Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Justin Saunders, MD
Cardiovascular Disease · Humble, TX
Practice pattern: Electrophysiology & Remote
— Practice combining electrophysiology and remote services
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. Saunders 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. Saunders
Dr. Justin Saunders is a cardiovascular disease specialist in Humble, TX, with 18 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Saunders performed 3,543 Medicare services across 1,874 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Saunders received a total of $28,371 from 44 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 613 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. Saunders 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 28% volume in TX
$28,371 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗3,543
Medicare services
Top 28% in TX for cardiovascular disease
1,874
Unique beneficiaries
$54
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~197 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
656 | $11 | $44 |
| 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. |
638 | $95 | $283 |
| Remote monitoring of implantable heart device, up to 30 days Remote evaluation of an implanted heart or blood vessel monitoring system over a period of up to 30 days. |
614 | $20 | $70 |
| Remote pacemaker monitoring, 90 days Remote assessment of a pacemaker system, including single, dual, multiple lead, or leadless devices, performed up to 90 days apart. |
351 | $23 | $81 |
| Remote evaluation of implantable defibrillator system Remote assessment of a single, dual, or multiple lead implantable defibrillator system within 90 days of the previous evaluation. |
173 | $28 | $100 |
| Remote cardiac rhythm monitor evaluation, up to 30 days Review and analysis of data from a remote cardiac rhythm monitoring system over a period of up to 30 days. |
140 | $20 | $72 |
| Pacemaker programming, dual lead system Adjustment and configuration of a dual-lead pacemaker device to ensure proper operation and settings. |
111 | $62 | $187 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
89 | $8 | $10 |
| 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. |
80 | $123 | $427 |
| Prothrombin time test (blood clotting) A laboratory test that measures how long it takes for blood to clot. This procedure evaluates the body's coagulation process. |
60 | $4 | $16 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity Subsequent hospital inpatient or observation care for an existing patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 50 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
56 | $94 | $274 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
47 | $10 | $36 |
| 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. |
39 | $8 | $24 |
| Magnesium level test A blood test to measure the amount of magnesium in your body. This helps check for magnesium deficiency or excess. |
38 | $7 | $21 |
| Coagulation assessment blood test A blood test that measures how long it takes for blood to clot. The sample can be plasma or whole blood. |
37 | $6 | $19 |
| 30-day continuous ECG with patient-triggered event transmission and review This procedure involves continuous electrocardiogram monitoring for up to 30 days, including the transmission of patient-triggered events. A healthcare professional reviews the data and provides a report. |
35 | $677 | $1,824 |
| Programming of multiple lead implantable defibrillator system Adjustment and testing of the settings for an implanted heart device with multiple leads to ensure proper function. |
34 | $86 | $258 |
| Continuous ECG monitoring, up to 30 days Continuous heart rhythm monitoring for up to 30 days, including professional review and reporting of the results. |
32 | $21 | $69 |
| Chest X-ray, 2 views An X-ray imaging test of the chest that captures two different angles to visualize the lungs, heart, and chest wall. |
30 | $24 | $84 |
| Remote pacemaker/defibrillator monitoring, 90 days Remote evaluation of a pacemaker or implantable defibrillator system within 90 days of the last check. |
30 | $17 | $70 |
| 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. |
26 | $10 | $131 |
| Pacemaker system programming Adjustment and testing of a multi-lead pacemaker to ensure proper function and settings. |
19 | $68 | $199 |
| Atrial fibrillation ablation with pulmonary vein isolation A procedure to treat atrial fibrillation by mapping the heart's electrical activity and destroying tissue causing irregular contractions. This is done by isolating the pulmonary veins using catheter-based destruction. |
19 | $735 | $2,972 |
| 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. |
19 | $99 | $372 |
| Repair of left upper heart chamber with implant A surgical procedure to repair the left upper chamber of the heart using an implanted device, with review by a radiologist. |
18 | $597 | $2,135 |
| EKG interpretation and report A standard electrocardiogram test that records the heart's electrical activity using at least 12 leads. The service includes a professional interpretation of the results and a written report. |
18 | $6 | $22 |
| 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. |
18 | $46 | $229 |
| Cardiac rhythm monitor evaluation Review and analysis of data recorded by a cardiac rhythm monitoring device to assess heart activity. |
16 | $39 | $112 |
| Pacemaker insertion with heart chamber electrodes A surgical procedure to implant a pacemaker device and place electrodes into the upper and lower chambers of the heart to regulate heart rhythm. |
14 | $385 | $1,379 |
| Ultrasound of heart blood vessels with radiologist review An ultrasound exam that evaluates blood vessels within the heart, including a review of the results by a radiologist. |
14 | $57 | $519 |
| Insertion of implantable heart rhythm monitor A small device is placed under the skin to continuously record the heart's electrical activity. This helps detect irregular heart rhythms that may not appear during a standard office visit. |
13 | $65 | $242 |
| Programming of single lead implantable defibrillator system Adjustment and testing of the settings for a single-lead implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) to ensure proper function. |
13 | $67 | $191 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
12 | $50 | $232 |
| 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. |
12 | $62 | $187 |
| Insertion of left lower heart electrode for pacemaker or defibrillator A procedure to place an electrode in the lower part of the left side of the heart. This electrode is used to connect a pacemaker or defibrillator to help regulate the heart's rhythm. |
11 | $368 | $1,120 |
| Chest X-ray, 1 view An X-ray image of the chest taken from a single angle. This imaging test is used to visualize the structures within the chest cavity. |
11 | $22 | $66 |
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.
