Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Christopher Brown, MD
Interventional Cardiology · Seattle, WA
Practice pattern: Interventional Cardiology
— Practice focused on catheter-based cardiac procedures
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. Brown 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. Brown
Dr. Christopher Brown is an interventional cardiology specialist in Seattle, WA, with 12 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Brown performed 1,263 Medicare services across 1,038 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Brown received a total of $170,992 from 21 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 321 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in interventional cardiology. 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. Brown 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.
✓ 12 years in practice
▲ Top 42% volume in WA
$170,992 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,263
Medicare services
Top 42% in WA for interventional cardiology
1,038
Unique beneficiaries
$121
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~105 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
138 | $10 | $36 |
| Coronary stent placement A procedure to insert a stent into a coronary artery or its branch to keep it open, using balloon dilation during the process. |
135 | $349 | $1,827 |
| Cardiac catheterization | 133 | $141 | $900 |
| Ultrasound of heart blood vessel or graft An ultrasound exam to evaluate blood flow in a heart blood vessel or graft, including a radiologist's review of the initial vessel. |
120 | $74 | $277 |
| Ultrasound of head and neck blood flow, bilateral An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow in the vessels of both the head and the neck. |
118 | $26 | $110 |
| Additional heart vessel ultrasound evaluation An additional ultrasound assessment of a specific heart blood vessel or graft, including radiologist review. |
112 | $59 | $221 |
| 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. |
55 | $137 | $438 |
| Intravascular ultrasound of heart vessel, initial An ultrasound procedure used to evaluate a blood vessel within the heart during a diagnostic or treatment procedure. |
43 | $56 | $277 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 21-30 minutes A telephone conversation with a physician lasting between 21 and 30 minutes. This code covers the time spent discussing medical matters over the phone. |
36 | $101 | $315 |
| 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. |
33 | $98 | $275 |
| 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. |
31 | $142 | $511 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 30 | $172 | $595 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in the arm or leg. The test uses sound waves to check blood flow and may include compression and other maneuvers. |
29 | $25 | $97 |
| Complete ultrasound of abdomen and pelvis blood flow This procedure uses sound waves to create images of blood flow in the arteries and veins of the abdomen and pelvis. It evaluates the rate and direction of blood movement within these vessels. |
26 | $43 | $241 |
| 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. |
25 | $173 | $636 |
| Coronary artery stent placement with balloon dilation A procedure to remove plaque buildup from a single coronary artery or branch, followed by balloon dilation and insertion of a stent to keep the artery open. |
24 | $443 | $2,078 |
| 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. |
24 | $98 | $312 |
| Radiologist review of arm or leg artery image A radiologist reviews images of the arteries in the arm or leg. This process involves analyzing the visual data to assess the blood vessels. |
23 | $66 | $237 |
| Ultrasound of blood vessel, initial vessel An ultrasound exam of a blood vessel that includes a radiologist's review of the initial vessel. |
20 | $70 | $253 |
| Removal of plaque, insertion of stent and/or balloon dilation of single coronary artery, branch or bypass graft | 19 | $520 | $2,114 |
| Ultrasound of leg arteries or grafts An imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the blood vessels in the legs or any surgical grafts present. |
16 | $28 | $108 |
| Insertion of tube in right and left heart chambers and coronary artery for diagnosis with review by radiologist | 14 | $202 | $1,121 |
| Ultrasound of abdominal aorta An imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the abdominal aorta, the large blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lower body. |
12 | $27 | $85 |
| Balloon dilation of single coronary artery or branch A procedure to widen a single coronary artery or its branch using a balloon catheter to restore blood flow. |
12 | $225 | $1,527 |
| Insertion of tube in left lower heart chamber, coronary artery and bypass graft for diagnosis with review by radiologist | 12 | $175 | $1,006 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in one arm or leg using compression and other maneuvers to assess blood flow and check for blockages. |
12 | $16 | $66 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
11 | $52 | $202 |
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.
