Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Min Kim, M.D.

Thoracic Surgery · Houston, TX
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Speaking/Promotional
6550 FANNIN ST, Houston, TX 77030
7134415141
In practice since 2010 (15 years)
NPI: 1558689661 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. Kim 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. Kim

Dr. Min Kim is a thoracic surgery in Houston, TX, with 15 years in practice. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Kim performed 520 Medicare services across 421 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Kim received a total of $179,405 from 16 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 227 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in thoracic surgery. 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. Kim 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.

✓ 15 years in practice▲ Top 9% volume in TX$ $179,405 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
520
Medicare services
Top 9% in TX for thoracic surgery
421
Unique beneficiaries
$201
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~35 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.

ProcedureVolumeAvg. paidAvg. submitted
Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity105$95$302
Office visit, established patient (20-29 min)91$66$212
New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min)84$169$600
New patient office visit (45-59 min)38$118$483
Study of esophageal sensation by balloon distension36$39$221
Repair of hernia of muscle at esophagus and stomach using an endoscope34$1,263$8,025
Office visit, established patient (30-39 min)30$101$314
Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min)30$139$421
Computer-assisted image-guided navigation of lung airways using an endoscope17$72$523
Removal of lymph nodes of chest cavity using an endoscope17$165$1,051
Diagnostic exam of lung airway using an endoscope16$56$739
Placement of radiation therapy markers into lung airways using an endoscope11$79$1,078
Exam of lung with removal of lung lobe using an endoscope11$1,120$7,163
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 ↗
$179,405
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $25,629/year across 7 years
Top 4% in TX for thoracic surgery
16
Companies
227
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
$134,259 (74.8%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$41,820 (23.3%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$3,326 (1.9%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$29,267
2023
$20,072
2022
$29,375
2021
$28,275
2020
$34,438
2019
$20,366
2018
$17,610

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
$67,268
Veran Medical Technologies, Inc.
$40,778
INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
$28,625
Medtronic, Inc.
$20,847
Covidien LP
$17,818
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$1,074
Ethicon Inc.
$1,007
Medical Device Business Services, Inc.
$751
Ethicon US, LLC
$619
MEDELA LLC
$316
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$150
Olympus America Inc.
$78
KLS-Martin L.P.
$24
TELA Bio, Inc.
$20
Lumendi LLC
$15
AtriCure, Inc.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 76.2% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
120V · 60Hz · ATRICURE CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM · Art. 101030215 Thopaz+ Chest Drainage · Beacon · Bravo · DA VINCI SP · DAVINCI XI · Da Vinci Surgical System · DiLumen · Dominant Flex · ENDOFLIP · ION · LINX Reflux Management System · MATRIXCOMBO · MONARCH · ManoScan · Monarch · OviTex Reinforced Bioscaffold With Permanent Polymer (OviTex) · SIGNIA · SINGLE USE SUCTION VALVE (Sterile) · SPiN Thoracic Navigation System · Spin · TAGRISSO
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 (75%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in thoracic surgery and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 4% for thoracic surgery in TX.

Equivalent to $34,501 per 100 Medicare services performed
Looking for a thoracic surgery in Houston?
Compare thoracic surgerys in the Houston area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Thoracic Surgerys within 10 mi
109
Per 100K population
2.3
County median income
$73,104
Nearest hospital
MEMORIAL HERMANN - TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER
0.0 mi

Data Sources

Provider Registry NPPESWeekly updates
Medicare Enrollment PECOSMonthly updates
Practice Data Medicare Util.Annual (CY lag)
Industry Payments Open PaymentsCY 2024
Disciplinary History— Not publicN/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. Kim is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 9% in TX), and high industry engagement (speaking/promotional, top 4%), with 15 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

Is Dr. Kim experienced with hospital follow-up visit, high complexity?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Kim performed 105 hospital follow-up visit, high complexity 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. Kim receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Kim received a total of $179,405 from 16 companies across 227 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. Kim's costs compare to other thoracic surgerys in Houston?
Dr. Kim's average Medicare payment per service is $201. 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. Kim) 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 →