Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Brittany Buhalog, M.D.
Dermatology · Santa Barbara, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
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. Buhalog 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. Buhalog
Dr. Brittany Buhalog is a dermatology specialist in Santa Barbara, CA, with 10 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Buhalog performed 1,530 Medicare services across 1,307 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Buhalog received a total of $4,194 from 26 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 101 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in dermatology. 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. Buhalog 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.
✓ 10 years in practice
▲ 1,530 Medicare services
$4,194 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,530
Medicare services
Bottom 37% in CA for dermatology
Lower Medicare volume may reflect subspecialty focus, hospital-based work, or a higher share of non-Medicare patients.
1,307
Unique beneficiaries
$254
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~153 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skin growth removal and lab exam, 1-5 blocks This procedure involves the removal of a growth from the head, neck, hands, feet, or genitals. The removed tissue is then examined under a microscope in the laboratory. |
343 | $422 | $2,091 |
| Removal and microscopic exam of growth of head, neck, hands, feet, or genitals, each additional stage, 1-5 tissue blocks | 192 | $319 | $1,171 |
| 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. |
158 | $72 | $163 |
| Tissue pathology examination, moderate complexity A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope to analyze cellular details. This intermediate complexity procedure involves specialized techniques to identify abnormalities in the tissue. |
136 | $57 | $126 |
| Complicated wound repair, 2.6-7.5 cm A complex surgical procedure to close a wound measuring between 2.6 and 7.5 centimeters on areas such as the face, neck, hands, or feet. |
109 | $188 | $1,325 |
| 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. |
87 | $41 | $121 |
| Skin growth removal and lab exam, 1-5 blocks A procedure to remove a growth from the trunk, arms, or legs and send 1 to 5 tissue samples to a laboratory for microscopic examination. |
72 | $504 | $1,369 |
| Complicated wound repair, scalp/arms/legs, 2.6-7.5 cm A complex surgical procedure to close a wound on the scalp, arms, or legs that measures between 2.6 and 7.5 centimeters in length. |
60 | $184 | $1,009 |
| Skin graft repair of eyelid, nose, ear, or lip, 10 sq cm or less A surgical procedure to repair a wound on the eyelid, nose, ear, or lip by transferring a small piece of skin. The transferred skin covers an area of 10 square centimeters or less. |
52 | $536 | $3,004 |
| Destruction of precancerous skin growth, 1 Removal of a single precancerous skin growth. This procedure destroys abnormal skin cells to prevent them from developing into cancer. |
36 | $29 | $165 |
| Full thickness skin graft to nose, ears, eyelids, or lips, 20 sq cm or less A surgical procedure where a full layer of skin is taken from a donor site and transplanted to the nose, ears, eyelids, or lips. The graft covers an area of 20 square centimeters or less. |
34 | $786 | $2,550 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
30 | $1 | $3 |
| Injection into skin growths, 1-7 A procedure involving the injection of medication into one to seven skin growths. |
28 | $39 | $169 |
| 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. |
27 | $103 | $226 |
| Skin biopsy, tangential A procedure to remove a sample of the first identified skin growth for laboratory examination. |
25 | $65 | $276 |
| Simple repair of small surface wound A minor surgical procedure to close a small cut or wound on the scalp, neck, trunk, arms, or legs that is 2.5 cm or less in length. |
23 | $39 | $169 |
| Additional Mohs surgery stage with microscopic exam This procedure involves the removal and microscopic examination of an additional stage of tissue from the trunk, arms, or legs. It is performed in stages to ensure complete removal of the growth. |
19 | $320 | $760 |
| Complex repair of eyelid, nose, ear, or lip wound, 2.6-7.5 cm A surgical procedure to repair a complex wound on the eyelid, nose, ear, or lip that measures between 2.6 and 7.5 centimeters. |
18 | $199 | $1,384 |
| Complicated wound repair of trunk, 2.6-7.5 cm A surgical procedure to close a complex wound on the trunk that measures between 2.6 and 7.5 centimeters in length. |
16 | $239 | $1,134 |
| Intermediate repair of wound of face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, or mouth, 2.6-5.0 cm | 15 | $130 | $963 |
