Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Kousta Foteh, MD
Surgery · Humble, TX
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Consulting-driven
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. Foteh 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. Foteh
Dr. Kousta Foteh is a surgery specialist in Humble, TX, with 18 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Foteh performed 1,982 Medicare services across 1,395 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Foteh received a total of $184,196 from 49 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 460 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in surgery. The majority of payments are for consulting, which typically reflects recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Foteh 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 4% volume in TX
$184,196 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,982
Medicare services
Top 4% in TX for surgery
1,395
Unique beneficiaries
$409
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~110 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. |
391 | $99 | $284 |
| 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. |
199 | $184 | $663 |
| Additional sedation, per 15 minutes Administration of a drug to deepen sedation during a procedure. This code covers each additional 15-minute increment of sedation beyond the initial period. |
133 | $9 | $30 |
| 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. |
112 | $135 | $522 |
| 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. |
107 | $41 | $93 |
| Ultrasound guidance for blood vessel access Use of ultrasound imaging to help locate and access a blood vessel. This guidance assists healthcare providers in performing procedures such as inserting IV lines or drawing blood. |
105 | $32 | $74 |
| Ultrasound of blood vessel, initial vessel An ultrasound exam of a blood vessel that includes a radiologist's review of the initial vessel. |
94 | $777 | $1,986 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
89 | $8 | $10 |
| 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. |
77 | $121 | $336 |
| Magnesium level test A blood test to measure the amount of magnesium in your body. This helps check for magnesium deficiency or excess. |
65 | $7 | $21 |
| 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. |
62 | $4 | $16 |
| 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. |
58 | $6 | $19 |
| 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. |
55 | $124 | $431 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
53 | $10 | $36 |
| Arterial plaque removal in leg A procedure to remove plaque buildup from the arteries in the leg to restore blood flow. |
52 | $6,515 | $16,911 |
| 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. |
52 | $8 | $24 |
| Ultrasound of arm arteries or grafts An ultrasound exam of the arteries in one arm or any arterial grafts present. This imaging test uses sound waves to visualize blood flow and vessel structure. |
42 | $95 | $334 |
| Additional blood vessel ultrasound evaluation An ultrasound exam of a blood vessel that includes a radiologist's review. This code applies to each additional vessel evaluated beyond the initial one. |
38 | $139 | $326 |
| 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. |
32 | $133 | $519 |
| Balloon angioplasty of leg artery, initial vessel A procedure to widen a narrowed or blocked artery in the leg using a balloon catheter. This is performed on the first vessel treated during the session. |
29 | $2,220 | $6,350 |
| Arterial plaque removal, initial vessel A procedure to remove plaque buildup from an artery in the leg. This is performed on the first vessel treated during the session. |
25 | $7,249 | $18,710 |
| Blood creatinine level test A blood test that measures the amount of creatinine, a waste product from muscle wear and tear, to help assess kidney function. |
23 | $5 | $16 |
| Blood urea nitrogen test A blood test that measures the amount of urea nitrogen to assess kidney function. |
22 | $4 | $13 |
| Office visit for established patient An office visit for an existing patient that may not require the healthcare professional to be present. |
16 | $19 | $93 |
| 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. |
14 | $759 | $2,643 |
| Balloon dilation of leg artery, each additional vessel This procedure involves using a balloon catheter to widen an additional artery in the leg. It is performed after the initial vessel has been treated. |
14 | $670 | $2,008 |
| Basic metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of basic chemicals, including total calcium levels. |
12 | $8 | $28 |
| Ultrasound of abdominal aorta An imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the abdominal aorta, the large blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lower body. |
11 | $111 | $295 |
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.
0.7% high complexity
31.9% medium
67.4% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$184,196
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $26,314/year across 7 years
Top 1% in TX for surgery
49
Companies
460
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.
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$119,750 (65.0%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$48,295 (26.2%)
Other
Charitable contributions, space rental, and other categories
$8,656 (4.7%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$7,495 (4.1%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$25,668
2023
$19,339
2022
$19,388
2021
$13,895
2020
$23,022
2019
$31,602
2018
$51,282
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Silk Road Medical, Inc.
