Dr. Michael Blam, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Blam
Dr. Michael Blam is a gastroenterology specialist in Long Beach, CA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Blam performed 1,295 Medicare services across 777 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Blam received a total of $1,625 from 10 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 83 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in gastroenterology. 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. Blam 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
753 | $64 | $150 |
| 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. |
278 | $141 | $417 |
| Upper GI endoscopy with biopsy A procedure to collect tissue samples from the esophagus, stomach, or upper small intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities. |
103 | $96 | $793 |
| Colonoscopy A diagnostic exam of the large bowel using a flexible endoscope to visualize the interior of the colon. |
38 | $131 | $901 |
| 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. |
38 | $91 | $229 |
| Colonoscopy with biopsy A procedure to collect tissue samples from the large intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities or disease. |
27 | $140 | $1,057 |
| Upper endoscopy (EGD) A diagnostic exam of the esophagus, stomach, and upper small bowel using a flexible endoscope. |
23 | $93 | $686 |
| Endoscopic insertion of stomach tube A flexible endoscope is used to guide the placement of a tube into the stomach. |
18 | $156 | $551 |
| 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. |
17 | $76 | $154 |
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
1.2 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. Blam is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 23% 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
Is Dr. Blam experienced with hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity?
Does Dr. Blam receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Blam's costs compare to other gastroenterologists in Long Beach?
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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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