Dr. Richard Otero, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Otero
Dr. Richard Otero is a gastroenterology specialist in San Antonio, TX, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Otero performed 930 Medicare services across 815 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Otero received a total of $6,996 from 40 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 470 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in gastroenterology. 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. Otero 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
186 | $59 | $148 |
| Upper GI endoscopy with biopsy A procedure to collect tissue samples from the esophagus, stomach, or upper small intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities. |
184 | $63 | $680 |
| Colonoscopy with biopsy A procedure to collect tissue samples from the large intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities or disease. |
126 | $120 | $847 |
| 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. |
116 | $82 | $217 |
| Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening, high risk A colonoscopy performed to screen for colorectal cancer in individuals identified as being at high risk for the disease. |
78 | $172 | $778 |
| Balloon dilation of esophagus, stomach, or upper small bowel, less than 3.0 cm A procedure using a flexible endoscope to widen a narrowed section of the esophagus, stomach, or upper small bowel with a balloon that is less than 3.0 cm in length. |
64 | $110 | $649 |
| Colon polyp removal with endoscopic snare This procedure removes polyps or growths from the large bowel using a flexible tube with a camera and a wire loop tool. The snare is used to cut off the growths during the examination. |
58 | $197 | $1,067 |
| Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening A colonoscopy performed to screen for colorectal cancer in individuals who are not at high risk for the disease. |
37 | $169 | $781 |
| Colonoscopy A diagnostic exam of the large bowel using a flexible endoscope to visualize the interior of the colon. |
22 | $131 | $781 |
| Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
19 | $41 | $100 |
| 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. |
15 | $85 | $332 |
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range. |
13 | $79 | $219 |
| Colon polyp removal with endoscope and cautery This procedure removes polyps or growths from the large bowel using a flexible tube with a camera. Electrical cautery is used to stop bleeding during the removal. |
12 | $144 | $955 |
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 (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
2.8 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. Otero is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 28% in TX), with low-engagement industry engagement, 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. Otero experienced with office visit, established patient (20-29 min)?
Does Dr. Otero receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Otero's costs compare to other gastroenterologists in San Antonio?
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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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