Richard Diethelm, MD
Neurology · Birmingham, ALNPI 1851518476
Payments from drug & device makers
What this record shows
The money is spread across several categories — food and beverage (49.4%), speaking fees and travel and lodging — rather than concentrated in one kind of arrangement. 53 manufacturers reported payments, led by AbbVie at 52.8% of the total. Reporting peaked in 2021 at $26,131 and has fallen 80.6% since, to $5,066 in 2025. Among neurology clinicians in AL with any reported payments, this total sits in the top 10% — high for the specialty, which is a reason to read the composition above rather than the number alone.
Across 1,783 payments — averaging $36.51 each. Meals, travel, consulting and speaking fees, gifts and royalties reported by drug and device makers.
- AbbVie$34K
- CSL Behring$3K
- Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.$3K
- Novartis$2K
- Biogen$2K
- UCB, Inc.$1K
- plus $19K from 47 others
Across 13 payments — averaging $3856.46 each. Payments tied to a research study. These frequently flow through the physician to a hospital or research institution rather than to the physician personally.
- H. Lundbeck A S$32K
- Amgen$19K
What the payments were for
- Speaking & faculty fees$32,14449%
- Travel & lodging$5981%
- Food & beverage$32,16849%
- Education$1880%
General payments by program year
Who reported the general payments
Companies are grouped under their corporate parent — a single manufacturer often files under several CMS reporting entities. Research and ownership payments are counted separately and are not in this table.
What the payments were tied to
Products named in the reported payments. Only payments of $100 or more are attributed here — the typical reported payment nationally is a meal worth about $16, and listing those product-by-product would be noise.
How this compares
$65,097 in reported general payments places this provider in the 90th percentile of 255 neurology providers in Alabama.
Medicare billing
What this is not: this is the amount Original Medicare Part B allowed for services this provider billed in 2024. It is not their income. It excludes Medicare Advantage — now more than half of all Medicare enrollment — along with Medicaid and all commercial insurance, and it is gross practice revenue before staff, rent, supplies and malpractice premiums. CMS also suppresses any figure covering ten or fewer patients, so low-volume providers appear smaller than they are.
Most prescribed under Part D
| Drug | Claims | Cost to plans & patients |
|---|---|---|
| PrivigenImmun Glob G(Igg)/Pro/Iga 0-50 | 70 | $1,496,548 |
| GammakedImmune Globul G/Gly/Iga Avg 46 | 56 | $1,086,146 |
| Gammagard LiquidImmun Glob G(Igg)/Gly/Iga Ov50 | 107 | $911,377 |
| AustedoDeutetrabenazine | 39 | $307,627 |
| PanzygaImmun Glob G(Igg)-Ifas/Glycine | 11 | $299,356 |
| OctagamImmun Globg(Igg)/Malt/Iga Ov50 | 16 | $282,477 |
| GammaplexImmun Glob G(Igg)/Gly/Iga 0-50 | 16 | $258,563 |
| Gamunex-CImmune Globul G/Gly/Iga Avg 46 | 13 | $179,887 |
| QuliptaAtogepant | 154 | $166,350 |
| NuplazidPimavanserin Tartrate | 33 | $159,426 |
| Austedo XrDeutetrabenazine | 11 | $150,761 |
| BotoxOnabotulinumtoxina | 99 | $134,621 |
| Aimovig AutoinjectorErenumab-Aooe | 165 | $134,385 |
| Nurtec OdtRimegepant Sulfate | 99 | $127,107 |
| Avonex Pen (4 Pack)Interferon Beta-1a | 11 | $91,387 |
Paid to pharmacies, not to this prescriber.
Companies that both paid and supply prescribed drugs
These companies both reported payments to this provider and make drugs the provider prescribed under Medicare Part D in 2024. For most specialties this overlap is expected — a cardiologist who is paid by a cardiology drugmaker also treats heart disease. It is shown so the reader can see it, not because it implies anything on its own.
| Company | Paid to this provider | Part D cost of their drugs |
|---|---|---|
| CSL BehringPrivigen | $3,157 | $1,496,54870 claims |
| Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.Gammagard Liquid | $46 | $911,377107 claims |
| PfizerPanzyga, Octagam, Nurtec Odt, Eliquis | $1,124 | $728,096154 claims |
| Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.Austedo, Austedo Xr | $1,004 | $458,38850 claims |
| AbbVieQulipta, Botox, Ubrelvy | $34,370 | $367,135317 claims |
| Grifols USA, LLCGamunex-C | $135 | $179,88713 claims |
| Acadia Pharmaceuticals IncNuplazid | $919 | $159,42633 claims |
| UCB, Inc.Neupro, Briviact, Vimpat | $1,391 | $120,353119 claims |
| Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.Aptiom | $523 | $44,84625 claims |
| Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.Nuedexta | $175 | $17,75612 claims |
| Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.Rexulti | $256 | $17,07613 claims |
| Eisai Inc.Fycompa | $939 | $14,73712 claims |
Reading this fairly. The Part D column is what drug plans and patients paid pharmacies — this provider received none of it, and it reflects how many patients they treat and what those drugs cost. Against peers, this provider's reported payments sit in the 90th percentile of 255 neurology providers in Alabama.
Other neurology in Birmingham
- Diane CounceBirmingham$895K
- Emily RiserBirmingham$231K
- Wesley KingBirmingham$167K
- Jerzy SzaflarskiBirmingham$164K
- Victor SungBirmingham$138K
- Raymond FaughtBirmingham$99K
- David GeldmacherBirmingham$99K
- David StandaertBirmingham$82K
- Mina LobbousBirmingham$49K
- Harrison WalkerBirmingham$49K
Where these figures come from
- Payments: CMS Open Payments, program years 2019–2025 (publication P06302026_06032026).
- Billing: Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners, data year 2024. Original Medicare Part B only.
- Identity: NPPES NPI Registry, July 2026.