Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Nidal Buheis, M.D.
Cardiovascular Disease · Houston, TX
Practice pattern: Cardiac Imaging
— Practice with significant diagnostic imaging and stress testing
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. Buheis 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. Buheis
Dr. Nidal Buheis is a cardiovascular disease specialist in Houston, TX, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Buheis performed 6,309 Medicare services across 4,218 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Buheis received a total of $15,524 from 48 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 397 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. Buheis 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 10% volume in TX
$15,524 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗6,309
Medicare services
Top 10% in TX for cardiovascular disease
4,218
Unique beneficiaries
$134
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~332 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
1,536 | $83 | $170 |
| Regadenoson injection (Lexiscan) for heart stress test An injection of regadenoson, a medication used to stress the heart during diagnostic testing. |
1,480 | $43 | $65 |
| 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. |
616 | $9 | $90 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
456 | $124 | $980 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram under physician supervision and review. |
370 | $49 | $500 |
| Rubidium rb-82, diagnostic, per study dose, up to 60 millicuries | 362 | $235 | $1,289 |
| Nuclear stress test of heart muscle A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow to the heart muscle while at rest and during stress. |
359 | $1,054 | $2,200 |
| 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. |
293 | $131 | $399 |
| 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. |
102 | $9 | $50 |
| 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. |
84 | $60 | $285 |
| Pacemaker programming, dual lead system Adjustment and configuration of a dual-lead pacemaker device to ensure proper operation and settings. |
74 | $26 | $135 |
| 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. |
68 | $107 | $285 |
| Cardiac catheterization | 57 | $150 | $800 |
| 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. |
55 | $45 | $220 |
| Ultrasound of leg arteries or grafts An imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the blood vessels in the legs or any surgical grafts present. |
55 | $177 | $500 |
| 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. |
54 | $123 | $600 |
| 2-day continuous ECG with review and report A two-day continuous electrocardiogram recording that includes a professional review and written report of the results. |
52 | $46 | $420 |
| 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. |
40 | $60 | $160 |
| Coronary stent placement A procedure to insert a stent into a coronary artery or its branch to keep it open, using balloon dilation during the process. |
39 | $404 | $1,200 |
| Complete ultrasound of aorta, vena cava, groin vessels or bypass grafts A complete ultrasound exam of the aorta, vena cava, groin vessels, or bypass grafts. This imaging test uses sound waves to visualize these blood vessels. |
38 | $114 | $450 |
| Aminophylline injection, up to 250 mg Administration of aminophylline medication via injection for a dose of up to 250 mg. |
28 | $7 | $10 |
| Ultrasound of abdomen and pelvis blood flow An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow through the arteries and veins in the abdomen and pelvis. |
24 | $93 | $450 |
| 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. |
23 | $94 | $370 |
| Hospital discharge day management, 30 minutes or less This service covers the final day of hospital care when the patient is being discharged. It includes coordination of care and instructions for the patient within a time frame of 30 minutes or less. |
17 | $61 | $255 |
| 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. |
16 | $59 | $125 |
| Technetium Tc-99m sestamibi diagnostic injection A diagnostic injection of technetium Tc-99m sestamibi used for imaging studies. |
11 | $84 | $140 |
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.
10.5% high complexity
43.3% medium
46.2% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$15,524
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $2,218/year across 7 years
Top 23% in TX for cardiovascular disease
48
Companies
397
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
$15,524 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$1,473
2023
$2,176
2022
$3,972
2021
$1,560
2020
$1,835
2019
$3,279
2018
$1,228
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Endologix LLC
$3,132
Medtronic, Inc.
$2,288
Abbott Laboratories
$1,683
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$1,425
ABIOMED
$991
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$575
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$519
Amgen Inc.
$410
Endologix, Inc.
$396
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$367
Endologix, LLC
$336
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$316
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$288
PFIZER INC.
$268
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$205
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$201
Inari Medical, Inc.
$188
Inspire Medical Systems, Inc.
$152
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$145
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$142
KCI USA, Inc
$119
Osiris Therapeutics Inc.
$111
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$99
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$96
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$90
CHIESI USA, INC.
$88
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$87
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$83
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$81
Boston Scientific Corporation
$75
Arbor Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$70
HEARTFLOW, INC.
$63
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$62
Chiesi USA, Inc.
$57
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$48
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$42
ARALEZ PHARMACEUTICALS US INC.
$36
Bolton Medical Inc
$35
Preventice Services, LLC
$18
CORDIS US CORP.
$18
Cook Medical LLC
$18
Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
$18
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$16
Novo Nordisk Inc
$15
SCPHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$14
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$13
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$12
Allergan Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 45.8% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACCOLADE · ADVANTIO · ADVISOR · AFX · AFX2 Bifurcated Endograft System · ASSURITY · ATTAIN COMMAND + SUREVALVE · AZURE XT DR MRI SURESCAN · Alto Abdominal Stent Graft System · Amplia MRI · Assurity Pacemaker · Azure · BG Mini Plus · BRILINTA · BYDUREON · BYSTOLIC · BodyGuardian · CAMZYOS · CHANTIX · CLARIA MRI QUAD CRT-D SURESCAN · COBALT DR MRI SURESCAN · Claria MRI · Compia MRI · Confirm Rx · Connectivity and Remote care · Cook Celect · Corlanor · Coronary Orbital Atherectomy System · EFFEXOR XR · ELIQUIS · ENERGEN · ENSITE PRECISION · ENTRESTO · Edarbi · Ellipse ICD · Evera · FARXIGA · FFRct · FLOWTRIEVER CATHETER · FUROSCIX · Fortify Assura · HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular Dev · INJECTAFER · INSPIRE · Impella · Inpefa · JARDIANCE · KENGREAL · KENGREAL 50MG/10ML L · LEQVIO · LEXISCAN · LUX DX · LUX-Dx Insertable Cardiac Monitor · LifeVest · Livalo · MICRA · MULTAQ · MYNX CONTROL · NA · NEXLETOL · ONYX FRONTIER · OPSUMIT · Ovation · Ovation iX Iliac Stent Graft · PRALUENT · PRALUENT ALIROCUMAB INJECTION · Quadra Allure MP RF CRT Pacemkr · Quadra Assura CRT Defibrillator · Quartet CRT Lead · RESOLUTE ONYX · RESONATE · REVEAL LINQ · Repatha · Resolute · S · SHOCKWAVE IVL SYSTEM WITH THE SHOCKWAVE C2 CORONARY IVL CATHETER · Solara · Stravix · TREO ABDOMINAL STENT-GRAFT SYSTEM · UPTRAVI · VAC ULTA · VERQUVO · VISA AF MRI VR SURESCAN · Vascepa · Visia AF · Viva · WATCHMAN · Wegovy · XARELTO · XIENCE SIERRA · Xience Sierra Coronary Stent System · ZONTIVITY
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 (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Equivalent to $246 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Cardiologists within 10 mi
382
Per 100K population
8.0
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. Buheis is a cardiac imaging specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 10% in TX), with low-engagement industry engagement, 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. Buheis experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Buheis performed 1,536 office visit, established patient (30-39 min) 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. Buheis receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Buheis received a total of $15,524 from 48 companies across 397 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. Buheis's costs compare to other cardiologists in Houston?
Dr. Buheis's average Medicare payment per service is $134. 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. Buheis) 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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