26.4% high complexity
40.2% medium
33.3% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$170,992
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $24,427/year across 7 years
Top 10% in WA for interventional cardiology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
21
Companies
321
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
$103,261 (60.4%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$58,449 (34.2%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$9,282 (5.4%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$60,761
2023
$59,386
2022
$46,525
2021
$1,490
2020
$627
2019
$1,595
2018
$608
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$48,946
ABIOMED
$10,848
Boston Scientific Corporation
$690
Chiesi USA, Inc.
$130
Inari Medical, Inc.
$94
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$21
Medtronic, Inc.
$17
ASAHI INTECC USA, INC.
$16
Top 3 companies account for 99.5% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$99,834
Shockwave Medical, Inc
$40,178
ABIOMED
$18,842
Medtronic, Inc.
$4,189
Boston Scientific Corporation
$4,124
Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
$645
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$619
Acist Medical Systems, Inc.
$516
Abbott Laboratories
$450
Inari Medical, Inc.
$378
BIOTRONIK INC.
$321
JenaValve Technology, Inc.
$185
Chiesi USA, Inc.
$170
Alphatec Spine, Inc
$140
Terumo Medical Corporation
$116
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$99
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
$67
ASAHI INTECC USA, INC.
$37
Masimo Corporation
$36
Trevena, Inc.
$24
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$21
Top 3 companies account for 92.9% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
(4067) Tack Endo Sys BTK · (6571) Eagle Eye · AMPLATZER · ANGIO-SEAL · ASAHI PTCA Guide Wire · AVALUS · AVVIGO · AVVIGO Guidance System · AZUR CX DETACHABLE · Asahi Fielder coronary guide wire · BRILINTA · Battalion TLIF - PC · CLINICAL TRIAL PRODUCT · COREVALVE EVOLUT R · CROSSBOSS · CT THROMBECTOMY SYSTEM KIT · CVI Consumables · CVI Systems · Comet · Coronary Orbital Atherectomy System · CrossBoss · DIAMONDBACK CORONARY · Diamondback Coronary · Diamondback Peripheral · Emerge Push · FLOWTRIEVER CATHETER · FlowMet · GENERAL ATHERECTOMY · GENERAL STENTS · GENERAL STRUCTURAL HEART · GENERAL THERAPIES · GENERAL ULTRASOUND · GENERAL - ATHERECTOMY · GENERAL - STENTS · GENERAL - STRUCTURAL HEART · GENERAL - THERAPIES · GENERAL STENTS · GLIDESHEATH SLENDER · Guidezilla · HAWKONE · HD-IVUS · HORNET · ILAB · Impella · JUDO 6 · JenaValve Pericardial TAVR System · KENGREAL · MAMBA · MitraClip System · ONYX FRONTIER · OPTICROSS · OPTITORQUE · Olinvyk · OptiCross · Orsiro Mission · PERIPHERAL VASCULAR · PK Papyrus · POLARIS · Patient SafetyNet System · Pulsar-18 T3 · REACTTM · RESOLUTE ONYX · ROTABLATOR · RXi Consumables · RXi Systems · ReCross · S · SAPIEN 3 Ultra RESILIA · SET and rainbow SET · SHOCKWAVE IVL SYSTEM WITH THE SHOCKWAVE C2 CORONARY IVL CATHETER · SYNERGY · Shockwave IVL System with the Shockwave C2 Coronary IVL Catheter · Stingray · VENASEAL · Vascular Lithotripsy · WATCHMAN · WATCHMAN Access System · WOLVERINE
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 (60%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Total industry engagement is in the top 10% for interventional cardiology in WA.
Geographic Context
Interventional cardiologists within 10 mi
26
Per 100K population
1.1
County median income
$122,148
Nearest hospital
SWEDISH MEDICAL CENTER / CHERRY HILL
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. Brown is an interventional cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with consulting-driven industry engagement in the top 10% of WA peers.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Brown experienced with sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Brown performed 138 sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes 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. Brown receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Brown received a total of $170,992 from 21 companies across 321 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. Brown's costs compare to other interventional cardiologists in Seattle?
Dr. Brown's average Medicare payment per service is $121. 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. Brown) 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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