Dr. Michael Howard, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Howard
Dr. Michael Howard is an orthopedic surgery specialist in Plano, TX, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Howard performed 2,714 Medicare services across 1,840 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Howard received a total of $29,646 from 24 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 96 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in orthopedic surgery. 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. Howard 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
649 | $25 | $92 |
| 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. |
393 | $66 | $150 |
| 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. |
366 | $87 | $175 |
| Ketorolac injection, per 15 mg An injection of ketorolac tromethamine, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, administered in doses measured per 15 mg. |
281 | $0 | $3 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
248 | $48 | $207 |
| 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. |
195 | $112 | $290 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
163 | $1 | $5 |
| Bupivacaine injection, 0.5 mg An injection of bupivacaine, a local anesthetic, administered in a dose of 0.5 mg. |
135 | $0 | $3 |
| Elbow X-ray, minimum 3 views An X-ray imaging test of the elbow joint that captures at least three different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
93 | $22 | $91 |
| 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. |
45 | $74 | $219 |
| Total shoulder joint prosthetic repair Surgical replacement of the shoulder joint with a prosthetic device. This procedure involves removing damaged joint components and inserting artificial parts to restore function. |
42 | $1,119 | $4,577 |
| Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair A minimally invasive surgery to repair torn shoulder tendons using a small camera and instruments inserted through tiny incisions. |
28 | $778 | $3,065 |
| Arthroscopic shoulder surgery for bone shaving and ligament repair A minimally invasive procedure using a small camera to shave part of the shoulder bone and repair a ligament. |
24 | $126 | $1,120 |
| Anchoring of biceps tendon | 15 | $286 | $2,524 |
| Joint fluid aspiration or injection, medium joint Removal of fluid from a medium-sized joint or injection of medication into the joint space. |
13 | $40 | $170 |
| Wrist X-ray, minimum 3 views An imaging test using X-rays to capture at least three different angles of the wrist bones and joints. |
13 | $26 | $86 |
| Methylprednisolone acetate injection, 80 mg An injection of 80 mg of methylprednisolone acetate, a corticosteroid medication. |
11 | $9 | $27 |
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 ›
Most payments (52%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
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. Howard is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 21% in TX), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 17% of TX peers, 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. Howard experienced with shoulder x-ray, 2+ views?
Does Dr. Howard receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Howard's costs compare to other orthopedic surgeons in Plano?
What does Data Coverage mean?
Is this data up to date?
Explore related providers
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.
Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology