Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Suneetha Challagundla, MD
Hematology & 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. Challagundla 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. Challagundla
Dr. Suneetha Challagundla is a hematology & oncology in San Antonio, TX, with 18 years in practice. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Challagundla performed 85,778 Medicare services across 5,674 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Challagundla received a total of $7,979 from 49 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 601 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in hematology & oncology. Most payments are for meals and travel — low-value interactions common across virtually all practicing physicians. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Challagundla is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. This is not a quality rating. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
✓ 18 years in practice▲ Top 10% volume in TX$ $7,979 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗85,778
Medicare services
Top 10% in TX for hematology & oncology
5,674
Unique beneficiaries
$7
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~4,765 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darbepoetin injection (Aranesp) for anemia | 17,410 | $2 | $20 |
| Iron infusion (Feraheme) | 17,340 | $0 | $5 |
| Azacitidine chemotherapy injection | 13,800 | $0 | $13 |
| Anti-nausea injection (fosaprepitant) | 8,700 | $0 | $5 |
| Immune globulin infusion (Octagam) | 4,170 | $33 | $234 |
| Contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based) | 3,069 | $0 | $3 |
| Flow cytometry, additional marker | 2,217 | $17 | $180 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) | 1,804 | $8 | $20 |
| Complete blood count (CBC) with differential | 1,787 | $8 | $36 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel | 1,784 | $10 | $64 |
| Injection, bortezomib, 0.1 mg | 1,645 | $3 | $116 |
| Dexamethasone injection (steroid) | 1,306 | $0 | $1 |
| Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) | 1,131 | $88 | $368 |
| Injection, granisetron hydrochloride, 100 mcg | 1,110 | $0 | $24 |
| Immunoglobulin level test | 825 | $9 | $56 |
| Anti-nausea injection (Aloxi/palonosetron) | 690 | $1 | $114 |
| Lactate dehydrogenase (enzyme) level | 574 | $6 | $31 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity | 483 | $60 | $247 |
| Ferritin level test (iron stores) | 429 | $13 | $60 |
| Iron level test | 428 | $6 | $27 |
| Iron binding capacity test | 428 | $8 | $35 |
| Measurement of immunoglobulin light chains | 346 | $17 | $60 |
| Infusion into a vein for therapy, prevention, or diagnosis, additional sequential infusion, 1 hour or less | 337 | $21 | $157 |
| Administration of chemotherapy into vein, 1 hour or less | 236 | $97 | $707 |
| Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) | 203 | $62 | $250 |
| Injection, fluorouracil, 500 mg | 181 | $2 | $13 |
| Injection, zoledronic acid, 1 mg | 168 | $7 | $431 |
| Immunologic analysis for detection of tumor antigen, quantitative; ca 15-3 | 162 | $20 | $128 |
| Infusion into a vein for therapy, prevention, or diagnosis, 1 hour or less | 148 | $47 | $313 |
| Administration of non-hormonal anti-neoplastic chemotherapy under skin or into muscle | 148 | $55 | $211 |
| Drug injection, under skin or into muscle | 146 | $10 | $96 |
| Beta-2 microglobulin (protein) level | 143 | $16 | $96 |
| Microscopic examination for white blood cells with manual cell count | 141 | $4 | $22 |
| Complete blood count (CBC), automated | 141 | $6 | $34 |
| Reticulated (young) platelet measurement | 139 | $35 | $143 |
| Injection of additional new drug or substance into vein | 138 | $11 | $108 |
| Folic acid level test | 135 | $14 | $73 |
| Vitamin B-12 level test | 134 | $15 | $76 |
| Coagulation function measurement, d-dimer; quantitative | 131 | $10 | $129 |
| Infusion into a vein for therapy, prevention, or diagnosis, each additional hour | 112 | $14 | $100 |
| Prothrombin time test (blood clotting) | 108 | $4 | $30 |
| Injection, diphenhydramine hcl, up to 50 mg | 107 | $1 | $7 |
| Flow cytometry technique for dna or cell analysis, first marker | 93 | $53 | $298 |
| Sed rate test (inflammation marker) | 82 | $3 | $36 |
| Administration of chemotherapy into vein, each additional hour | 72 | $20 | $161 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity | 72 | $96 | $470 |
| Administration of additional new drug or substance into vein, 1 hour or less | 65 | $49 | $344 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) | 55 | $117 | $565 |
| Infusion, normal saline solution , 1000 cc | 54 | $2 | $19 |
| Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test | 52 | $16 | $80 |
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) | 51 | $69 | $372 |
| Red blood count automated, with additional calculations | 47 | $5 | $26 |
| Protein measurement, serum | 46 | $10 | $99 |
| Immunologic analysis technique on serum (immunofixation) | 46 | $22 | $160 |
| Irrigation of implanted venous access drug delivery device | 44 | $18 | $114 |
| Infusion into a vein for therapy, prevention, or diagnosis concurrent with another infusion | 30 | $15 | $94 |
| Carcinoembryonic antigen (cea) protein level | 29 | $19 | $99 |
| Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) | 29 | $137 | $496 |
| Ct scan of chest with contrast | 26 | $41 | $821 |
| Fluorodeoxyglucose f-18 fdg, diagnostic, per study dose, up to 45 millicuries | 25 | $83 | $657 |
| Chemotherapy administration, intravenous infusion technique; initiation of infusion in the office/clinic setting using office/clinic pump/supplies, with continuation of the infusion in the community setting (e.g., home, domiciliary, rest home or assisted l | 24 | $124 | $500 |
| Intensity modulated treatment delivery, single or multiple fields/arcs,via narrow spatially and temporally modulated beams, binary, dynamic mlc, per treatment session | 24 | $272 | $2,762 |
| CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 23 | $153 | $1,067 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity | 23 | $88 | $357 |
| Injection, hydrocortisone sodium succinate, up to 100 mg | 23 | $11 | $35 |
| Complete ultrasound scan of abdomen | 22 | $54 | $234 |
| Nuclear medicine study from skull base to mid-thigh with ct scan | 22 | $1,012 | $4,802 |
| Stool analysis for blood to screen for colon tumors | 21 | $4 | $24 |
| Infusion into a vein for hydration, each additional hour | 16 | $9 | $75 |
| Urinalysis with microscopic exam | 14 | $3 | $28 |
| Radiation treatment delivery,3 or more separate treatment areas, custom blocking, tangential ports, wedges, rotational beam, compensators, electron beam; 11-19 mev | 14 | $165 | $700 |
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.
