Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Donald Richards, MD
Medical Oncology · Tyler, TX
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Consulting-driven
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. Richards 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. Richards?
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What this data tells you about Dr. Richards
Dr. Donald Richards is a medical oncology specialist in Tyler, TX, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Richards performed 116,825 Medicare services across 4,648 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Richards received a total of $40,917 from 40 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 133 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in medical oncology. The majority of payments are for consulting, which typically reflects recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Richards 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.
✓ 19 years in practice
▲ Top 6% volume in TX
$40,917 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗116,825
Medicare services
Top 6% in TX for medical oncology
4,648
Unique beneficiaries
$15
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~6,149 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron infusion (Feraheme) An injection of ferumoxytol used to treat iron deficiency anemia in patients not on dialysis. |
16,830 | $0 | $5 |
| Pembrolizumab injection (Keytruda) | 16,200 | $43 | $136 |
| Nivolumab injection (Opdivo) | 13,080 | $24 | $76 |
| Oxaliplatin chemotherapy injection This procedure involves the administration of oxaliplatin, a chemotherapy medication, via injection. The dosage specified is 0.5 mg. |
10,700 | $0 | $33 |
| Paclitaxel chemotherapy injection | 10,218 | $0 | $8 |
| Iron sucrose injection (Venofer) An injection of iron sucrose used to replenish iron levels in the body. |
7,300 | $0 | $2 |
| Contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based) A contrast agent containing 300-399 mg/ml of iodine used to enhance imaging studies. It is administered per milliliter to improve the visibility of internal structures. |
7,259 | $0 | $3 |
| Daratumumab injection (Darzalex) An injection containing daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj administered under the skin. |
5,940 | $38 | $128 |
| Darbepoetin injection (Aranesp) for anemia An injection of darbepoetin alfa used for non-end-stage renal disease purposes. |
5,040 | $2 | $20 |
| Dexamethasone injection (steroid) An injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a dose of 1 milligram. |
2,971 | $0 | $1 |
| Immune globulin infusion (Octagam) This procedure involves the administration of immune globulin medication directly into a vein. It is provided in a non-lyophilized liquid form. |
2,550 | $34 | $233 |
| Anti-nausea injection (fosaprepitant) An injection of fosaprepitant, a medication used to prevent nausea and vomiting. |
2,250 | $0 | $5 |
| Denosumab injection (Prolia/Xgeva) | 1,800 | $18 | $66 |
| Bevacizumab-bvzr biosimilar injection, 10 mg An injection of bevacizumab-bvzr, a biosimilar medication, administered in a 10 mg dose. |
1,500 | $23 | $155 |
| Rituximab-pvvr biosimilar injection, 10 mg An injection of rituximab-pvvr, a biosimilar medication, administered in a 10 mg dose. |
986 | $24 | $181 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
979 | $8 | $20 |
| Injection, granisetron hydrochloride, 100 mcg | 960 | $0 | $24 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
857 | $10 | $64 |
| Complete blood count (CBC) with differential An automated laboratory test that measures the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood, including a breakdown of the different types of white blood cells. |
844 | $8 | $36 |
| Intravenous injection of additional new drug or substance Administration of an additional new medication or substance directly into a vein. |
667 | $12 | $108 |
| Anti-nausea injection (Aloxi/palonosetron) | 630 | $1 | $114 |
| Injection, leucovorin calcium, per 50 mg | 539 | $3 | $25 |
| Fluorouracil injection, 500 mg Administration of a 500 mg dose of fluorouracil medication via injection. |
494 | $2 | $13 |
| 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. |
459 | $63 | $250 |
| Intravenous chemotherapy infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of chemotherapy medication directly into a vein. The procedure takes one hour or less to complete. |
456 | $98 | $707 |
| Carboplatin chemotherapy injection, 50 mg Administration of a 50 mg dose of carboplatin, a chemotherapy medication, via injection. |
373 | $2 | $300 |
| Zoledronic acid injection, 1 mg An injection of zoledronic acid administered at a dose of 1 mg. |
346 | $7 | $431 |
| 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. |
273 | $95 | $368 |
| Pegfilgrastim injection, 0.5 mg An injection of pegfilgrastim, a medication that stimulates the production of white blood cells. This specific code applies to the brand-name drug and excludes biosimilar versions. |
264 | $96 | $1,348 |
| Injection, potassium chloride, per 2 meq | 255 | $0 | $1 |
| Injection, gemcitabine hydrochloride, not otherwise specified, 200 mg | 225 | $3 | $373 |
| Additional sequential IV infusion, 1 hour or less This code represents an additional intravenous infusion administered sequentially to a primary infusion. It covers the administration time of one hour or less. |
209 | $22 | $157 |
| Intravenous infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of medication or fluid directly into a vein for therapeutic, preventive, or diagnostic purposes. The procedure lasts one hour or less. |
182 | $46 | $313 |
| Cyclophosphamide, 100 mg | 180 | $17 | $203 |
| Intensity-modulated radiation therapy delivery Delivery of radiation therapy using narrow beams that are spatially and temporally modulated to target specific areas. This process is performed per treatment session. |
168 | $272 | $2,762 |