22.2% high complexity
0.4% medium
77.4% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$28,371
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $4,053/year across 7 years
Top 15% in TX for cardiovascular disease
44
Companies
613
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
$16,738 (59.0%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$6,808 (24.0%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$4,825 (17.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,223
2023
$5,149
2022
$2,595
2021
$7,487
2020
$1,929
2019
$5,458
2018
$3,529
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Abbott Laboratories
$12,532
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$2,957
Medtronic, Inc.
$2,650
Boston Scientific Corporation
$2,342
CVRx, Inc.
$674
ATRICURE, INC.
$653
AtriCure, Inc.
$573
Impulse Dynamics (USA) Inc.
$554
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$395
Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
$373
BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
$352
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$342
Acutus Medical, Inc.
$312
PFIZER INC.
$292
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$284
Amgen Inc.
$261
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$256
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$245
BIOTRONIK INC.
$239
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$213
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$211
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$208
CARDIVA MEDICAL, INC.
$158
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$147
Novo Nordisk Inc
$110
Aziyo Biologics, Inc.
$107
Tactile Systems Technology Inc
$103
Biosense Webster, Inc.
$100
Canon Medical Systems USA, Inc.
$99
CardioFocus, Inc.
$98
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$89
AltaThera Pharmaceuticals LLC
$52
Biom'Up France SAS
$51
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$45
Microtransponder, Inc.
$43
Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
$37
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$36
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$34
HeartFlow, Inc.
$33
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$29
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$27
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$21
Kestra Medical Technology Services, Inc.
$21
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 63.9% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ADVISOR · AGILIS · ALLURE QUADRA · AMPLATZER Occluders · ARCTIC FRONT ADVANCE · ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION SYSTEM · AVEIR · AZURE XT DR MRI SURESCAN · Advisor Catheter · Agilis NxT EP Introducer · Allure Quadra RF CRT Pacemaker · Ampere RF Ablation Generator · Amplia MRI · Arcalyst · Arctic Front · Assure WCD · Assurity Pacemaker · Azure · BRK EP Transseptal Access · Barostim Neo System · CAMZYOS · CARDIVA VASCADE MVP VVCS 6-12F · CARTO 3 · CHANTIX · COBALT DR MRI SURESCAN · CONFIRM RX · CRT-Ds · Cardiac Mapping System · Claria MRI · Confirm Rx · Connectivity and Remote care · Corlanor · DIAMONDBACK PERIPHERAL · Durata Defibrillation ICD Lead · ECM · ECM Patch · EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE (THV) · ELIQUIS · ENSITE · ENSITE PRECISION · ENTRESTO · EP Recording Systems · EP-WorkMate Claris System · EPI-SENSE GUIDED COAGULATION SYS · EPI-SENSE GUIDED COAGULATION SYSTEM WITH VISITRAX · Edarbyclor · Ellipse ICD · EnSite Precision Cardiac Mapping System · EnSite Velocity System Expansion Modules · EnSite X · Ensite Cardiac Mapping System · FFRct · FLEXABILITY · FlexAbility Ablation Catheter · Flexitouch Plus · Fortify Assura · HEMOBLAST BELLOWS · HemoBlast Bellows · JARDIANCE · LEQVIO · LIFESTAR · LIFESTENT · LIFESTREAM · LINQ II · LUTONIX · LifeVest · Livalo · MERLIN@HOME · MICRA · MULTAQ · Merlin Connectivity and Remote · Micra · NA · NEXLETOL · NUVISION ICE CATHETER · OPSUMIT · OPTIMIZER · Optimizer · Optimizer Smart System · Ozempic · PET-CT SCANNER · Pacemakers · Peripheral Orbital Atherectomy System · Pouch · Quadra Allure MP RF CRT Pacemkr · RESONATE · Repatha · Rotarex · SELECTSECURE · SELECTSITE · STEGLATRO · Safire Ablation Catheter · Smartablate · Sotalol Hydrochloride · Swartz EP Introducer · TACTICATH · TactiCath Quartz CFA Catheter · ULTRAVERSE · VANTAGEVIEW · VENASEAL · VENOVO · VERQUVO · VIEWMATE · VIGILANT · VYNDAQEL · Vascepa · Vascular Closure Device · ViewFlex Xtra ICE Catheter · ViewMate Intracardiac Echo · WATCHMAN · WATCHMAN Access System · WATCHMAN FLX · WORKMATE CLARIS · XARELTO · XIENCE SIERRA · ZIO Patch · ZIO XT Patch
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 (59%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Equivalent to $801 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Cardiologists within 10 mi
350
Per 100K population
7.4
County median income
$73,104
Nearest hospital
MEMORIAL HERMANN NORTHEAST 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. Saunders is an electrophysiology & remote specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 28% in TX), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 15% 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. Saunders experienced with electrocardiogram (ekg), 12-lead?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Saunders performed 656 electrocardiogram (ekg), 12-lead 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. Saunders receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Saunders received a total of $28,371 from 44 companies across 613 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. Saunders's costs compare to other cardiologists in Humble?
Dr. Saunders's average Medicare payment per service is $54. 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. Saunders) 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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