review of abdominal aorta image A radiologist reviews images of the abdominal aorta to evaluate the blood vessel. |
27 | $52 | $210 |
| Initial hospital admission, low complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving straightforward or low-level medical decision making, with at least 40 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
27 | $62 | $296 |
| Radiologist review of arm or leg artery image A radiologist reviews images of the arteries in the arm or leg. This process involves analyzing the visual data to assess the blood vessels. |
22 | $64 | $212 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, low complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an established patient with straightforward or low-level medical decision making. The visit requires at least 25 minutes of time spent on the day of service. |
21 | $40 | $115 |
| Radiofrequency vein destruction, first vein A procedure to treat the first incompetent vein in the arm or leg using radiofrequency energy and imaging guidance. |
20 | $836 | $10,122 |
| Balloon dilation of dialysis access with radiologist review A minimally invasive procedure to widen a narrowed section of a dialysis access vessel using a balloon catheter. The procedure includes review by a radiologist to ensure proper placement and effectiveness. |
18 | $117 | $654 |
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range. |
17 | $75 | $317 |
| Balloon dilation of leg artery A procedure to widen a narrowed or blocked artery in the leg using a balloon catheter to restore blood flow. |
16 | $257 | $2,533 |
| Arm vein relocation with artery connection for hemodialysis A surgical procedure to move a vein in the arm and connect it to an artery to create access for hemodialysis. |
14 | $529 | $3,592 |
| Neck artery stent insertion with clot protection A procedure to place a stent in a neck artery to keep it open, using a device to protect against blood clots during the process. A radiologist reviews the procedure. |
13 | $803 | $5,628 |
| 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. |
13 | $105 | $401 |
| 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. |
11 | $103 | $314 |
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.
1.6% high complexity
45.6% medium
52.8% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$17,338
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $2,477/year across 7 years
Top 20% in TX for vascular surgery physician
60
Companies
267
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
$14,701 (84.8%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$2,637 (15.2%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,658
2023
$2,771
2022
$2,193
2021
$5,310
2020
$1,441
2019
$1,907
2018
$1,056
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Inari Medical, Inc.
$3,833
Baxter Healthcare
$2,513
Silk Road Medical, Inc.
$1,964
NuVasive, Inc.
$1,785
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
$1,663
Cook Medical LLC
$543
Boston Scientific Corporation
$487
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$451
PFIZER INC.
$394
Kerecis Limited
$340
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$325
Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
$306
Keswick Pharmaceuticals LLC
$199
Endologix LLC
$187
ETS Wound Care LLC
$164
Tactile Systems Technology Inc
$158
Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
$156
Bone Support Inc.
$153
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$142
Penumbra, Inc.
$140
KCI USA, Inc.
$116
Ethicon US, LLC
$114
Bolton Medical Inc
$99
RedDress USA, Inc.
$95
LifeNet Health
$91
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$76
BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
$52
Davol Inc.
$49
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$38
KCI USA, Inc
$38
Amgen Inc.
$36
NormaTec Industries, LP
$32
Bard Access Systems, Inc.
$31
Haemonetics Corporation
$31
Endologix, LLC
$31
Organogenesis Inc.
$31
Surmodics, Inc.
$27
Preventice Services, LLC
$25
Biom'Up France SAS
$25
Imperative Care, Inc
$24
Shockwave Medical, Inc
$24
Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation Inc.
$24
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$23
Mozarc Medical US LLC
$23
CVRx, Inc.
$22
HARTMANN USA, INC.
$22
Covidien LP
$22
Biom'Up SA
$21
LivaNova USA, Inc.
$21
Medtronic, Inc.
$21
Aroa Biosurgery Incorporated
$20
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$19
Osiris Therapeutics Inc.
$18
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$17
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$16
Smith & Nephew, Inc.
$15
Sanara MedTech Inc.
$14
CashFlow Solutions, LLC
$14
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$12
Wound Management Technologies, Inc
$12
Top 3 companies account for 47.9% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
3M Cavilon · 3M Coban · ACTIVAC · AFX · ALIF · ALPHAVAC · APLIGRAF · ARISTA AH FLEXITIP · ARTIS icono biplane · AURYON LASER SYSTEM 100-120 VAC · AngioVac · Apligraf · Artis icono floor · Avalus · BG Mini Plus · Barostim Neo System · BodyGuardian · CERAMENTBONE VOID FILLER · CHANTIX · CONQUEST · COOK MEDICAL ANGIOPLASTY · COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX · CT THROMBECTOMY SYSTEM KIT · CellerateRx · Chameleon · Cook Medical Aortic Intervention · Cook Medical Stents · ELIQUIS · ELUVIA · ENDOCROSS Device · ENHANCE Transcarotid Peripheral Access Kit · ENROUTE Enflate Transcarotid RX Balloon Dilatation Catheter · ENROUTE Transcarotid Neuroprotection System · ENROUTE Transcarotid Stent · ENTRESTO · EXCLUDER AAA Endoprosthesis · EXCLUDER Conformable AAA Endoprosthesis with Active Control · Endurant · FLEXITOUCH · FLOWTRIEVER CATHETER · GORE VIABAHN Endoprosthesis · GORE VIABAHN VBX Balloon Expandable Endo · GRAFIX PL · GRAFIX/GRAFIXPL/STRAVIX · General - Therapies · Grafix PL PRIME · Grafts · HEMOBLAST BELLOWS · HOTSHOT CONTROLLER · HYBRID Vascular Graft · Hemoblast · Indigo · JARDIANCE · Keragel · Kerecis Omega3 SurgiClose · Kerecis Omega3 Wound · LUTONIX · LUX-Dx Insertable Cardiac Monitor · LYMPHA PRESS OPTIMAL PLUS(US) BT · MATRIXRIB · MIRRAGEN ADVANCED WOUND MATRIX · No Related Product · PALINDROME · PICO · PICO7 · PREVELEAK · PREVENA · PROGEL · PROLENE · Protek Duo · RENASYS TOUCH · Repatha · S · SHOCKWAVE IVL SYSTEM WITH THE SHOCKWAVE C2 CORONARY IVL CATHETER · SNAP · STRAVIX PL · Santyl · Stravix · Sublime 014 Rx PTA Balloon Dilatation Catheter · Surgicel Powder · TEG6S HEMOSTASIS SYSTEM · Tegaderm Alginate Ag Silver Dressing · TheraGenesis Wound Matrix · Torus Stent Graft System · UPTRAVI · VERQUVO · VIABAHN Endoprosthesis with Heparin Bioactive Surface · VIABAHN VBX Balloon Expandable Endoprosthesis · Vascepa · Venovo · Via · XARELTO · Zetuvit Plus · Zilver Vena
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 (85%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Equivalent to $2,099 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Vascular surgery physicians within 10 mi
63
Per 100K population
1.3
County median income
$73,104
Nearest hospital
MEMORIAL HERMANN - TEXAS 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. Nurko is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 29% in TX), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 20% of TX peers, with 18 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. Nurko experienced with telephone medical discussion, 5-10 minutes?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Nurko performed 181 telephone medical discussion, 5-10 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. Nurko receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Nurko received a total of $17,338 from 60 companies across 267 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. Nurko's costs compare to other vascular surgery physicians in Houston?
Dr. Nurko's average Medicare payment per service is $125. 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. Nurko) 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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