Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Brent Richardson, MD
Pain Medicine · Bellingham, WA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
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. Richardson 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. Richardson
Dr. Brent Richardson is a pain medicine specialist in Bellingham, WA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Richardson performed 1,603 Medicare services across 1,155 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Richardson received a total of $16,963 from 40 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 354 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in pain medicine. 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. Richardson 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.
✓ 19 years in practice
▲ Top 28% volume in WA
$16,963 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,603
Medicare services
Top 28% in WA for pain medicine
1,155
Unique beneficiaries
$73
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~84 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
268 | $92 | $335 |
| Sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes Administration of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by the physician performing a procedure. This code covers the initial 15 minutes of sedation for patients aged 5 years or older. |
103 | $10 | $212 |
| Sacral spine nerve root injection with imaging guidance An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into a sacral spine nerve root. The procedure uses imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
98 | $103 | $1,304 |
| Chronic care management, first 20 min/month This service covers the first 20 minutes of clinical staff time directed by a healthcare professional each calendar month to manage chronic conditions. |
94 | $49 | $170 |
| Methylprednisolone acetate injection, 80 mg An injection of 80 mg of methylprednisolone acetate, a corticosteroid medication. |
93 | $9 | $40 |
| Spine facet joint injection with imaging guidance, single level An injection is administered into a single facet joint of the lower or sacral spine while using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
87 | $99 | $1,275 |
| Facet joint injection, second level, with imaging guidance An injection into a lower or sacral spine facet joint using imaging guidance for the second level treated. |
83 | $56 | $668 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement Use of real-time X-ray imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
77 | $88 | $450 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
70 | $48 | $282 |
| Injection of anesthetic or steroid into sacroiliac joint with imaging guidance This procedure involves injecting an anesthetic or steroid medication into the joint connecting the lower spine and hip bone. Imaging guidance is used to ensure accurate placement of the injection. |
68 | $75 | $857 |
| Contrast dye for imaging, lower concentration | 62 | $0 | $1 |
| Injection into lower spine canal with imaging guidance A procedure where a substance is injected into the lower part of the spinal canal. The injection is performed using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
60 | $77 | $1,029 |
| Spinal neurostimulator electrode insertion A procedure to place an electrode array into the spine through the skin. The electrode is used to deliver electrical stimulation to the nervous system. |
38 | $244 | $6,700 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, single joint A procedure to destroy nerves in a single lower or sacral spinal facet joint using imaging guidance to target pain signals. |
33 | $214 | $2,314 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, additional joint This procedure uses imaging guidance to destroy nerves in an additional lower or sacral spinal facet joint. |
33 | $66 | $964 |
| Drug screening test A laboratory test that uses a chemistry analyzer to detect the presence of drugs in a sample. |
32 | $61 | $287 |
| Spine facet joint injection with imaging guidance, single level An injection is administered into a single facet joint of the upper or middle spine while using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
31 | $101 | $1,213 |
| Facet joint injection, second level, with imaging An injection into a second spinal facet joint in the upper or middle spine, guided by imaging to ensure accurate placement. |
31 | $56 | $587 |
| 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. |
30 | $0 | $1 |
| Spinal injection with imaging guidance A procedure where medication is injected into the middle or upper part of the spinal canal. Imaging technology is used to guide the needle to the correct location. |
29 | $83 | $1,042 |
| 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. |
28 | $63 | $231 |
| Ultrasound guidance for needle placement Use of ultrasound imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
23 | $45 | $200 |
| Additional sacral spine nerve root injection with imaging An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into an additional sacral spine nerve root level, guided by imaging. |
22 | $40 | $429 |
| Definitive drug test using GC/MS or LC/MS A definitive drug test that identifies specific drugs and distinguishes between structural isomers using advanced methods like GC/MS or LC/MS. |
19 | $153 | $626 |
| Trigger point injection, 1-2 muscles A procedure involving the injection of medication into one or two specific muscles to treat trigger points. |
14 | $36 | $226 |
| 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. |
14 | $81 | $325 |
| Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg | 14 | $6 | $20 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, single joint This procedure uses imaging guidance to destroy the nerves supplying a single upper or middle spinal facet joint. It is performed to interrupt pain signals from that specific joint. |
13 | $172 | $2,473 |
| Definitive drug test using GC/MS or LC/MS A definitive drug test that identifies specific drugs and distinguishes between structural isomers using advanced methods like GC/MS or LC/MS. |
13 | $195 | $795 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, additional joint This procedure uses imaging guidance to destroy nerves in an additional upper or middle spinal facet joint. |
12 | $63 | $996 |
| Spinal neurostimulator generator insertion Surgical placement of a spinal neurostimulator generator or receiver device. |
11 | $159 | $1,500 |
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 ↗$16,963
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $2,423/year across 7 years
Top 12% in WA for pain medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
40
Companies
354
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
$16,580 (97.7%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$383 (2.3%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$4,405
2023
$4,350
2022
$1,530
2021
$943
2020
$756
2019
$1,820
2018
$3,158
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Saluda Medical Americas, Inc.