| Intermediate wound repair, 2.6-7.5 cm A medical procedure to close a wound on the scalp, underarms, trunk, arms, or legs that measures between 2.6 and 7.5 centimeters. This type of repair involves cleaning the wound and stitching it closed to promote healing. |
13 | $152 | $701 |
| Skin graft repair of eyelid, nose, ear, or lip, 10.1-30 sq cm This procedure involves repairing a wound on the eyelid, nose, ear, or lip by transferring skin from another area. The graft size covered is between 10.1 and 30.0 square centimeters. |
13 | $746 | $3,405 |
| Complicated wound repair, each additional 5 cm or less This code covers the additional work for a complex surgical repair of a wound on the scalp, arms, or legs when the repair extends beyond the initial measurement. It is billed for each incremental 5-centimeter segment added to the primary procedure. |
12 | $103 | $262 |
| Intraoperative pathology examination, first tissue block A pathologist examines a tissue sample removed during surgery to provide a preliminary diagnosis. This test is performed on the first tissue block obtained from the procedure. |
12 | $82 | $222 |
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.
1.2% high complexity
5.4% medium
93.3% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$4,194
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,049/year across 4 years
Top 32% in CA for dermatology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
26
Companies
101
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
$4,018 (95.8%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$177 (4.2%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,639
2023
$965
2019
$514
2018
$77
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$316
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$315
ABBVIE INC.
$293
Lilly USA, LLC
$290
Dermavant Sciences, Inc.
$272
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$222
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$192
Incyte Corporation
$179
Amgen Inc.
$134
LEO Pharma Inc.
$112
Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc.
$93
Galderma Laboratories, L.P.
$83
Ortho Dermatologics, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$55
UCB, Inc.
$36
GENZYME CORPORATION
$32
Biofrontera Inc.
$9
Kerecis Limited
$6
Top 3 companies account for 35.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$492
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$469
Lilly USA, LLC
$390
ABBVIE INC.
$293
Dermavant Sciences, Inc.
$272
Incyte Corporation
$232
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$222
Organogenesis Inc.
$215
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$192
AbbVie, Inc.
$169
GENZYME CORPORATION
$162
Amgen Inc.
$134
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$131
AbbVie Inc.
$130
Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc.
$116
LEO Pharma Inc.
$112
Novo Nordisk Inc
$111
Allergan Inc.
$97
Galderma Laboratories, L.P.
$83
Ortho Dermatologics, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$55
UCB, Inc.
$36
Genentech USA, Inc.
$25
DERMIRA, INC.
$24
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$20
Biofrontera Inc.
$9
Kerecis Limited
$6
Top 3 companies account for 32.2% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ADBRY · AMELUZ · Bimzelx · DUPIXENT · EBGLYSS · Erivedge · Humira · ILUMYA · Kerecis Omega3 SurgiClose · LIBTAYO · OPZELURA · Odomzo · Otezla · Puraply · QBREXZA · RINVOQ · SILIQ · SKYRIZI · SPEVIGO · Sotyktu · TALTZ · TREMFYA · Tremfya · VTAMA · Winlevi · Zoryve
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 (96%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Dermatologists within 10 mi
32
Per 100K population
7.2
County median income
$95,977
Nearest hospital
SANTA BARBARA COTTAGE HOSPITAL
0.0 mi
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. Buhalog is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Buhalog experienced with skin growth removal and lab exam, 1-5 blocks?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Buhalog performed 343 skin growth removal and lab exam, 1-5 blocks 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. Buhalog receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Buhalog received a total of $4,194 from 26 companies across 101 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. Buhalog's costs compare to other dermatologists in Santa Barbara?
Dr. Buhalog's average Medicare payment per service is $254. 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. Buhalog) 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 →
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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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