Medicare Enrolled
Joseph Stafford
Cardiovascular Disease · Temple, TX
Practice pattern: Cardiac & Cardiac
— Practice combining cardiac and cardiac services
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 Stafford 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 Stafford?
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What this data tells you about Stafford
Joseph Stafford is a cardiovascular disease specialist in Temple, TX, with 13 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Stafford performed 3,408 Medicare services in 2023. These records do not provide a deduplicated patient total.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Stafford received a total of $1,604 from 7 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 73 payment records. A record can group multiple payments. These transfers are publicly reported through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their effect on care. A reliable breakdown by payment category is not available in this snapshot. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Stafford 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.
✓ 13 years of NPI registration
▲ Top 34% volume in TX
$1,604 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary — 2023
Medicare Utilization ↗3,408
Medicare services
Top 34% in TX for cardiovascular disease
Not available
Unique patients (not deduplicated)
$46
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
581 | $51 | $337 |
| 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. |
305 | $79 | $365 |
| 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. |
289 | $6 | $23 |
| Transesophageal echocardiogram An ultrasound of the heart performed using a probe inserted into the esophagus to obtain detailed images of heart structures and function. |
171 | $81 | $533 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound test that uses sound waves to create images of the heart's blood flow, valves, and chambers. |
170 | $14 | $105 |
| Echocardiogram with color Doppler An ultrasound of the heart that uses color imaging to visualize blood flow, measure flow rate, and assess valve function. |
170 | $2 | $42 |
| 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. |
154 | $60 | $227 |
| 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. |
153 | $11 | $40 |
| 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. |
149 | $16 | $61 |
| 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. |
144 | $57 | $219 |
| 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. |
142 | $9 | $143 |
| 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. |
113 | $28 | $305 |
| 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. |
106 | $130 | $500 |
| Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report. |
101 | $10 | $43 |
| 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. |
76 | $91 | $338 |
| 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. |
69 | $117 | $479 |
| 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. |
63 | $54 | $257 |
| Continuous EKG monitoring review, 48-7 days Review and interpretation of continuous external EKG recordings lasting more than 48 hours up to 7 days. |
55 | $17 | $67 |
| Follow-up heart ultrasound An ultrasound of the heart performed to monitor or reassess a previously identified condition or treatment progress. |
55 | $18 | $143 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 49 | $123 | $640 |
| 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. |
46 | $118 | $509 |
| Remote pacemaker monitoring, 90 days Remote assessment of a pacemaker system, including single, dual, multiple lead, or leadless devices, performed up to 90 days apart. |
36 | $23 | $86 |
| 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. |
33 | $82 | $448 |
| 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. |
30 | $168 | $653 |
| 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. |
27 | $29 | $449 |
| 3D radiographic procedure with computerized image postprocessing A radiographic imaging procedure that creates three-dimensional images using computerized processing of the captured data. |
23 | $29 | $110 |
| Pacemaker system evaluation Assessment of a pacemaker device, including single, dual, multiple lead, or leadless systems. |
22 | $16 | $128 |
| 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. |
22 | $16 | $137 |
| 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. |
15 | $59 | $434 |
| Ultrasound of leg arteries or grafts An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to create images of the arteries in one leg or any grafts present in that leg. |
14 | $17 | $66 |
| 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. |
13 | $25 | $298 |
| External EKG monitoring, 8-15 days Continuous external electrocardiogram recording and review over a period of 8 to 15 days to monitor heart rhythm. |
12 | $19 | $74 |
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. These counts do not measure clinical quality or years of experience.
24.6% high complexity
30.7% medium
44.7% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$1,604
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $229/year across 7 years
Bottom 26% in TX for cardiovascular disease
7
Companies
73
Payment records
Payments are publicly reported; disclosure does not establish legality · Not evidence of wrongdoing · How to interpret →
Payment categories are unavailable while the source breakdown is being rebuilt. Company and year totals do not identify how much belongs to each category.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$648
2023
$259
2022
$327
2021
$46
2020
$19
2019
$208
2018
$98
Payments by company (2024)
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$213
Abbott Laboratories
$196
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$159
Amgen Inc.
$80
Top 3 companies account for 87.7% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$401
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$387
Abbott Laboratories
$309
Amgen Inc.
$301
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$147
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$40
Boston Scientific Corporation
$19
Top 3 companies account for 68.4% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AMPLATZER AMULET · BRILINTA · CARDIOMEMS · ELIQUIS · ENTRESTO · FARXIGA · GENERAL - STENTS · LEQVIO · LifeVest · Repatha · THORATEC HEARTMATE 3 LVAS IMPLANT KIT
Should you be concerned? Industry payments are disclosed through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their purpose, legality, or effect on care. 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 →
Data Sources
| Provider Registry | ✓ NPPES | NPPES snapshot; verify current record |
| Medicare Enrollment | ✓ PECOS | PECOS snapshot |
| Practice Data | ✓ Medicare Util. | Annual (CY lag) |
| Industry Payments | ✓ Open Payments | CY 2024 |
| Disciplinary History | — Not included | 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
Stafford is a cardiac & cardiac specialist, with moderate Medicare volume.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stafford experienced with echocardiogram, transthoracic?
Based on Medicare claims data, Stafford performed 581 echocardiogram, transthoracic services. These records cover Medicare fee-for-service activity, including eligible younger beneficiaries; they do not measure total practice volume or clinical quality.
Does Stafford receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Stafford received a total of $1,604 from 7 companies across 73 payment records. A record can group multiple payments. These transfers are publicly disclosed through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their legality or effect on care. Patients may wish to ask their doctor about these relationships, especially if a recommended drug or device appears in the payment records.
How do Stafford's costs compare to other cardiologists in Temple?
Stafford's average Medicare payment per service is $46. 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 Stafford) 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 the presence of registry, enrollment, activity or payment records, not verified experience or clinical quality. 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?
Source publication dates and the snapshots loaded on this site can differ. Rebuilding a page does not refresh its source records. Check the Medicare reporting year and the payment interval shown above; consult the linked official sources for newer releases and current registry details. See our data freshness policy →
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About this page
This page combines public CMS records with calculated summaries and explanatory procedure labels. These transformations are not verbatim federal records. Sources: 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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