Medicare Enrolled

Dr. James Liu, MD

Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician · The Woodlands, TX
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
17450 ST LUKES WAY, The Woodlands, TX 77384
2812035015
In practice since 2005 (20 years)
NPI: 1376532929 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. Liu 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. Liu

Dr. James Liu is a pediatric otolaryngology physician in The Woodlands, TX, with 20 years in practice. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Liu performed 6,030 Medicare services across 1,474 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Liu received a total of $4,132 from 26 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 159 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in pediatric otolaryngology physician. 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. Liu 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.

✓ 20 years in practice▲ Top 25% volume in TX$ $4,132 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
6,030
Medicare services
Top 25% in TX for pediatric otolaryngology physician
1,474
Unique beneficiaries
$15
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~302 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
Allergy skin test1,560$3$19
Allergy immunotherapy preparation935$10$39
Allergy injection therapy, multiple injections828$8$31
Test for allergy using allergenic extract injected into skin736$6$24
Drug injection, under skin or into muscle317$10$76
Office visit, established patient (20-29 min)261$62$150
New patient office visit (30-44 min)187$71$164
Comprehensive hearing and speech recognition test169$28$115
Ceftriaxone antibiotic injection161$0$25
Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 80 mg160$9$15
Dexamethasone injection (steroid)160$0$5
Diagnostic exam of nasal passages using an endoscope131$137$639
Test to assess middle ear function130$12$44
Removal of impacted ear wax73$30$90
Removal of impacted cerumen (one or both ears) by physician on same date of service as audiologic function testing60$35$90
Test for abnormal eye movement using 3 positions with recording54$22$80
Exam of ear using a microscope31$21$92
Test to measure expiratory airflow and volume20$21$109
Repositioning exercises of head for treatment of dizziness, each day15$34$133
Diagnostic exam of voice box using a flexible endoscope14$97$350
Test to assess balance during warm and cool irrigation in both ears14$29$200
Evaluation and testing for balance with recording14$79$310
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 ↗
$4,132
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $590/year across 7 years
Top 14% in TX for pediatric otolaryngology physician
26
Companies
159
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
$4,132 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$836
2023
$580
2022
$496
2021
$635
2020
$477
2019
$496
2018
$613

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
GENZYME CORPORATION
$753
OptiNose US, Inc.
$562
Optinose US, Inc.
$467
Stryker Corporation
$414
Medtronic, Inc.
$294
Intersect ENT, Inc.
$257
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$244
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$226
Inspire Medical Systems, Inc.
$185
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
$150
Abbott Laboratories
$112
Aerin Medical Inc.
$81
Allergan Inc.
$67
Acclarent, Inc
$54
ALK-Abello, Inc
$41
Arrinex, Inc.
$40
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$30
PhotoniCare Inc
$24
AERIN MEDICAL INC.
$24
Greer Laboratories, Inc.
$19
Braintree Laboratories, Inc.
$18
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$18
Mylan Specialty L.P.
$15
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$15
Genentech USA, Inc.
$13
USWM, LLC
$12
Top 3 companies account for 43.1% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Acclarent ENT Navigation System · CIPRODEX · CLARIFIX · CLARIFIX CRYOTHERAPY DEVICE · Clarifix · DUPIXENT · Dymista · ENTELLUS - XPRESS ENT DILATION SYSTEM · FREESTYLE LIBRE 3 · FUSION · Inspire Upper Airway Stimulation System · Neuro Plating System · ORALAIR · Odactra · OtoSight Middle Ear Scope · Otovel · PLASMABLADE(TM) · PRE-PEN · PROPEL · SHINGRIX · SINUVA · SPIROX - LATERA · STEALTHSTATION S8 PLATFORM · SUTAB · SYMJEPI · Sinuva · StealthStation · TULA · VIVAER STYLUS · VivAer · XPRESS ENT DILATION SYSTEM · Xhance · Xolair
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 $69 per 100 Medicare services performed
Looking for a pediatric otolaryngology physician in The Woodlands?
Compare pediatric otolaryngology physicians in the The Woodlands area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Pediatric Otolaryngology Physicians within 10 mi
8
Per 100K population
1.2
County median income
$97,266
Nearest hospital
ST LUKE'S THE WOODLANDS HOSPITAL
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. Liu is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 25% in TX), and high industry engagement (low-engagement, top 14%), with 20 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. Liu experienced with allergy skin test?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Liu performed 1,560 allergy skin test 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. Liu receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Liu received a total of $4,132 from 26 companies across 159 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. Liu's costs compare to other pediatric otolaryngology physicians in The Woodlands?
Dr. Liu's average Medicare payment per service is $15. 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. Liu) 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 →
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 →