Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Prashanth Sunkureddi, M.D.
Rheumatology · League City, TX
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Speaking/Promotional
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. Sunkureddi 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. Sunkureddi
Dr. Prashanth Sunkureddi is a rheumatology specialist in League City, TX, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Sunkureddi performed 167,181 Medicare services across 1,430 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Sunkureddi received a total of $264,847 from 61 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 1673 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. Sunkureddi 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.
✓ 20 years in practice
▲ Top 7% volume in TX
$264,847 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗167,181
Medicare services
Top 7% in TX for rheumatology
1,430
Unique beneficiaries
$10
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~8,359 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certolizumab injection (Cimzia) An injection of certolizumab pegol administered under the direct supervision of a physician. |
90,000 | $4 | $20 |
| Tocilizumab injection (Actemra) | 33,880 | $5 | $13 |
| 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. |
15,850 | $33 | $100 |
| Golimumab infusion (Simponi Aria) Administration of golimumab medication directly into a vein. This code specifies the dosage amount of 1 milligram for intravenous delivery. |
13,150 | $11 | $75 |
| Denosumab injection (Prolia/Xgeva) | 5,640 | $18 | $50 |
| Rituximab injection, 10 mg Administration of a 10 mg dose of rituximab medication via injection. |
4,800 | $57 | $200 |
| 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. |
802 | $91 | $265 |
| Non-hormonal chemotherapy injection This procedure involves administering non-hormonal anti-neoplastic chemotherapy medication via injection into the skin or muscle tissue. |
633 | $57 | $230 |
| Intravenous chemotherapy infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of chemotherapy medication directly into a vein. The procedure takes one hour or less to complete. |
540 | $103 | $350 |
| Normal saline infusion, 250 cc Administration of 250 cubic centimeters of normal saline solution into a vein. This procedure involves the intravenous delivery of a sterile saltwater fluid. |
360 | $0 | $30 |
| Additional hour of intravenous chemotherapy This code represents the administration of chemotherapy medication into a vein for each additional hour beyond the initial period. |
254 | $21 | $200 |
| Bone density scan (DEXA) A test that uses low-dose X-rays to measure bone mineral density in the hip, pelvis, and spine. It helps assess bone strength and risk of fractures. |
175 | $38 | $200 |
| Zoledronic acid injection, 1 mg An injection of zoledronic acid administered at a dose of 1 mg. |
170 | $7 | $100 |
| Intravenous injection of additional new drug or substance Administration of an additional new medication or substance directly into a vein. |
153 | $11 | $110 |
| Normal saline infusion, 500 ml Administration of sterile normal saline solution through an intravenous line. This procedure involves the infusion of a 500 ml unit of the solution. |
153 | $1 | $50 |
| X-ray of hand, minimum of 3 views An X-ray imaging test of the hand that captures at least three different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
99 | $26 | $132 |
| Diphenhydramine injection, up to 50 mg An injection of diphenhydramine hydrochloride, an antihistamine medication, administered in a dose of up to 50 milligrams. |
78 | $1 | $5 |
| 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 | $123 | $342 |
| Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg | 63 | $6 | $20 |
| Foot X-ray, 3+ views An X-ray imaging test of the foot that captures at least three different views to evaluate the bones and joints. |
50 | $26 | $120 |
| Methylprednisolone injection, up to 125 mg An injection of methylprednisolone sodium succinate, a corticosteroid medication, with a dosage of up to 125 mg. |
42 | $4 | $20 |
| 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. |
40 | $44 | $350 |
| Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) An office or outpatient visit for an existing patient lasting between 40 and 54 minutes. This level of service is determined by the total time spent on the date of the encounter. |
36 | $132 | $372 |
| Knee X-ray, 1-2 views An X-ray imaging test of the knee joint using one to two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
33 | $25 | $130 |
| Ultrasound-guided large joint aspiration or injection This procedure uses ultrasound imaging to guide the removal of fluid from or the injection of medication into a large joint. |
29 | $91 | $285 |
| Shoulder X-ray, 2+ views An X-ray imaging test of the shoulder joint using at least two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
23 | $28 | $120 |
| 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. |
23 | $10 | $210 |
| 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. |
20 | $73 | $150 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, 2-3 views An X-ray imaging test that captures 2 to 3 views of the lower back and sacral spine to visualize the bones and joints in this area. |
17 | $31 | $145 |
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.
