Medicare Enrolled

Dr. William Fulton, D.O.

Surgery · Fairfield, CA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Speaking/Promotional
1860 PENNSYLVANIA AVE, Fairfield, CA 94533
7076464180
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1497831564 verify on NPPES ↗
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 Dr. Fulton 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 →
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What this data tells you about Dr. Fulton

Dr. William Fulton is a surgery specialist in Fairfield, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Fulton performed 753 Medicare services across 618 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Fulton received a total of $34,803 from 42 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 222 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in surgery. The majority of payments are for speaking programs and promotional activities, reflecting participation in industry-sponsored events. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.

The Data Coverage level for Dr. Fulton 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.

✓ 19 years in practice ▲ Top 12% volume in CA $34,803 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
753
Medicare services
Top 12% in CA for surgery
618
Unique beneficiaries
$121
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~40 Medicare services per year of practice

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
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.
220 $102 $292
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.
182 $148 $565
Prolonged inpatient or observation care, each additional 15 minutes
This code is used for prolonged hospital inpatient or observation care services that extend beyond the total time required for the primary evaluation and management service. It covers each additional 15-minute increment of time spent by the provider.
118 $27 $87
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.
53 $153 $423
Critical care, first 30-74 min
Emergency medical care for a critically ill or injured patient lasting between 30 and 74 minutes. This service involves direct patient care and medical decision making to stabilize the patient.
26 $182 $796
Additional 30 minutes of critical care
This code represents an additional 30 minutes of critical care services provided beyond the initial critical care time period.
23 $91 $345
New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) 22 $195 $595
Endoscopic insertion of stomach tube
A flexible endoscope is used to guide the placement of a tube into the stomach.
19 $115 $565
Insertion of tunneled central venous catheter for infusion, age 5+
A surgical procedure to place a long-term catheter into a large vein for delivering medications or fluids. The catheter is tunneled under the skin to reduce infection risk and provide stable access for patients aged 5 and older.
15 $185 $2,550
Insertion of non-tunneled central venous catheter
A procedure to place a central venous catheter for infusion in patients aged 5 years or older. The catheter is inserted directly into a large vein without being tunneled under the skin.
13 $70 $636
Gallbladder removal with bile duct X-ray
Surgical removal of the gallbladder combined with an X-ray study of the bile ducts performed using an endoscope.
13 $531 $1,996
Endoscopic insertion of abdominal cavity tube
A tube is placed into the abdominal cavity using an endoscope, which is a flexible instrument with a camera used to guide the procedure.
13 $309 $1,081
Prolonged office E/M service, first 15 minutes
This code is used for additional time spent by a physician beyond the maximum required time of a primary office or outpatient evaluation and management service. It is billed in 15-minute increments based on total time spent on the date of the primary service.
13 $28 $84
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.
12 $64 $342
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.
11 $136 $472
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. A higher procedure volume generally indicates more experience with that procedure.
3.7% high complexity
0.0% medium
96.3% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$34,803
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $4,972/year across 7 years
Top 7% in CA for surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
42
Companies
222
Individual payments
All payments are legal and publicly reported · Not evidence of wrongdoing · How to interpret →

Payment profile

Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.

Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$22,042 (63.3%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$12,761 (36.7%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$7,578
2023
$1,155
2022
$1,846
2021
$630
2020
$7,724
2019
$14,773
2018
$1,097

