Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Eric Mueller, M.D.
Rheumatology · Spokane, WA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Mixed 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. Mueller 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. Mueller
Dr. Eric Mueller is a rheumatology specialist in Spokane, WA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Mueller performed 13,181 Medicare services across 3,176 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Mueller received a total of $16,869 from 34 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 482 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in rheumatology. 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. Mueller 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 17% volume in WA
$16,869 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗13,181
Medicare services
Top 17% in WA for rheumatology
3,176
Unique beneficiaries
$26
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~694 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infliximab infusion (Remicade) An injection of infliximab, excluding biosimilar versions, administered in a 10 mg dose. |
6,155 | $26 | $90 |
| Denosumab injection (Prolia/Xgeva) | 1,560 | $18 | $34 |
| 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. |
502 | $84 | $210 |
| C-reactive protein test (inflammation marker) A blood test that measures the level of C-reactive protein to detect the presence of infection or inflammation in the body. |
488 | $5 | $15 |
| Sed rate test (inflammation marker) This automated test measures how quickly red blood cells settle in a tube to detect inflammation in the body. |
481 | $3 | $7 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
462 | $10 | $28 |
| 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. |
440 | $8 | $16 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
353 | $1 | $6 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
345 | $8 | $12 |
| Autoimmune disorder antibody test A laboratory test that measures antibodies in the blood to help assess for autoimmune disorders. |
238 | $18 | $32 |
| 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. |
217 | $128 | $276 |
| Intravenous chemotherapy infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of chemotherapy medication directly into a vein. The procedure takes one hour or less to complete. |
203 | $105 | $530 |
| Additional hour of intravenous chemotherapy This code represents the administration of chemotherapy medication into a vein for each additional hour beyond the initial period. |
194 | $22 | $66 |
| 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. |
116 | $11 | $57 |
| Complement and antigen measurement A laboratory test to measure levels of complement proteins and antigens in the blood. |
110 | $12 | $25 |
| Immunoassay substance analysis, multiple step method A laboratory test that uses an immunoassay technique to analyze a substance. The process involves multiple steps to detect or measure the target material. |
106 | $11 | $21 |
| 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. |
100 | $51 | $155 |
| Uric acid level test A blood test that measures the level of uric acid in your body. Uric acid is a waste product formed when the body breaks down purines. |
83 | $4 | $13 |
| Zoledronic acid injection, 1 mg An injection of zoledronic acid administered at a dose of 1 mg. |
80 | $6 | $25 |
| Immunoglobulin level test A blood test that measures the level of gammaglobulins, which are immune system proteins. |
75 | $9 | $20 |
| 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. |
69 | $63 | $145 |
| Parathyroid hormone level test A blood test that measures the amount of parathyroid hormone in your body. This hormone helps regulate calcium levels in the blood and bones. |
60 | $40 | $65 |
| X-ray of hand, minimum of 3 views An X-ray imaging test of the hand that captures at least three different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
55 | $23 | $69 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 54 | $157 | $434 |
| Rheumatoid factor level | 53 | $6 | $15 |
| Cardiac enzyme level (CK-MB) test A blood test that measures the total level of creatine kinase, specifically the cardiac enzyme fraction, to help evaluate heart muscle damage. |
47 | $6 | $11 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis antibody test A blood test to measure antibodies used in assessing rheumatoid arthritis. |
47 | $13 | $26 |
| Intravenous injection of additional new drug or substance Administration of an additional new medication or substance directly into a vein. |
46 | $12 | $46 |
| Methylprednisolone injection, up to 40 mg An injection of methylprednisolone sodium succinate, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a dose of up to 40 mg. |
46 | $3 | $8 |
| Prolonged office E/M service, first 15 minutes This code is used for additional time spent by a physician beyond the maximum required time of a primary office or outpatient evaluation and management service. It is billed in 15-minute increments based on total time spent on the date of the primary service. |
45 | $24 | $58 |
| Vitamin D level test A blood test to measure the amount of Vitamin D-3 in your body. |
42 | $29 | $51 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
39 | $60 | $174 |
| Automated urinalysis An automated laboratory test performed on a urine sample to analyze its chemical and physical properties. The procedure uses machinery to detect various substances and cells within the urine. |
37 | $2 | $6 |
