Not Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Steven Kussick, M.D., PH.D.

Optician · Seattle, WA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Speaking/Promotional
551 N 34TH ST STE 100, Seattle, WA 98103
2063749000
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1790889210 verify on NPPES ↗
Very High
DATA COVERAGE
Data in 3 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. Kussick 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. Kussick? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Kussick

Dr. Steven Kussick is an optician specialist in Seattle, WA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Kussick performed 932 Medicare services across 311 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Kussick received a total of $12,368 from 2 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 33 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in optician. The majority of payments are for speaking programs and promotional activities, reflecting participation in industry-sponsored events. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.

The Data Coverage level for Dr. Kussick 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 41% volume in WA $12,368 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
932
Medicare services
Top 41% in WA for optician
311
Unique beneficiaries
$38
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~49 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
Tissue staining for diagnosis, additional
An extra laboratory procedure to apply special stains to tissue slides for detailed examination.
 321 $31 $136
Flow cytometry, additional marker
An additional marker is tested during a flow cytometry procedure to analyze DNA or cells. This step adds specific data points to the initial analysis.
 297 $20 $72
Flow cytometry, 16 or more markers
A laboratory test that uses lasers to analyze cells or DNA using 16 or more different markers. This technique helps identify and characterize specific cell types based on their physical and chemical properties.
 66 $70 $310
Manual microscopic genetic analysis of tumor
A laboratory test that uses a microscope to manually examine tumor tissue for genetic changes.
 65 $45 $170
Tissue staining for diagnosis, initial
A laboratory test where special stains are applied to tissue slides to help examine the cells and identify specific characteristics.
 58 $41 $163
Surgical pathology consultation with slide preparation
A specialist reviews tissue samples sent by another provider, preparing necessary slides for examination. The specialist then provides a diagnostic report based on this analysis.
 30 $67 $177
Flow cytometry DNA or cell analysis, 9-15 markers
A laboratory test that uses a laser to analyze cells or DNA using 9 to 15 different markers. This technique helps identify and characterize specific cell types or genetic material.
 22 $52 $235
BCR-ABL1 gene translocation test
A laboratory test that analyzes DNA to detect the BCR-ABL1 gene translocation, also known as the Philadelphia chromosome. This test is used to identify specific genetic changes associated with certain types of leukemia.
 17 $161 $245
Molecular pathology test interpretation
A physician reviews and interprets the results of a molecular pathology test to provide a diagnostic report.
 16 $26 $35
BCR/ABL1 minor breakpoint translocation analysis
A laboratory test that analyzes genetic material to detect specific chromosomal translocations involving the BCR and ABL1 genes at the minor breakpoint cluster region.
 15 $142 $245
Flow cytometry DNA or cell analysis, first marker
A laboratory test that uses a laser to analyze cells or DNA by detecting a specific marker on the cell surface or within the cell.
 13 $71 $110
Genetic sequencing localization, initial procedure
This procedure involves the initial process of localizing genetic sequencing. It identifies the specific location of genetic material for further analysis.
 12 $47 $133
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 ↗
$12,368
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $2,061/year across 6 years
Top 11% in WA for optician
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
2
Companies
33
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.

Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$6,504 (52.6%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$5,864 (47.4%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$3,284
2023
$226
2022
$1,720
2020
$1,500
2019
$306
2018
$5,331

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Beckman Coulter, Inc.
$3,284
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Beckman Coulter, Inc.
$12,355
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AQUIOS CL · CYTOFLEX · DxFlex · FC 500 SERIES
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 (53%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in optician and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware.

Looking for an optician specialist in Seattle?
Compare opticians in the Seattle area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Opticians within 10 mi
1,173
Per 100K population
51.8
County median income
$122,148
Nearest hospital
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON MEDICAL CTR
1.8 mi

Data Sources

Provider Registry ✓ NPPES Weekly updates
Medicare Enrollment — Not enrolled N/A
Practice Data ✓ Medicare Util. Annual (CY lag)
Industry Payments ✓ Open Payments CY 2024
Disciplinary History — Not public N/A

This provider has data in 3 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. Kussick is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 11% 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. Kussick experienced with tissue staining for diagnosis, additional?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Kussick performed 321 tissue staining for diagnosis, additional 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. Kussick receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Kussick received a total of $12,368 from 2 companies across 33 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. Kussick's costs compare to other opticians in Seattle?
Dr. Kussick's average Medicare payment per service is $38. 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. Kussick) 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.

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 →