Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Robert Kule, M.D.

Ophthalmology · San Mateo, CA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
101 S SAN MATEO DR STE 306, San Mateo, CA 94401
6506967070
In practice since 2010 (15 years)
NPI: 1235455197 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. Kule 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. Kule

Dr. Robert Kule is an ophthalmology specialist in San Mateo, CA, with 15 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Kule performed 1,723 Medicare services across 1,101 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Kule received a total of $2,101 from 14 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 70 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in ophthalmology. 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. Kule 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.

✓ 15 years in practice ▲ 1,723 Medicare services $2,101 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
1,723
Medicare services
Bottom 48% in CA for ophthalmology
1,101
Unique beneficiaries
$67
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~115 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
Eye exam, established patient, focused
A limited examination of the visual system for an existing patient. The provider focuses on a specific eye-related concern or symptom.
903 $79 $211
Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan)
Imaging of the optic nerve.
280 $31 $145
Visual field test, extended
A test that maps your complete field of vision to detect blind spots or peripheral vision loss. Extended testing provides a more detailed assessment than a standard visual field exam.
277 $57 $183
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.
69 $105 $254
Eye drainage system examination
An examination of the internal drainage system of the eye to assess how fluid flows and drains from the eye.
56 $25 $100
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.
39 $136 $373
Comprehensive eye exam, established patient
A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a patient who has previously been seen by the provider.
34 $116 $255
Ultrasound scan of cornea to determine thickness
An ultrasound procedure used to measure the thickness of the cornea.
28 $10 $41
Corneal topography and eye depth measurement
This procedure measures the curvature and depth of the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye.
21 $37 $242
Retinal photography (fundus photo)
This procedure involves taking photographs of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. It is used to document the condition of the eye's interior structures.
16 $34 $175
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.

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$2,101
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $300/year across 7 years
Top 42% in CA for ophthalmology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
14
Companies
70
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.

Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$2,101 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$541
2023
$697
2022
$129
2021
$210
2020
$114
2019
$146
2018
$263

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Alcon Vision LLC
$204
Sight Sciences, Inc.
$174
RxSight Inc
$114
ABBVIE INC.
$27
Thea Pharma Inc.
$22
Top 3 companies account for 90.9% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Alcon Vision LLC
$637
Sight Sciences, Inc.
$284
Allergan Inc.
$260
Allergan, Inc.
$244
Genentech USA, Inc.
$149
Alcon Laboratories Inc
$125
RxSight Inc
$114
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$112
ABBVIE INC.
$50
Bausch & Lomb, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$46
Thea Pharma Inc.
$22
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$21
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
$19
Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc.
$18
Top 3 companies account for 56.2% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
CyPass · DURYSTA · EYSUVIS · IYUZEH · LUMIGAN · None Specified · OMNI SURGICAL SYSTEM · RXSIGHT CONTACT LENS · Rocklatan · Simbrinza · Tecnis IOL · VYZULTA · XELPROS · XEN GLAUCOMA TREATMENT SYSTEM
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 →

Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Looking for an ophthalmology specialist in San Mateo?
Compare ophthalmologists in the San Mateo area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse ophthalmologists nearby

Geographic Context

Ophthalmologists within 10 mi
448
Per 100K population
60.1
County median income
$156,000
Nearest hospital
SAN MATEO MEDICAL CENTER
2.7 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. Kule is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement, with 15 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. Kule experienced with eye exam, established patient, focused?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Kule performed 903 eye exam, established patient, focused 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. Kule receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Kule received a total of $2,101 from 14 companies across 70 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. Kule's costs compare to other ophthalmologists in San Mateo?
Dr. Kule's average Medicare payment per service is $67. 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. Kule) 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.

Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology

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 →