18.0% high complexity
81.2% medium
0.8% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$264,847
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $37,835/year across 7 years
Top 4% in TX for rheumatology
61
Companies
1,673
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
$189,891 (71.7%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$51,226 (19.3%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$23,210 (8.8%)
Other
Charitable contributions, space rental, and other categories
$520 (0.2%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$7,181
2023
$5,346
2022
$4,471
2021
$3,805
2020
$2,739
2019
$48,851
2018
$192,456
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Lilly USA, LLC
$54,620
Amgen Inc.
$53,777
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$26,590
AbbVie, Inc.
$20,437
Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
$17,805
PFIZER INC.
$13,926
GENZYME CORPORATION
$11,738
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$11,539
Horizon Pharma plc
$9,873
UCB, Inc.
$8,766
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$7,343
Sandoz Inc.
$4,750
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$4,097
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$3,334
AbbVie Inc.
$2,386
NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
$1,856
ABBVIE INC.
$1,540
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$1,157
Genentech USA, Inc.
$1,066
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$912
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$664
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$632
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$630
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$543
Welch Allyn
$520
Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc.
$458
Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems Inc.
$279
Mallinckrodt Enterprises LLC
$274
Celgene Corporation
$261
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$255
Mallinckrodt LLC
$240
Fidia Pharma USA Inc.
$234
Eli Lilly and Company
$200
US Oncology Corporate, Inc.
$162
Octapharma USA, Inc.
$155
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC
$155
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$144
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$133
ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$130
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$118
Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA
$103
Radius Health, Inc.
$103
FIDIA PHARMA USA INC.
$93
Organon LLC
$86
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$85
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$78
Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.
$75
MEDAC PHARMA, INC.
$65
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.
$62
Organon Llc
$55
SOBI, INC
$54
MEDEXUS PHARMA, INC.
$48
Sobi, Inc
$48
TerSera Therapeutics LLC
$38
Exeltis, USA Inc.
$31
Biocon Biologics Inc
$28
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$26
Kyowa Kirin, Inc.
$22
West-Ward Pharmaceuticals
$22
Cardinal Health 200, LLC
$14
BIODELIVERY SCIENCES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 51.0% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTHAR · AMJEVITA · AVSOLA · Actemra · Adempas · BELBUCA · BENLYSTA · Bimzelx · COSENTYX · CYLTEZO · Cimzia · Crysvita · DUEXIS · DUZALLO · EVENITY · EVUSHELD · Enbrel · FORTEO · HADLIMA · HUMIRA · HYM/HYN · HYMOVIS · HYRIMOZ · Hulio · Humira · Hymovis · IDACIO · ILARIS · INFLECTRA · KEVZARA · KEVZARA SARILUMAB INJECTION · KINERET · KRYSTEXXA · Kineret · LUPKYNIS · LYRICA · Mitigare · MynxGrip Vascular Closure Device · None · OCTAGAM IMMUNE GLOBULIN (HUMAN) · OFEV · OLUMIANT · ORENCIA · ORTHOVISC · OTREXUP · Otezla · Otrexup · PAXLOVID · PENNSAID · PURIFIED CORTROPHIN GEL · Prolia · Quzyttir · RAYOS · REMICADE · RENFLEXIS · RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS DISEASE · RINVOQ · Rasuvo · Rinvoq · Rituxan · SAPHNELO · SIMPONI · SIMPONI ARIA · SKYRIZI · STELARA · STRENSIQ · SYNVISC-ONE · Strensiq · TALTZ · TAVNEOS · TREMFYA · TRILURON · Tavneos · Truxima · Tymlos · ULTOMIRIS · UPLIZNA · XELJANZ · Zilretta
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 (72%) 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 4% for rheumatology in TX.
Equivalent to $158 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Rheumatologists within 10 mi
50
Per 100K population
14.1
County median income
$85,348
Nearest hospital
HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE CLEAR LAKE
3.8 mi
3.8 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. Sunkureddi is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 7% in TX), with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 4% of TX peers, with 20 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. Sunkureddi experienced with certolizumab injection (cimzia)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Sunkureddi performed 90,000 certolizumab injection (cimzia) 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. Sunkureddi receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Sunkureddi received a total of $264,847 from 61 companies across 1,673 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. Sunkureddi's costs compare to other rheumatologists in League City?
Dr. Sunkureddi's average Medicare payment per service is $10. 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. Sunkureddi) 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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