Dr. Daniel H. Bessesen, MD
Endocrinology & Diabetes (Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism Physician)
At a glance
- Medical school
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver (1982)
- Years since graduation
- 44
- In the NPI registry since
- 2006
Licensed in Colorado since 1986, according to the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. We show license dates only for the states that publish them in bulk; see which states do. For other states, check the state medical board.
The NPI date is when this clinician registered for a National Provider Identifier, the billing number used on health claims. It is not a license, graduation or board-certification date. NPIs were first issued in May 2005 and became required on claims in 2007–2008, so an early date usually means the clinician was already in practice before then. What an NPI is
Education and training
- 1982Medical school: University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver
- 2006Registered with an NPI (national billing number; not a license date) — NPIs began in 2005, so practice likely started earlier
Undergraduate school, residency, fellowship, licensing exams and board certification aren’t in public federal data. Board certification can be confirmed with the certifying board (ABMS member boards for MDs, AOA boards for DOs).
Specialties and state licenses
-
Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism Physician primary
CO license 27680 (first issued 1986; active)
As reported to the NPI registry. To confirm a license is current, check the state medical board.
Where they work
Hospitals
- Denver Health & Hospital Authority Denver, CO
Medical groups
- Denver Health and Hospital Authority (849 clinicians)
Hospitals this clinician lists with Medicare, and groups they bill Medicare through (Care Compare). Affiliation doesn’t mean they see patients at every location.
Medicare prescriptions
| Drug | Prescriptions |
|---|---|
| Levothyroxine Sodium Other prescribers in Denver, CO | 25 |
| Trulicity (dulaglutide) Other prescribers in Denver, CO | 19 |
| Teriparatide | 15 |
| Crysvita (burosumab-twza) | 13 |
| Ozempic (semaglutide) Other prescribers in Denver, CO | 13 |
| Atorvastatin Calcium Other prescribers in Denver, CO | 12 |
| Insulin Aspart Flexpen (insulin aspart) Other prescribers in Denver, CO | 12 |
Prescriptions filled under Medicare Part D, including refills. CMS leaves out drugs prescribed fewer than 11 times.
Payments from drug and device companies
In 2025, 4 companies reported 18 payments worth $17,634 in total to this clinician.
| Eli Lilly and Company | $12,850 |
|---|---|
| Lilly USA, LLC | $4,400 |
| Chiesi USA, Inc. | $325 |
| Novo Nordisk Inc | $58.73 |
| Food and Beverage | $10,063 |
|---|---|
| Consulting Fee | $6,050 |
| Travel and Lodging | $1,196 |
| Honoraria | $325 |
What the payments were for
| Company | What it was for | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lilly USA, LLC Nov 20, 2025 | Consulting Fee | $2,200 |
| Lilly USA, LLC Dec 10, 2025 | Consulting Fee | $2,200 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Jun 20, 2025 | Consulting Fee | $1,650 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, CO · in-kind | $361 |
| Chiesi USA, Inc. Dec 30, 2025 | Honoraria MYALEPT · GENERALIZED LIPODYSTROPHY | $325 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, TX · in-kind | $269 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, TX · in-kind | $269 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, TX · in-kind Company’s descriptionGROUND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES FOR A RESEARCH RELATED MEETING WHICH MAY HAVE LASTED MULTIPLE DAYS | $121 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, TX · in-kind Company’s descriptionGROUND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES FOR A RESEARCH RELATED MEETING WHICH MAY HAVE LASTED MULTIPLE DAYS | $66.00 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, TX · in-kind | $46.06 |
All 16 payments other than meals, newest first
| Company | What it was for | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chiesi USA, Inc. Dec 30, 2025 | Honoraria MYALEPT · GENERALIZED LIPODYSTROPHY | $325 |
| Lilly USA, LLC Dec 10, 2025 | Consulting Fee | $2,200 |
| Lilly USA, LLC Nov 20, 2025 | Consulting Fee | $2,200 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Jun 20, 2025 | Consulting Fee | $1,650 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, CO · in-kind | $361 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, TX · in-kind | $269 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, TX · in-kind | $269 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, TX · in-kind Company’s descriptionGROUND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES FOR A RESEARCH RELATED MEETING WHICH MAY HAVE LASTED MULTIPLE DAYS | $121 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, TX · in-kind Company’s descriptionGROUND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES FOR A RESEARCH RELATED MEETING WHICH MAY HAVE LASTED MULTIPLE DAYS | $66.00 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, TX · in-kind | $46.06 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, TX · in-kind | $45.73 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, TX · in-kind Company’s descriptionGROUND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES FOR A RESEARCH RELATED MEETING WHICH MAY HAVE LASTED MULTIPLE DAYS | $9.38 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, TX · in-kind Company’s descriptionGROUND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES FOR A RESEARCH RELATED MEETING WHICH MAY HAVE LASTED MULTIPLE DAYS | $5.09 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, TX · in-kind | $1.99 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, TX · in-kind Company’s descriptionGROUND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES FOR A RESEARCH RELATED MEETING WHICH MAY HAVE LASTED MULTIPLE DAYS | $1.49 |
| Eli Lilly and Company Feb 3, 2025 | Travel and Lodging travel to HOUSTON, TX · in-kind Company’s descriptionGROUND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES FOR A RESEARCH RELATED MEETING WHICH MAY HAVE LASTED MULTIPLE DAYS | $0.56 |
Each payment as the company reported it, with the products it named. Meals are counted in the totals above but not listed one by one.
From CMS Open Payments. A payment is not evidence of wrongdoing; many are for consulting, teaching or meals. Clinicians can review and dispute their records with CMS.
Industry-funded research
Named as a principal investigator on 4 industry-funded studies in 2025, from 2 companies. The companies reported $794,519 in research payments for these studies, mostly to the institutions running them.
- A Study of Retatrutide (LY3437943) in the Maintenance of Weight Reduction in Individuals With Obesity
Eli Lilly and Company · Active, not recruiting · NCT06859268 - A Study of Retatrutide (LY3437943) in Participants Who Have Obesity or Overweight
Eli Lilly and Company · Completed · NCT05929066 - A phase 2A randomized doubleblind sponsoropen placebocontrolled parallel group doseranging study of PF07976016 to assess safety and efficacy in adult participants with obesity
Pfizer Inc. - A phase 3B, randomized, double-blinded, placebo- controlled study to evaluate retatrutide treatment in the maintenance of weight reduction in individuals with obesity (TRIUMPH-6)
Eli Lilly and Company
From CMS Open Payments research payments, where companies name up to five principal investigators per payment. Research payments usually go to hospitals, universities and research sites, not to the investigator personally. A payment is not evidence of wrongdoing.