| DNA antibody test (native or double-stranded) A blood test that measures the level of antibodies targeting native or double-stranded DNA. This test is used to detect the presence of these specific antibodies in the body. |
34 | $13 | $27 |
| Measurement of dna antibody, single stranded | 34 | $12 | $25 |
| Foot X-ray, 3+ views An X-ray imaging test of the foot that captures at least three different views to evaluate the bones and joints. |
30 | $19 | $65 |
| Creatinine test (kidney function) A blood test that measures the amount of creatinine to assess kidney function or detect muscle injury. |
22 | $5 | $10 |
| Urine total protein level A laboratory test that measures the total amount of protein present in a urine sample. |
22 | $4 | $13 |
| Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test A blood test that measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone to evaluate thyroid function. |
22 | $16 | $29 |
| Free thyroxine (T4) test A blood test that measures the level of free thyroxine, a thyroid hormone, in the bloodstream. |
19 | $9 | $15 |
| Vitamin B-12 level test A blood test that measures the amount of vitamin B-12 in your body. |
17 | $15 | $24 |
| Ferritin level test (iron stores) A blood test that measures the level of ferritin, a protein that stores iron in the body. |
17 | $13 | $27 |
| 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. |
16 | $126 | $352 |
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.
49.0% high complexity
18.5% medium
32.5% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$16,869
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $2,410/year across 7 years
Top 9% in WA for rheumatology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
34
Companies
482
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
$7,246 (43.0%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$6,510 (38.6%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$3,113 (18.5%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$1,980
2023
$1,470
2022
$595
2021
$178
2020
$170
2019
$7,853
2018
$4,623
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ABBVIE INC.
$649
Amgen Inc.
$561
Lilly USA, LLC
$223
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$172
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$93
UCB, Inc.
$79
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$67
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$54
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$46
GENZYME CORPORATION
$24
Sandoz Inc.
$14
Top 3 companies account for 72.3% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$6,510
Genentech USA, Inc.
$3,064
Amgen Inc.
$1,773
ABBVIE INC.
$1,099
Lilly USA, LLC
$881
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$619
Celgene Corporation
$491
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$363
UCB, Inc.
$313
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$229
AbbVie, Inc.
$226
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$209
Horizon Pharma plc
$199
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$147
PFIZER INC.
$125
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$93
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$73
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$57
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$54
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$46
GENZYME CORPORATION
$39
AbbVie Inc.
$35
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$31
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC
$26
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$20
Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc.
$20
Pharming Healthcare, Inc.
$19
Sobi, Inc
$19
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
$17
Kyowa Kirin, Inc.
$15
Inova Diagnostics, Inc.
$15
Medtronic, Inc.
$14
Sandoz Inc.
$14
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 67.3% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTIVOS 10 BONE CEMENT · AVSOLA · Actemra · Arcalyst · BENLYSTA · COSENTYX · Cimzia · Crysvita · EUFLEXXA · EVENITY · EVUSHELD · Enbrel · FORTEO · Gel One · HYRIMOZ · Humira · IDACIO · ILARIS · INFLECTRA · KEVZARA · KEVZARA SARILUMAB INJECTION · KRYSTEXXA · Kineret · LUPKYNIS · OPSUMIT · OPSUMIT MACITENTAN · ORENCIA · Otezla · RAYOS · REMICADE · RINVOQ · RUCONEST · Rinvoq · Rituxan · SAPHNELO · SIMPONI ARIA · SKYRIZI · SYNVISC-ONE · TALTZ · TAVNEOS · TREMFYA · XELJANZ
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 (43%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians. Total industry engagement is in the top 9% for rheumatology in WA.
Geographic Context
Rheumatologists within 10 mi
10
Per 100K population
1.8
County median income
$73,513
Nearest hospital
SHRINERS HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN
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. Mueller is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 17% in WA), with mixed engagement 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. Mueller experienced with infliximab infusion (remicade)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Mueller performed 6,155 infliximab infusion (remicade) 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. Mueller receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Mueller received a total of $16,869 from 34 companies across 482 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. Mueller's costs compare to other rheumatologists in Spokane?
Dr. Mueller's average Medicare payment per service is $26. 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. Mueller) 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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