25.9% high complexity
57.2% medium
16.9% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$7,979
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,140/year across 7 years
Top 36% in TX for hematology & oncology
49
Companies
601
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
$7,300 (91.5%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$679 (8.5%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024$142
2023$390
2022$111
2021$30
2020$572
2019$3,061
2018$3,674
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$1,032
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$965
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$743
Amgen Inc.
$646
PFIZER INC.
$538
Genentech USA, Inc.
$480
Incyte Corporation
$344
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$338
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$289
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$283
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$203
AbbVie, Inc.
$189
Seattle Genetics, Inc.
$177
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$153
Exelixis Inc.
$151
GENZYME CORPORATION
$146
Genmab U.S., Inc.
$125
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$108
Lilly USA, LLC
$72
Celgene Corporation
$72
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$66
Helsinn Therapeutics (U.S.), Inc.
$61
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$55
Puma Biotechnology, Inc.
$54
TESARO, Inc.
$52
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc
$47
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$46
EMD Serono, Inc.
$45
Pharmacyclics LLC, An AbbVie Company
$43
Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$42
JAZZ PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$40
Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$35
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$30
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$29
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$25
Eisai Inc.
$25
Taiho Oncology, Inc.
$25
ADC Therapeutics America, Inc.
$24
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$24
Octapharma USA, Inc.
$22
ARRAY BIOPHARMA INC
$21
Sobi, Inc
$19
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$17
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$16
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$15
Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc.
$13
Array BioPharma Inc.
$12
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$11
Sandoz Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 34.3% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ADCETRIS · AFINITOR · AKYNZEO · Alecensa · Aliqopa · BOSULIF · Balversa · Bavencio · Blincyto · Braftovi · CABLIVI · CALQUENCE · CHANTIX · CYRAMZA · Cabometyx · DARZALEX · DOPTELET · ELITEK · EMEND · EMPLICITI · ERLEADA · Enhertu · Epkinly · Erleada · GAZYVA · GILOTRIF · GIVLAARI · HEMLIBRA · Halaven · IBRANCE · IDHIFA · IMBRUVICA · IMFINZI · INJECTAFER · INLYTA · Imbruvica · JADENU · JAKAFI · JEVTANA · KANJINTI · KEYTRUDA · KISQALI · Kyprolis · LIBTAYO · LIBTAYO CEMIPLIMAB-RWLC INJECTION · Lenvima · Lonsurf · Lupron · Lupron Depot · MEKINIST · MYLOTARG · NERLYNX · NINLARO · Nerlynx · Neulasta · Nexavar · Nplate · OPDIVO · OSTEOCOOL RF ABLATION · PIQRAY · PROMACTA · Perjeta · RYDAPT · Revlimid · SCEMBLIX · SOMATULINE DEPOT · SPRYCEL · SUTENT · Stivarga · TASIGNA · TECENTRIQ · Tavalisse · ULTOMIRIS · VENCLEXTA · VOTRIENT · VYXEOS · Venclexta · Vitrakvi · WILATE · XALKORI · XARELTO · XGEVA · XOSPATA · XPOVIO · XTANDI · Xermelo · ZARXIO · ZEJULA
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 $9 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Hematology & Oncologys within 10 mi
56
Per 100K population
2.7
County median income
$70,571
Nearest hospital
SAN ANTONIO BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE HOSPITAL
0.0 mi
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. Challagundla is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 10% in TX), and low-engagement industry engagement, with 18 years of practice experience.
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. Challagundla experienced with darbepoetin injection (aranesp) for anemia?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Challagundla performed 17,410 darbepoetin injection (aranesp) for anemia 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. Challagundla receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Challagundla received a total of $7,979 from 49 companies across 601 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. Challagundla's costs compare to other hematology & oncologys in San Antonio?
Dr. Challagundla's average Medicare payment per service is $7. 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. Challagundla) 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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