Dr. Clifford Kitten, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Kitten
Dr. Clifford Kitten is a thoracic surgery specialist in Shenandoah, TX, with 21 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Kitten performed 176 Medicare services in 2023. These records do not provide a deduplicated patient total.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Kitten received a total of $12,188 from 31 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 144 payment records. A record can group multiple payments. These transfers are publicly reported through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their effect on care. A reliable breakdown by payment category is not available in this snapshot. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Kitten is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
Medicare Practice Summary — 2023
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital follow-up visit, low complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an established patient with straightforward or low-level medical decision making. The visit requires at least 25 minutes of time spent on the day of service. |
45 | $38 | $115 |
| Initial hospital admission, low complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving straightforward or low-level medical decision making, with at least 40 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
43 | $60 | $296 |
| 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. |
26 | $135 | $483 |
| Endoscopic vein harvest A surgical procedure to remove a vein using an endoscope, which is a thin, lighted tube inserted through small incisions. |
17 | $12 | $81 |
| Biologic implant to soft tissue A procedure involving the placement of a biologic implant into soft tissue. |
16 | $174 | $1,067 |
| Coronary artery bypass graft, 1 artery Surgical procedure to bypass a blocked coronary artery using a graft from another artery. This restores blood flow to the heart muscle. |
16 | $1,292 | $8,947 |
| Left atrial appendage exclusion Surgical closure of the left atrial appendage of the heart, performed as part of another chest procedure. |
13 | $98 | $636 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment categories are unavailable while the source breakdown is being rebuilt. Company and year totals do not identify how much belongs to each category.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2024)
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Geographic Context
3.9 mi
Data Sources
| Provider Registry | ✓ NPPES | NPPES snapshot; verify current record |
| Medicare Enrollment | ✓ PECOS | PECOS snapshot |
| Practice Data | ✓ Medicare Util. | Annual (CY lag) |
| Industry Payments | ✓ Open Payments | CY 2024 |
| Disciplinary History | — Not included | N/A |
This provider has data in 4 of 4 available federal datasets, with a Data Coverage level of Very High. This reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Kitten is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with 21 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Kitten experienced with hospital follow-up visit, low complexity?
Does Dr. Kitten receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Kitten's costs compare to other thoracic surgerists in Shenandoah?
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This page combines public CMS records with calculated summaries and explanatory procedure labels. These transformations are not verbatim federal records. Sources: 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. Data Coverage reflects 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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