Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Arun Rao, M.D.
Medical Oncology · San Antonio, TX
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
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. Rao 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. Rao
Dr. Arun Rao is a medical oncology specialist in San Antonio, TX, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Rao performed 27,798 Medicare services across 1,546 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Rao received a total of $5,368 from 56 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 305 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in medical oncology. 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. Rao 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.
✓ 19 years in practice
▲ Top 31% volume in TX
$5,368 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗27,798
Medicare services
Top 31% in TX for medical oncology
1,546
Unique beneficiaries
$4
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~1,463 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron sucrose injection (Venofer) An injection of iron sucrose used to replenish iron levels in the body. |
11,500 | $0 | $2 |
| Anti-nausea injection (fosaprepitant) An injection of fosaprepitant, a medication used to prevent nausea and vomiting. |
9,300 | $0 | $5 |
| Epoetin alfa injection (Retacrit) for anemia An injection of a biosimilar form of epoetin alfa used for non-end-stage renal disease purposes. The dose administered is 1000 units. |
1,116 | $6 | $28 |
| Dexamethasone injection (steroid) An injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a dose of 1 milligram. |
880 | $0 | $1 |
| Anti-nausea injection (Aloxi/palonosetron) | 680 | $1 | $114 |
| 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. |
663 | $8 | $36 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
572 | $8 | $20 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
512 | $10 | $64 |
| 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. |
406 | $62 | $250 |
| Additional sequential IV infusion, 1 hour or less This code represents an additional intravenous infusion administered sequentially to a primary infusion. It covers the administration time of one hour or less. |
237 | $22 | $157 |
| 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. |
192 | $10 | $96 |
| 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. |
183 | $94 | $368 |
| Ferritin level test (iron stores) A blood test that measures the level of ferritin, a protein that stores iron in the body. |
155 | $13 | $60 |
| Iron level test | 153 | $6 | $27 |
| Iron binding capacity test A blood test that measures the amount of iron in the blood and the blood's ability to bind and transport iron. |
153 | $9 | $35 |
| Intravenous chemotherapy infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of chemotherapy medication directly into a vein. The procedure takes one hour or less to complete. |
119 | $101 | $707 |
| Immunoglobulin level test A blood test that measures the level of gammaglobulins, which are immune system proteins. |
109 | $9 | $56 |
| 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. |
102 | $47 | $313 |
| Immunologic analysis for detection of tumor antigen, quantitative; ca 15-3 | 94 | $20 | $128 |
| Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level test A blood test that measures the amount of lactate dehydrogenase, an enzyme found in many body tissues. It helps assess tissue damage or disease. |
81 | $6 | $31 |
| Immunoglobulin light chain measurement A blood test that measures the levels of immunoglobulin light chains, which are proteins produced by plasma cells. |
74 | $17 | $60 |
| Intravenous infusion of new drug or substance, 1 hour or less This procedure involves administering a new medication or substance directly into a vein through an existing access site. The infusion is completed within one hour or less. |
70 | $50 | $344 |
| Normal saline infusion, 1000 cc Administration of 1000 cc of normal saline solution into a vein. This procedure involves the intravenous delivery of a sterile saltwater solution. |
68 | $2 | $19 |
| Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level test A blood test that measures the level of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) protein. This test is used to monitor certain types of cancer. |
61 | $19 | $99 |
| Irrigation of implanted venous access device This procedure involves flushing an implanted venous access device to clear blockages or maintain patency. It ensures the device remains functional for delivering medications or fluids. |
53 | $20 | $114 |
| Diphenhydramine injection, up to 50 mg An injection of diphenhydramine hydrochloride, an antihistamine medication, administered in a dose of up to 50 milligrams. |
51 | $1 | $7 |
| Intravenous push injection of new drug or substance A healthcare provider injects a new medication or substance directly into a vein using a push technique. |
42 | $43 | $289 |
| Additional hour of intravenous chemotherapy This code represents the administration of chemotherapy medication into a vein for each additional hour beyond the initial period. |
36 | $22 | $161 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 27 | $159 | $709 |
| Automated red blood cell count with calculations A blood test that automatically counts red blood cells and performs additional calculations to assess blood health. |
25 | $5 | $26 |
| Beta-2 microglobulin level test A blood test that measures the level of beta-2 microglobulin, a protein produced by cells in the body. |
20 | $16 | $96 |
| Vitamin B-12 level test A blood test that measures the amount of vitamin B-12 in your body. |
19 | $15 | $76 |
| Folic acid level test A blood test that measures the amount of folic acid in the serum. |
19 | $14 | $73 |
| 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. |
13 | $102 | $470 |
| Fluorodeoxyglucose f-18 fdg, diagnostic, per study dose, up to 45 millicuries | 13 | $90 | $657 |
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.