$2,875
Boston Scientific Corporation
$1,002
ABBVIE INC.
$113
PAINTEQ LLC
$104
Nevro Corp.
$100
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$94
Nalu Medical, Inc.
$36
Medtronic, Inc.
$23
Vertos Medical, Inc.
$23
Abbott Laboratories
$17
SI-BONE, INC.
$17
Top 3 companies account for 90.6% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Saluda Medical Americas, Inc.
$3,094
Boston Scientific Corporation
$2,947
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$2,913
Relievant Medsystems, Inc.
$2,118
Nevro Corp.
$1,723
PAINTEQ LLC
$601
Abbott Laboratories
$508
Medtronic, Inc.
$386
PFIZER INC.
$363
ABBVIE INC.
$290
Vertos Medical, Inc.
$250
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$226
Nalu Medical, Inc.
$191
Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$160
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$135
Bioventus LLC
$110
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$102
Vertiflex, Inc.
$98
Stimwave Technologies Incorporated
$92
BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc.
$80
Avanos Medical
$75
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$56
NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
$49
Assertio Therapeutics, Inc.
$46
Kaleo, Inc.
$46
Arbor Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$40
ASSERTIO THERAPEUTICS, Inc.
$37
Lilly USA, LLC
$26
Bausch Health US, LLC
$21
Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$20
US WorldMeds, LLC
$20
FIDIA PHARMA USA INC.
$20
GRT US Holding, Inc.
$19
BIODELIVERY SCIENCES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
$18
Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$17
SI-BONE, INC.
$17
Egalet US Inc
$15
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$12
Sentynl Therapeutics, Inc.
$11
Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 52.8% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AJOVY · ARYMO ER · BELBUCA · BUNAVAIL 2.1 mg 30-count box · Belbuca · CFNS StimQ Peripheral Nerve StimulatorSystem · COOLIEF · Durolane · EMGALITY · ETERNA · EVZIO · Evoke · Evoke SCS · Evzio · FLECTOR · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENERAL - PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENERAL THERAPIES · General - Pain Management · Gralise · Horizant · Hymovis · INTELLIS ADAPTIVESTIM · Intracept · LINEAR · LYRICA · Levorphanol Tartrate · Lucemyra/Lofexidine · MIGRANAL · Morphabond ER · NURTEC ODT · Nalu Neurostimulation System · ONZETRA Xsail · OXTELLAR XR · Omnia · PAINTEQ · PROCLAIM · Proclaim IPG · QULIPTA · Qutenza · REYVOW · SPECTRA WAVEWRITER · SUPERION · Senza · Senza Spinal Cord Stimulation System · Superion ISS · TROKENDI XR · UBRELVY · VANTA ADAPTIVESTIM · WAVEWRITER ALPHA · WaveWriter Alpha Prime 16 · XTAMPZA · XTAMPZAER · Xtampza ER · ZTLido 30 POUCH in 1 CARTON 1 PATCH in 1 POUCH · Zipsor · mild Device Kit
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 (98%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Pain medicines within 10 mi
5
Per 100K population
2.2
County median income
$80,989
Nearest hospital
ST JOSEPH HOSPITAL
4.3 mi
4.3 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 reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Richardson is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 28% in WA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 12% of WA peers, with 19 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. Richardson experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Richardson performed 268 office visit, established patient (30-39 min) 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. Richardson receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Richardson received a total of $16,963 from 40 companies across 354 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. Richardson's costs compare to other pain medicines in Bellingham?
Dr. Richardson's average Medicare payment per service is $73. 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. Richardson) 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. 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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