Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Kevin Steel, D.O.
Internal Medicine · Bellingham, WA
Practice pattern: Cardiac Imaging
— Practice with significant diagnostic imaging and stress testing
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. Steel 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. Steel
Dr. Kevin Steel is an internal medicine specialist in Bellingham, WA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Steel performed 5,369 Medicare services across 1,816 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Steel received a total of $7,723 from 10 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 28 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in internal medicine. 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. Steel 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 2% volume in WA
$7,723 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗5,369
Medicare services
Top 2% in WA for internal medicine
1,816
Unique beneficiaries
$23
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~283 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadolinium MRI contrast injection Administration of a gadolinium-based contrast agent to enhance magnetic resonance imaging. The dose is measured per milliliter of the agent injected. |
3,320 | $1 | $3 |
| Regadenoson injection (Lexiscan) for heart stress test An injection of regadenoson, a medication used to stress the heart during diagnostic testing. |
217 | $41 | $77 |
| EKG interpretation and report A standard electrocardiogram test that records the heart's electrical activity using at least 12 leads. The service includes a professional interpretation of the results and a written report. |
189 | $6 | $23 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram, with physician review of the results. |
171 | $11 | $38 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while an electrocardiogram is monitored under physician supervision. |
143 | $15 | $57 |
| Nuclear stress test of heart muscle A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow to the heart muscle at rest and during stress using a special camera. |
129 | $58 | $183 |
| Gadopiclenol injection, 1 ml Administration of gadopiclenol, a contrast agent, via injection in a 1 ml dose. |
98 | $7 | $9 |
| Follow-up ultrasound of heart blood flow, valves and chambers An ultrasound exam that follows up on the heart's blood flow, valves, and chambers. It uses sound waves to create images of the heart's structure and function. |
96 | $5 | $14 |
| Echocardiogram with color Doppler An ultrasound of the heart that uses color imaging to visualize blood flow, measure flow rate, and assess valve function. |
93 | $2 | $6 |
| 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. |
81 | $61 | $179 |
| Follow-up heart ultrasound An ultrasound of the heart performed to monitor or reassess a previously identified condition or treatment progress. |
64 | $19 | $48 |
| Routine 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) A test that records the electrical activity of the heart using at least 12 leads to produce a tracing. |
58 | $5 | $28 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity Subsequent hospital inpatient or observation care for an existing patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 50 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
56 | $93 | $261 |
| MRI of heart with contrast and stress imaging An MRI scan of the heart performed before and after the administration of contrast dye, including stress imaging to evaluate heart function under exertion. |
55 | $348 | $2,719 |
| MRI of heart with and without contrast A magnetic resonance imaging scan of the heart performed both before and after the administration of a contrast dye to enhance image detail. |
54 | $245 | $2,649 |
| 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. |
50 | $101 | $349 |
| Blood creatinine level test A blood test that measures the amount of creatinine, a waste product from muscle wear and tear, to help assess kidney function. |
49 | $5 | $16 |
| Continuous EKG monitoring review, 48-7 days Review and interpretation of continuous external EKG recordings lasting more than 48 hours up to 7 days. |
49 | $17 | $59 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
46 | $131 | $516 |
| Transesophageal echocardiogram An ultrasound of the heart performed using a probe inserted into the esophagus to obtain detailed images of heart structures and function. |
46 | $81 | $209 |
| 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. |
41 | $108 | $345 |
| Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) An office or outpatient visit for an existing patient lasting between 40 and 54 minutes. This level of service is determined by the total time spent on the date of the encounter. |
40 | $95 | $348 |
| MRI of chest blood vessels An MRI scan that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed images of the blood vessels in the chest. |
33 | $275 | $2,163 |
| 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. |
29 | $147 | $503 |
| External shock to heart to regulate heart beat A procedure that delivers an electric shock to the heart from outside the body to restore a normal heart rhythm. |
26 | $81 | $428 |
| Initial hospital admission, high complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 75 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
24 | $131 | $488 |
| Critical care, first 30-74 min Emergency medical care for a critically ill or injured patient lasting between 30 and 74 minutes. This service involves direct patient care and medical decision making to stabilize the patient. |
24 | $168 | $739 |
| Continuous external EKG monitoring, 8-15 days This procedure involves recording heart rhythm continuously using an external EKG device over a period of 8 to 15 days. |
21 | $10 | $39 |
| External EKG monitoring, 8-15 days Continuous external electrocardiogram recording and review over a period of 8 to 15 days to monitor heart rhythm. |
20 | $20 | $64 |
| Stress echocardiogram with ECG monitoring An ultrasound of the heart performed while monitoring heart rhythm during rest, exercise, or medication-induced stress, followed by a review and report of the findings. |
19 | $58 | $159 |
| 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. |
16 | $44 | $108 |
| Transesophageal echocardiogram during heart surgery An ultrasound of the heart performed using a probe inserted into the esophagus while surgery on the heart or major blood vessels is taking place, including a written report. |
12 | $166 | $599 |
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.
2.9% high complexity
82.7% medium
14.4% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$7,723
Total received (2019-2024)
Avg $1,545/year across 5 years
Top 9% in WA for internal medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
10
Companies
28
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
$4,052 (52.5%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$3,671 (47.5%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$33
2023
$499
2022
$5,724
2021
$1,383
2019
$84
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$33
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2019-2024) ›
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$3,312
Boston Scientific Corporation
$2,057
Abbott Laboratories
$1,160
Medtronic, Inc.
$740
HeartFlow, Inc.
$349
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$33
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$23
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$22
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$13
Baxter Healthcare
$13
Top 3 companies account for 84.5% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
FARXIGA · FFRct · Hillrom - Carnation Ambulatory Monitor · LifeVest · MitraClip System · WATCHMAN · WATCHMAN Access System · XARELTO · ZIO XT Patch
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 (52%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Total industry engagement is in the top 9% for internal medicine in WA.
Geographic Context
Internal medicine physicians within 10 mi
100
Per 100K population
43.8
County median income
$80,989
Nearest hospital
ST JOSEPH 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 reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Steel is a cardiac imaging specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 2% in WA), with consulting-driven industry engagement in the top 9% 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. Steel experienced with gadolinium mri contrast injection?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Steel performed 3,320 gadolinium mri contrast injection 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. Steel receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Steel received a total of $7,723 from 10 companies across 28 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. Steel's costs compare to other internal medicine physicians in Bellingham?
Dr. Steel's average Medicare payment per service is $23. 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. Steel) 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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