Dr. Tareq Abou-Khamis, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Abou-Khamis
Dr. Tareq Abou-Khamis is a rheumatology specialist in Houston, TX, with 18 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Abou-Khamis performed 97,658 Medicare services across 852 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Abou-Khamis received a total of $174,240 from 43 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 1098 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in rheumatology. 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. Abou-Khamis 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.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certolizumab injection (Cimzia) An injection of certolizumab pegol administered under the direct supervision of a physician. |
82,400 | $4 | $30 |
| Abatacept infusion (Orencia) An injection of abatacept administered under the direct supervision of a physician. This code is used for Medicare when the drug is not self-administered. |
12,475 | $34 | $80 |
| Denosumab injection (Prolia/Xgeva) | 1,020 | $19 | $70 |
| Non-hormonal chemotherapy injection This procedure involves administering non-hormonal anti-neoplastic chemotherapy medication via injection into the skin or muscle tissue. |
403 | $56 | $218 |
| 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. |
282 | $94 | $156 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
167 | $8 | $11 |
| Complete blood count (CBC) with differential An automated laboratory test that measures the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood, including a breakdown of the different types of white blood cells. |
146 | $8 | $26 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
131 | $10 | $50 |
| Intravenous chemotherapy infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of chemotherapy medication directly into a vein. The procedure takes one hour or less to complete. |
120 | $106 | $600 |
| C-reactive protein test (inflammation marker) A blood test that measures the level of C-reactive protein to detect the presence of infection or inflammation in the body. |
111 | $5 | $29 |
| Intravenous infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of medication or fluid directly into a vein for therapeutic, preventive, or diagnostic purposes. The procedure lasts one hour or less. |
108 | $52 | $230 |
| 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. |
96 | $62 | $114 |
| Sed rate test (inflammation marker) This automated test measures how quickly red blood cells settle in a tube to detect inflammation in the body. |
38 | $3 | $21 |
| Vitamin D level test A blood test to measure the amount of Vitamin D-3 in your body. |
26 | $29 | $125 |
| Drug injection, under skin or into muscle A procedure involving the administration of a medication or substance via injection into the subcutaneous tissue or muscle. |
24 | $11 | $70 |
| Urinalysis with microscopic exam A urine test performed manually that includes examining the sample under a microscope to check for abnormalities. |
21 | $3 | $20 |
| 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. |
20 | $124 | $240 |
| Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test A blood test that measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone to evaluate thyroid function. |
16 | $16 | $47 |
| Bone density scan (DEXA) of hip, pelvis, and spine This test measures bone density in the hip, pelvis, and spine to assess bone strength. It also includes an assessment for spine fractures. |
15 | $49 | $300 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, minimum 6 views An X-ray imaging test that captures at least six views of the lower back and sacral spine to evaluate bone structure and alignment. |
14 | $47 | $225 |
| 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. |
14 | $82 | $165 |
| Cardiac enzyme level (CK-MB) test A blood test that measures the total level of creatine kinase, specifically the cardiac enzyme fraction, to help evaluate heart muscle damage. |
11 | $6 | $26 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2024)
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
The majority of payments (89%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in rheumatology and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 5% for rheumatology in TX.
Geographic Context
2.4 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. Abou-Khamis is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 16% in TX), with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 5% 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. Abou-Khamis experienced with certolizumab injection (cimzia)?
Does Dr. Abou-Khamis receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Abou-Khamis's costs compare to other rheumatologists in Houston?
What does Data Coverage mean?
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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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