Robert McKowen, MD
Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) · Houston, TXNPI 1861534828
Payments from drug & device makers
What this record shows
Almost everything reported here is food and beverage — 100.0% of the total across 23 separate payments, which is the pattern of a clinician who attends manufacturer presentations rather than one with a consulting arrangement. 15 manufacturers reported payments, led by W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. at 27.3% of the total. That places this record below the midpoint for thoracic surgery (cardiothoracic vascular surgery) clinicians in TX, where the typical reported total is $5,866.
Across 23 payments — averaging $33.26 each. Meals, travel, consulting and speaking fees, gifts and royalties reported by drug and device makers.
- W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.$209
- Angiodynamics, Inc.$68
- Medinc Of Texas$65
- Edwards Lifesciences$65
- Johnson & Johnson$48
- Baxter Healthcare$46
- plus $265 from 9 others
What the payments were for
- Food & beverage$765100%
Most of this is food and beverage — typically meals provided during product presentations at a clinic or hospital. Nationally that is the single largest category of reported payments by count.
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.
| Company | Payments | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. | 5 | $209 |
| Angiodynamics, Inc. | 2 | $68 |
| Medinc Of Texas | 2 | $65 |
| Edwards Lifesciences | 1 | $65 |
| Johnson & Johnson | 3 | $48 |
| Baxter Healthcare | 1 | $46 |
| Endologix LLC | 1 | $37 |
| Surmodics, Inc. | 1 | $34 |
| Medtronic | 1 | $32 |
| Bone Support Inc. | 1 | $31 |
| Abiomed | 1 | $31 |
| Acera Surgical, Inc. | 1 | $28 |
| Cook Medical LLC | 1 | $25 |
| Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation Inc. | 1 | $24 |
| Merck | 1 | $23 |
How this compares
$765 in reported general payments places this provider in the 15th percentile of 424 thoracic surgery (cardiothoracic vascular surgery) providers in Texas.
See all thoracic surgery (cardiothoracic vascular surgery) providers in Texas →
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 |
|---|---|---|
| EliquisApixaban | 11 | $6,797 |
| ClopidogrelClopidogrel Bisulfate | 101 | $1,207 |
| Enoxaparin Sodium | 29 | $602 |
| Hydrocodone-AcetaminophenHydrocodone/Acetaminophen | 34 | $379 |
| Metoprolol Tartrate | 18 | $83 |
| Cilostazol | 12 | $57 |
| Tramadol Hcl | 19 | $47 |
Paid to pharmacies, not to this prescriber.
Other thoracic surgery (cardiothoracic vascular surgery) in Houston
- Michael ReardonHouston$713K
- Danny RamzyHouston$527K
- Randall WolfHouston$283K
- Min KimHouston$185K
- Marc MoonHouston$142K
- Ismael Salas de ArmasHouston$121K
- Shawn GrothHouston$110K
- Mahesh RamchandaniHouston$110K
- Gabriel LoorHouston$106K
- Mara AntonoffHouston$104K
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.