| Cisplatin chemotherapy injection, 10 mg Administration of a 10 mg dose of cisplatin, a chemotherapy medication, via injection. |
157 | $2 | $94 |
| Diphenhydramine injection, up to 50 mg An injection of diphenhydramine hydrochloride, an antihistamine medication, administered in a dose of up to 50 milligrams. |
156 | $1 | $7 |
| Intravenous infusion of new drug or substance, 1 hour or less This procedure involves administering a new medication or substance directly into a vein through an existing access site. The infusion is completed within one hour or less. |
139 | $48 | $344 |
| Immunoglobulin level test A blood test that measures the level of gammaglobulins, which are immune system proteins. |
129 | $9 | $56 |
| Additional hour of intravenous chemotherapy This code represents the administration of chemotherapy medication into a vein for each additional hour beyond the initial period. |
124 | $21 | $161 |
| Magnesium sulfate injection, per 500 mg An injection of magnesium sulfate administered in 500 mg increments. |
104 | $1 | $6 |
| Drug injection, under skin or into muscle A procedure involving the administration of a medication or substance via injection into the subcutaneous tissue or muscle. |
102 | $10 | $96 |
| Iron level test | 99 | $6 | $27 |
| Iron binding capacity test A blood test that measures the amount of iron in the blood and the blood's ability to bind and transport iron. |
99 | $9 | $35 |
| Injection, fosnetupitant 235 mg and palonosetron 0.25 mg | 99 | $354 | $1,722 |
| Ferritin level test (iron stores) A blood test that measures the level of ferritin, a protein that stores iron in the body. |
97 | $13 | $60 |
| Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level test A blood test that measures the level of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) protein. This test is used to monitor certain types of cancer. |
96 | $19 | $99 |
| Magnesium level test A blood test to measure the amount of magnesium in your body. This helps check for magnesium deficiency or excess. |
94 | $7 | $29 |
| Reticulated platelet measurement A blood test that measures the level of young, newly formed platelets in the body. |
83 | $35 | $143 |
| Non-hormonal chemotherapy injection This procedure involves administering non-hormonal anti-neoplastic chemotherapy medication via injection into the skin or muscle tissue. |
78 | $55 | $211 |
| CT scan of chest with contrast A computed tomography scan of the chest using a contrast dye to enhance the visibility of internal structures. |
75 | $48 | $821 |
| Unclassified drug A medication that does not fit into standard HCPCS or CPT classification categories. |
75 | $1 | $8 |
| Manual white blood cell count A laboratory test that involves examining a sample under a microscope to manually count the number of white blood cells present. |
73 | $4 | $22 |
| Complete blood count (CBC), automated An automated laboratory test that measures the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood. |
73 | $6 | $34 |
| Enhanced Oncology Model monthly payment This code represents the monthly enhanced oncology services payment under the Enhancing Oncology Model. It covers the administrative payment for enhanced services provided to eligible patients. |
72 | $69 | $70 |
| Normal saline infusion, 1000 cc Administration of 1000 cc of normal saline solution into a vein. This procedure involves the intravenous delivery of a sterile saltwater solution. |
68 | $2 | $19 |
| Leuprolide acetate (for depot suspension), 7.5 mg | 54 | $137 | $3,675 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 52 | $164 | $709 |
| Additional hour of intravenous infusion This code represents each additional hour of intravenous infusion beyond the initial hour for therapy, prevention, or diagnosis. |
49 | $16 | $100 |
| IV chemotherapy initiation with community continuation Initiation of an intravenous chemotherapy infusion in a clinic using clinic supplies, with continuation of the infusion in a community setting such as home or assisted living. |
48 | $124 | $500 |
| Blood urea nitrogen test A blood test that measures the amount of urea nitrogen to assess kidney function. |
42 | $4 | $24 |
| CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast A CT scan that uses dye to create detailed images of the abdomen and pelvis. This imaging test helps doctors examine internal organs and structures in these areas. |
41 | $170 | $1,067 |
| Irrigation of implanted venous access device This procedure involves flushing an implanted venous access device to clear blockages or maintain patency. It ensures the device remains functional for delivering medications or fluids. |
40 | $18 | $114 |
| PSA test (prostate cancer screening) | 38 | $18 | $94 |
| Radiation therapy, 3+ areas, 11-19 MeV Delivery of high-energy radiation (11-19 MeV) to three or more separate treatment areas using custom blocking, tangential ports, wedges, rotational beams, and compensators. |
33 | $178 | $700 |
| Concurrent intravenous infusion Administration of medication or fluid into a vein for therapy, prevention, or diagnosis while another infusion is being given. |
32 | $15 | $94 |
| Intravenous push injection of new drug or substance A healthcare provider injects a new medication or substance directly into a vein using a push technique. |
29 | $42 | $289 |
| CT scan of chest, without contrast A computed tomography scan of the chest area that uses X-rays to create detailed images without the use of contrast dye. |
28 | $43 | $686 |
| Subcutaneous or intramuscular chemotherapy injection This procedure involves administering anti-cancer hormonal medication through an injection into the tissue under the skin or into a muscle. |
27 | $26 | $145 |
| Intravenous hydration infusion, 31-60 minutes Administration of fluids into a vein to maintain hydration. This procedure involves an infusion lasting between 31 and 60 minutes. |
25 | $25 | $256 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an existing patient involving moderate medical decision making. The visit requires at least 35 minutes of time spent on the date of service. |