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
TELA Bio, Inc.
$3,217
INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
$2,408
Becton, Dickinson and Company
$1,171
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$257
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$122
Solventum Corporation
$111
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$64
Davol Inc.
$52
Boston Scientific Corporation
$44
Medtronic, Inc.
$30
CSL Behring
$22
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$20
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
$19
Ethicon US, LLC
$14
Integra LifeSciences Corporation
$14
Electromed, Inc.
$14
Top 3 companies account for 89.7% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
$20,963
TELA Bio, Inc.
$3,393
INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
$2,408
Davol Inc.
$1,604
Becton, Dickinson and Company
$1,171
DAVOL INC.
$1,012
Covidien LP
$522
Medical Device Business Services, Inc.
$485
C. R. BARD, INC. & SUBSIDIARIES
$449
Ethicon US, LLC
$448
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$278
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$172
Integra LifeSciences Corporation
$170
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$157
CONMED Corporation
$142
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$127
BAXTER HEALTHCARE
$125
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$122
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$119
Solventum Corporation
$111
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$87
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$86
CSL Behring
$80
Medtronic, Inc.
$76
PRESCIENT SURGICAL
$67
PolyNovo North America LLC
$53
180 Medical, Inc.
$50
Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc.
$45
Boston Scientific Corporation
$44
United Therapeutics Corporation
$32
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$29
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC
$25
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
$19
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$17
Amgen Inc.
$17
Heron Therapeutics, Inc.
$17
Stryker Corporation
$16
Sagent Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$15
Hologic Sales and Service, LLC
$14
Electromed, Inc.
$14
UroGen Pharma, Inc.
$12
KLS-Martin L.P.
$10
Top 3 companies account for 76.9% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AIM (ADVANCED IMAGING MODALITY) · AIRSEAL · ANDEXXA · AREXVY · CURE CATHETER · CoolSeal Generator · DAVINCI XI · DUPIXENT · Da Vinci Surgical System · ENTRESTO · ERLEADA · ETHICON · Echelon Flex · Enseal X1 · Exparel · GATTEX · GENTLECATH · Glydo · Integra · JELMYTO · Kcentra · LithoVue · MATRIXRIB · MYRISK · NUCALA · OFEV · OPSUMIT · ORENITRAM · OviTex 2S · OviTex Reinforced Bioscaffold With Permanent Polymer (OviTex) · PHASIX · PREVENA · Parietex · Phasix · Phasix Mesh · Progel · Prolaris · Renal - PD · SIGNIA · SMARTVEST · STRATAFIX · Signia · Smoflipid · SpeediCath · SpyGlass Discover · Surgicel Powder · TEZSPIRE · TRELEGY ELLIPTA · UPTRAVI · VENTRIO · VISTASEAL · XARELTO · Zynrelef · superDimension
Should you be concerned? Payments from pharmaceutical and device companies are legal and common — 57% of U.S. physicians receive at least one. They often reflect legitimate consulting, research, or education. 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 →

The majority of payments (63%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in surgery and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 7% for surgery in CA.

Looking for a surgery specialist in Fairfield?
Compare surgerists in the Fairfield area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Surgerists within 10 mi
83
Per 100K population
18.4
County median income
$99,994
Nearest hospital
NORTHBAY MEDICAL CENTER
0.0 mi

Data Sources

Provider Registry NPPES Weekly updates
Medicare Enrollment PECOS Monthly updates
Practice Data Medicare Util. Annual (CY lag)
Industry Payments Open Payments CY 2024
Disciplinary History — Not public 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

Dr. Fulton is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 12% in CA), with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 7% of CA peers, with 19 years of NPI registration.

This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dr. Fulton experienced with hospital follow-up visit, high complexity?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Fulton performed 220 hospital follow-up visit, high complexity services. Research suggests that higher procedure volume is often associated with better outcomes, particularly for complex procedures. Note that Medicare data only captures patients aged 65 and older, so the total practice volume across all patients is likely higher.
Does Dr. Fulton receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Fulton received a total of $34,803 from 42 companies across 222 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common among physicians — 57% of all U.S. physicians receive at least one industry payment. Patients may wish to ask their doctor about these relationships, especially if a recommended drug or device appears in the payment records.
How do Dr. Fulton's costs compare to other surgerists in Fairfield?
Dr. Fulton's average Medicare payment per service is $121. 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 Dr. Fulton) 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 a long track record of practice, Medicare participation, and industry disclosure. 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?
Each data source has its own update cycle. Provider registry data (NPPES) is updated weekly. Medicare enrollment (PECOS) is updated monthly. Medicare practice data has a ~2 year lag — the most recent available is typically 2 years prior. Industry payment data (Open Payments) is published annually, usually in June, covering the prior calendar year. We display the data date prominently on each section so you always know how current it is. See our data freshness policy →
About this page

All data on this page is sourced verbatim from public federal records published by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): 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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Data Disclaimer — Data sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), Open Payments program, Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, and Provider Enrollment & Certification data (PECOS). Published under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Data may contain errors as reported to CMS by providers and reporting entities. Payments from industry are legal and do not indicate wrongdoing. Medicare data reflects only patients aged 65+ or those with qualifying disabilities. For corrections, contact CMS directly. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a healthcare provider. Procedure descriptions use plain language and do not reference CPT® codes, which are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Full methodology → · Report a data error → · Privacy policy →