Ariel M. Velasco, M.D.
NPI 1851361703ActiveIndividual· Internal Medicine, Nephrology· Houston, TX
Internal Medicine, Nephrology (M.D.) with Houston Nephrology Group, P.A., practicing in Houston, Texas. Their prescriptions cost Medicare Part D more than their services did: $558,413 for 2,853 claims, against $185,473 paid for services in 2024. Travere Therapeutics, Inc. was the largest of 9 companies reporting payments in 2025, $353.77 in all, mostly food and beverage. Lists Columbus Community Hospital and 3 other hospitals as hospital affiliations.
Overview
| NPI | 1851361703 |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Entity type | Individual |
| Credential | M.D. |
| Sole proprietor | No |
| NPI issued | Jan 24, 2006 |
| Last updated in NPPES | Nov 18, 2025 |
| Certified by provider | Nov 18, 2025 |
Specialties and licenses
| Taxonomy | Code | License | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal Medicine, Nephrology Primary | 207RN0300X | K1712 | TX |
Exclusion screening
| List | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| HHS-OIG LEIE · Nov 10, 2026 | No match | Checked by NPI and by name + state |
| North Carolina Medicaid · Nov 11, 2026 | No match | — |
| New York OMIG · Nov 11, 2026 | No match | — |
| Ohio Medicaid · Nov 11, 2026 | No match | — |
| Pennsylvania Medicheck · Nov 11, 2026 | No match | — |
| Washington HCA · Nov 11, 2026 | No match | — |
Official OIG search · How matching works ·Bulk check a roster
Medicare
| Enrollment (PECOS) | Enrolled Practitioner - Nephrology (TX) |
|---|---|
| Accepts assignment | Yes (participating) |
Medicare services in 2024
| Medicare patients | 449 |
|---|---|
| Services billed | 2,901 across 19 procedure codes |
| Paid by Medicare | $185,473 |
Part D prescriptions in 2024
| Prescriptions (claims) | 2,853 · 7,090 30-day fills |
|---|---|
| Patients | 492 |
| Total drug cost | $558,413 |
| Generic share | 83% of claims |
Education and affiliations
| Graduation year | 1989 |
|---|---|
| Medicare specialty | Nephrology |
| Secondary specialties | Internal Medicine |
| Telehealth | Offers telehealth |
Medical group
- Houston Nephrology Group, P.A.Houston, TX · 9 clinicians
Hospital affiliations
- Columbus Community HospitalColumbus, TX
- Memorial Hermann - Texas Medical CenterHouston, TX
- Memorial Hermann Katy HospitalKaty, TX
- Memorial Hermann Memorial City HospitalHouston, TX
Other facilities
- Davita Bear Creek DialysisDialysis facility · Houston, TX
- Davita City Center DialysisDialysis facility · Houston, TX
- Davita Memorial Dialysis CenterDialysis facility · Houston, TX
- Davita West Houston Home DialysisDialysis facility · Houston, TX
- Spring Branch DialysisDialysis facility · Houston, TX
Industry payments (Open Payments)
- 2025$353.77 · 16 payments from 9 companies
- 2024$253.33 · 12 payments from 7 companies
Top paying companies in 2025
| Company | Amount | Payments |
|---|---|---|
| Travere Therapeutics, Inc. | $105.00 | 5 |
| Calliditas Therapeutics US Inc. | $60.60 | 2 |
| Vifor Pharma, Inc. | $56.14 | 2 |
| Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | $37.40 | 2 |
| Astrazeneca Pharmaceuticals LP | $27.85 | 1 |
What the 2025 payments were for
- Food and Beverage$352.11 · 15 payments
- Education$1.66 · 1 payment
Receiving payments does not imply wrongdoing. What Open Payments covers ·original records
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