25 | $56 | $247 |
| Additional hour of intravenous hydration This code represents each additional hour of intravenous fluid administration beyond the initial hour. It is used to bill for extended hydration therapy. |
23 | $10 | $75 |
| On-body injector for subcutaneous injection A device is applied to the skin to automatically deliver a medication injection under the skin. |
22 | $14 | $96 |
| CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis using contrast dye before and after administration to visualize internal structures. |
19 | $196 | $1,413 |
| Venipuncture for blood collection A procedure to draw blood from a vein for medical testing or analysis. |
19 | $62 | $264 |
| Normal saline infusion, 500 ml Administration of sterile normal saline solution through an intravenous line. This procedure involves the infusion of a 500 ml unit of the solution. |
19 | $1 | $19 |
| CT scan of abdomen and pelvis, without contrast A computed tomography scan that creates detailed images of the abdominal and pelvic organs. The procedure is performed without the use of intravenous contrast dye. |
18 | $76 | $560 |
| Nuclear medicine scan from skull base to mid-thigh with CT A nuclear medicine imaging study covering the area from the base of the skull to the middle of the thighs, performed alongside a CT scan. |
16 | $1,098 | $4,802 |
| Fluorodeoxyglucose f-18 fdg, diagnostic, per study dose, up to 45 millicuries | 15 | $91 | $657 |
| Vitamin B-12 level test A blood test that measures the amount of vitamin B-12 in your body. |
12 | $15 | $76 |
| 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. |
12 | $127 | $565 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving moderate-level medical decision making, with at least 55 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
11 | $81 | $470 |
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.
17.6% high complexity
78.2% medium
4.2% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$40,917
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $5,845/year across 7 years
Top 24% in TX for medical oncology
40
Companies
133
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.
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$25,371 (62.0%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$11,520 (28.2%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$4,026 (9.8%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,369
2023
$3,479
2022
$1,222
2021
$125
2020
$15,566
2019
$12,937
2018
$5,218
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc
$10,340
Seattle Genetics, Inc.
$5,362
Seagen Inc.
$4,431
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$4,066
JAZZ PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$2,871
F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG
$2,329
Taiho Oncology, Inc.
$2,192
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$1,645
ARRAY BIOPHARMA INC
$1,591
Incyte Corporation
$1,585
Aadi Bioscience, Inc.
$1,000
Amgen Inc.
$535
Genentech USA, Inc.
$264
ABBVIE INC.
$243
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$241
PFIZER INC.
$221
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$208
Pharmacyclics LLC, An AbbVie Company
$194
Tempus AI, Inc
$147
Exelixis Inc.
$146
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$130
Puma Biotechnology, Inc.
$125
Ethicon US, LLC
$122
Lilly USA, LLC
$104
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$100
Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc.
$98
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$93
Celgene Corporation
$77
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$73
TESARO, Inc.
$63
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$51
SOBI, INC
$40
Kite Pharma, Inc.
$40
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$38
Immunocore Limited
$29
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$29
GENZYME CORPORATION
$28
Stemline Therapeutics Inc.
$27
Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company
$20
Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc.
$17
Top 3 companies account for 49.2% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ADCETRIS · Amtagvi · BOSULIF · BRAFTOVI · CALQUENCE · Cabometyx · DARZALEX · DOPTELET · ELITEK · EPKINLY · ERBITUX · ERLEADA · Erleada · FYARRO · GAZYVA · IMBRUVICA · IMFINZI · IMJUDO · KEYTRUDA · KIMMTRAK · KISQALI · Kyprolis · LIBTAYO · LONSURF · LUTATHERA · LYNPARZA · Lonsurf · MYRISK · NEUWAVE Flex Microwave Ablation System · NINLARO · Nerlynx · Nubeqa · ONIVYDE · OPDIVO · Onivyde · Orserdu · PEMAZYRE · Padcev · Prolia · ROZLYTREK · SARCLISA · SOMATULINE DEPOT · SUTENT · Stivarga · TABRECTA · TAGRISSO · TECENTRIQ · VENCLEXTA · VERZENIO · VONJO · VYXEOS · XALKORI · XT CDX · XTANDI · ZANIDATAMAB · ZEJULA · Zydelig
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 →
The majority of payments (62%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers.
Equivalent to $35 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Medical oncologists within 10 mi
4
Per 100K population
1.7
County median income
$71,923
Nearest hospital
UT HEALTH EAST TEXAS TYLER REGIONAL HOSPITAL
3.0 mi
3.0 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. Richards is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 6% in TX), with consulting-driven industry engagement, with 19 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. Richards experienced with iron infusion (feraheme)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Richards performed 16,830 iron infusion (feraheme) 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. Richards receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Richards received a total of $40,917 from 40 companies across 133 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. Richards's costs compare to other medical oncologists in Tyler?
Dr. Richards'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. Richards) 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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