Dr. Michele Schulz, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Schulz
Dr. Michele Schulz is an orthopedic surgery specialist in Fresno, CA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Schulz performed 9,522 Medicare services across 3,238 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Schulz received a total of $1,474 from 14 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 31 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in orthopedic surgery. Most payments are for meals and travel — low-value interactions common across virtually all practicing physicians. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Schulz 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.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joint lubricant injection (TriVisc) An injection of hyaluronan or a derivative into a joint space. The dose specified is 1 milligram. |
4,000 | $7 | $57 |
| Joint lubricant injection (Durolane) An injection of hyaluronan or its derivative, specifically Durolane, administered directly into a joint space. |
1,380 | $5 | $31 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
550 | $57 | $259 |
| Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg | 478 | $6 | $22 |
| Knee X-ray, 3 views An X-ray imaging test of the knee joint that captures three different angles to evaluate the bones and surrounding structures. |
448 | $33 | $130 |
| Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) A follow-up office visit for an existing patient lasting between 30 and 39 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
441 | $96 | $405 |
| Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting between 20 and 29 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
422 | $68 | $285 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
213 | $8 | $21 |
| Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report. |
195 | $11 | $76 |
| Chest X-ray, 2 views An X-ray imaging test of the chest that captures two different angles to visualize the lungs, heart, and chest wall. |
185 | $22 | $107 |
| MRI of leg joint, without contrast A magnetic resonance imaging scan of a joint in the leg performed without the use of contrast dye. |
168 | $84 | $391 |
| 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. |
157 | $122 | $521 |
| Hip X-ray, 2-3 views An X-ray imaging test of the hip joint using two to three different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
140 | $37 | $170 |
| Bupivacaine injection, 0.5 mg An injection of bupivacaine, a local anesthetic, administered in a dose of 0.5 mg. |
123 | $0 | $60 |
| Shoulder X-ray, 2+ views An X-ray imaging test of the shoulder joint using at least two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
117 | $28 | $110 |
| Total knee replacement | 89 | $1,026 | $3,952 |
| Knee arthrotomy with cartilage removal Surgical opening of the knee joint to remove damaged cartilage from the front and back areas. |
88 | $314 | $3,800 |
| MRI of arm joint, without contrast An MRI scan uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed images of the arm joint. This specific procedure is performed without the use of a contrast dye. |
71 | $80 | $649 |
| Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
47 | $44 | $176 |
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range. |
35 | $80 | $350 |
| Hyaluronan gel injection for joint An injection of hyaluronan gel into a joint to supplement joint fluid. This procedure is administered as a single dose. |
32 | $407 | $1,595 |
| Total hip replacement Surgical procedure to replace the thigh bone and hip joint with artificial components. |
28 | $1,038 | $6,500 |
| MRI of lower spine, without contrast A magnetic resonance imaging scan of the lower spinal canal that does not use contrast dye to create detailed images of the spine. |
26 | $80 | $340 |
| Arthroscopic removal of knee cartilage A minimally invasive surgical procedure to remove damaged or loose pieces of cartilage from the knee joint using a small camera and instruments inserted through tiny incisions. |
21 | $441 | $3,400 |
| Arthroscopic shoulder debridement A minimally invasive procedure to remove damaged or abnormal tissue from the shoulder joint using a small camera and instruments. |
16 | $357 | $3,600 |
| Arthroscopic shoulder surgery for bone shaving and ligament repair A minimally invasive procedure using a small camera to shave part of the shoulder bone and repair a ligament. |
16 | $137 | $4,100 |
| X-ray of both hips, 3-4 views An X-ray imaging test that captures 3 to 4 views of both hip joints to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
13 | $47 | $328 |
| Ultrasound-guided large joint aspiration or injection This procedure uses ultrasound imaging to guide the removal of fluid from or the injection of medication into a large joint. |
12 | $77 | $312 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, 2-3 views An X-ray imaging test that captures 2 to 3 views of the lower back and sacral spine to visualize the bones and joints in this area. |
11 | $35 | $127 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2024)
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
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. Schulz is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 3% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 20 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
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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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