$69,003
Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
$52,396
Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
$38,064
BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
$10,592
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$8,702
Abbott Laboratories
$1,128
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$572
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$405
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
$403
Boston Scientific Corporation
$375
CVRx, Inc.
$214
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$204
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$198
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$154
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$153
Amgen Inc.
$149
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$143
Tactile Systems Technology Inc
$117
Veryan Medical Incorporated
$114
Medtronic, Inc.
$111
Canon Medical Systems USA, Inc.
$99
Inari Medical, Inc.
$88
Bolton Medical Inc
$76
Impulse Dynamics (USA) Inc.
$66
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$65
PFIZER INC.
$65
AtriCure, Inc.
$62
HeartFlow, Inc.
$57
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$38
Davol Inc.
$36
Biom'Up France SAS
$32
Endologix LLC
$31
LeMaitre Vascular, Inc.
$28
Resmed Corp
$25
Biocompatibles, Inc.
$24
Shockwave Medical, Inc
$19
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$18
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$17
CORDIS US CORP.
$17
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$16
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$15
ACELL, INC.
$15
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$15
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$15
Becton, Dickinson and Company
$13
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$11
Novo Nordisk Inc
$11
Cook Medical LLC
$11
CHIESI USA, INC.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 86.6% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ABRE · AIR 11 · ARCTIC FRONT ADVANCE · AURYON LASER SYSTEM 100-120 VAC · AVEIR · Alto Abdominal Stent Graft System · Amplia MRI · Auryon Laser System 100-120 Vac · BRILINTA · Barostim Neo System · BioMimics · CARDIOMEMS · CHANTIX · CLEVIPREX 50MG/100ML · CONFIRM RX · CROSSER · ClosureFast · Connectivity and Remote care · Cook Medical Catheters · Corlanor · Coronary Orbital Atherectomy System · Crosser iQ · DIAMONDBACK PERIPHERAL · Diamondback Peripheral · Dorado · ELIQUIS · ENDURANT IIS · ENHANCE Transcarotid Peripheral Access Kit · ENROUTE .014 Guidewire · ENROUTE Transcarotid Neuroprotection System · ENROUTE Transcarotid Stent · ENSITE · ENTRESTO · EPI-SENSE GUIDED COAGULATION SYSTEM WITH VISITRAX · Ensite Cardiac Mapping System · FFRct · FLEXITOUCH · FLOWTRIEVER CATHETER · Flexitouch Plus · GENERAL METALLIC STENTS · GLIDEPATH · HYDRO LEMAITRE VALVULOTOME · Halo One Thin-Walled Guiding Sheath · HawkOne · HemoBlast Bellows · IGT D Peripheral · IGT Devices Und · JARDIANCE · LEQVIO · LIFESTENT · LIFESTREAM · LUTONIX · LUTONIX Drug Coated Balloon · LifeVest · MERLIN@HOME · NEXLETOL · OPSUMIT · Optimizer Smart System · PET-CT SCANNER · PRALUENT · PRESTO · Pacemakers · Peripheral Orbital Atherectomy System · RESTOREFLO · Relay Grafts · Relay Plus · Repatha · Rotarex · RotarexS 6 F x 135 cm · S · SABER · SHOCKWAVE IVL SYSTEM WITH THE SHOCKWAVE C2 CORONARY IVL CATHETER · Saxenda · Shockwave IVL System with the Shockwave C2 Coronary IVL Catheter · Supera peripheral stent system · ULTRAVERSE · VALEO · VARITHENA · VENOVO · VERQUVO · VIGILANT · Valeo Balloon Expandable Biliary Stent · Vascepa · Vascular Lithotripsy · Venovo · WATCHMAN · WATCHMAN Access System · WATCHMAN FLX · XARELTO · XIENCE ALPINE · XIENCE SIERRA
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 (65%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Total industry engagement is in the top 1% for surgery in TX.
Equivalent to $9,293 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Surgerists within 10 mi
477
Per 100K population
10.0
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. Foteh is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 4% in TX), with consulting-driven industry engagement in the top 1% 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. Foteh experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Foteh performed 391 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. Foteh receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Foteh received a total of $184,196 from 49 companies across 460 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. Foteh's costs compare to other surgerists in Humble?
Dr. Foteh's average Medicare payment per service is $409. 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. Foteh) 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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