Medicare Enrolled

Dr. James Cowthran, M.D.

Otolaryngology · San Antonio, TX
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
8300 FLOYD CURL DR, San Antonio, TX 78229
2104500700
In practice since 2016 (9 years)
NPI: 1659729796 verify on NPPES ↗
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. Cowthran 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 →
Are you Dr. Cowthran? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Cowthran

Dr. James Cowthran is an otolaryngology in San Antonio, TX, with 9 years in practice. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Cowthran performed 4,764 Medicare services across 1,158 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Cowthran received a total of $247 from 2 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 3 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in otolaryngology. 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. Cowthran 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.

✓ 9 years in practice▲ Top 5% volume in TX$ $247 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
4,764
Medicare services
Top 5% in TX for otolaryngology
1,158
Unique beneficiaries
$110
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~529 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.

ProcedureVolumeAvg. paidAvg. submitted
Subsequent nursing facility care with high level of medical decision making, per day, if using time, at least 45 minutes1,360$122$168
Removal of skin and tissue, 20.0 sq cm or less1,017$96$143
Nursing facility visit, moderate complexity771$84$117
Removal of muscle and/or tissue, 20.0 sq cm or less428$178$257
Removal of muscle and/or tissue, each additional 20.0 sq cm or less280$59$81
Initial nursing facility care with high level of medical decision making, per day, if using time, at least 45 minutes268$141$199
Removal of skin and tissue, each additional 20.0 sq cm or less259$32$44
Removal of bone, each additional 20.0 sq cm or less136$98$134
Removal of bone, 20.0 sq cm or less129$252$344
Application of chemical to stop tissue regrowth in wound116$66$97
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.

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$247
Total received (2022-2024)
Avg $123/year across 2 years
Bottom 20% in TX for otolaryngology
2
Companies
3
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
$247 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$144
2022
$103

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Kerecis Limited
$127
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$120
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
COLLAGENASE SANTYL · Kerecis Omega3 SurgiClose
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 (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Equivalent to $5 per 100 Medicare services performed
Looking for a otolaryngology in San Antonio?
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Geographic Context

Otolaryngologys within 10 mi
86
Per 100K population
4.2
County median income
$70,571
Nearest hospital
UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM
0.0 mi

Data Sources

Provider Registry✓ NPPESWeekly updates
Medicare Enrollment✓ PECOSMonthly updates
Practice Data✓ Medicare Util.Annual (CY lag)
Industry Payments✓ Open PaymentsCY 2024
Disciplinary History— Not publicN/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. Cowthran is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 5% in TX), and low-engagement industry engagement.

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. Cowthran experienced with subsequent nursing facility care with high level of medical decision making, per day, if using time, at least 45 minutes?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Cowthran performed 1,360 subsequent nursing facility care with high level of medical decision making, per day, if using time, at least 45 minutes 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. Cowthran receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Cowthran received a total of $247 from 2 companies across 3 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. Cowthran's costs compare to other otolaryngologys in San Antonio?
Dr. Cowthran's average Medicare payment per service is $110. 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. Cowthran) 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.

Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology

Data Disclaimer — Data sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), Open Payments program, Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, and Provider Enrollment & Certification data (PECOS). Published under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Data may contain errors as reported to CMS by providers and reporting entities. Payments from industry are legal and do not indicate wrongdoing. Medicare data reflects only patients aged 65+ or those with qualifying disabilities. For corrections, contact CMS directly. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a healthcare provider. Procedure descriptions use plain language and do not reference CPT® codes, which are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Full methodology → · Report a data error → · Privacy policy →