2.1% high complexity
85.6% medium
12.2% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$5,368
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $767/year across 7 years
Top 47% in TX for medical oncology
56
Companies
305
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
$4,956 (92.3%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$412 (7.7%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$646
2023
$203
2022
$156
2021
$1,393
2020
$1,166
2019
$1,044
2018
$759
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Amgen Inc.
$725
PFIZER INC.
$518
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$419
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$311
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$271
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$250
Lilly USA, LLC
$248
Genentech USA, Inc.
$178
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$163
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$148
Celgene Corporation
$111
Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc.
$110
GENZYME CORPORATION
$105
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$96
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$95
Eisai Inc.
$88
Seagen Inc.
$88
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$88
EMD Serono, Inc.
$88
BeiGene USA, Inc.
$80
Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$72
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$69
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$69
EISAI INC.
$57
AbbVie, Inc.
$54
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$50
AbbVie Inc.
$49
Puma Biotechnology, Inc.
$49
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$47
ARRAY BIOPHARMA INC
$46
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$43
Taiho Oncology, Inc.
$42
Dendreon Pharmaceuticals LLC
$41
MEDIVATION FIELD SOLUTIONS LLC
$40
TerSera Therapeutics LLC
$38
Pharmacyclics LLC, An AbbVie Company
$36
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$33
SOBI, INC
$32
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$29
Verastem, Inc.
$27
Exelixis Inc.
$25
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$25
Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company
$24
Seattle Genetics, Inc.
$23
JAZZ PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$20
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc
$17
Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation
$16
Aurobindo Pharma USA, Inc.
$15
Incyte Corporation
$14
AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$13
Foundation Medicine, Inc.
$13
ABBVIE INC.
$12
Servier Pharmaceuticals LLC
$12
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$12
Coherus Biosciences Inc.
$12
Secura Bio, Inc.
$10
Top 3 companies account for 31.0% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ADCETRIS · AFINITOR · ALIMTA · Alecensa · Avastin · BENDEKA · BOSULIF · BRAFTOVI · BRUKINSA · CABLIVI · CABOMETYX · CALQUENCE · CEREZYME · CYRAMZA · Cabometyx · Copiktra · DARZALEX · DOPTELET · EMPLICITI · ERLEADA · Enhertu · Erleada · FERAHEME · FOUNDATIONONE · Fabhalta · Farydak · GAZYVA · IBRANCE · ICLUSIG · IDHIFA · IMBRUVICA · IMFINZI · INJECTAFER · Imbruvica · JAKAFI · KANJINTI · KEYTRUDA · KISQALI · Kyprolis · LIBTAYO · LYNPARZA · Lenvima · Lonsurf · MEKINIST · MYRISK · Marqibo · Nerlynx · Neulasta · Nexavar · Nplate · OJJAARA · OPDIVO · OPDUALAG · PADCEV · PROMACTA · PROVENGE · Perjeta · Pomalyst · Prolia · REBLOZYL · RETEVMO · SARCLISA · SCEMBLIX · SOMATULINE DEPOT · SPRYCEL · SUTENT · Stivarga · TAGRISSO · TECENTRIQ · TIBSOVO · TUKYSA · Tavalisse · Udenyca · VENCLEXTA · VERZENIO · Vanflyta · Vectibix · Venclexta · Vitrakvi · XARELTO · XTANDI · Xospata · ZEJULA · ZEPZELCA · ZOLADEX · Zoladex · clonoSEQ
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 (92%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Equivalent to $19 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Medical oncologists within 10 mi
37
Per 100K population
1.8
County median income
$70,571
Nearest hospital
SAN ANTONIO STATE HOSP STATE SCHOOL
3.9 mi
3.9 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. Rao is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement, 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. Rao experienced with iron sucrose injection (venofer)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Rao performed 11,500 iron sucrose injection (venofer) 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. Rao receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Rao received a total of $5,368 from 56 companies across 305 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. Rao's costs compare to other medical oncologists in San Antonio?
Dr. Rao's average Medicare payment per service is $4. 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. Rao) 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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