Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Robert Poulin, M.D.

Ophthalmology · Santa Barbara, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
515 E MICHELTORENA ST, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
8059634272
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1457461204 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. Poulin 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. Poulin

Dr. Robert Poulin is an ophthalmology specialist in Santa Barbara, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Poulin performed 679 Medicare services across 533 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Poulin received a total of $3,568 from 21 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 56 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. Poulin 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 ▲ 679 Medicare services $3,568 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
679
Medicare services
Bottom 27% in CA for ophthalmology
Lower Medicare volume may reflect subspecialty focus, hospital-based work, or a higher share of non-Medicare patients.
533
Unique beneficiaries
$75
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~36 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
Comprehensive eye exam, established patient
A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a patient who has previously been seen by the provider.
 236 $86 $500
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.
 223 $66 $300
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.
 103 $62 $300
Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan)
Imaging of the optic nerve.
 62 $28 $200
Comprehensive eye exam, new patient
A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a new patient.
 27 $101 $500
Laser removal of recurring cataract
A laser procedure to remove a recurring cataract within the lens capsule.
 17 $273 $1,100
Retinal imaging (OCT scan)
This procedure involves imaging the retina to visualize its structure. It is used to examine the back of the eye.
 11 $32 $200
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 ↗
$3,568
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $510/year across 7 years
Top 31% in CA for ophthalmology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
21
Companies
56
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
$3,568 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$340
2023
$482
2022
$948
2021
$327
2020
$205
2019
$642
2018
$625

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Dompe US, Inc.
$111
Amgen Inc.
$110
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$104
Alcon Vision LLC
$15
Top 3 companies account for 95.6% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Alcon Vision LLC
$351
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$335
Sight Sciences, Inc.
$335
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$321
NEW WORLD MEDICAL,INC.
$298
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$233
Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$173
Alcon Laboratories Inc
$149
Ivantis, Inc
$134
Glaukos Corporation
$132
Biogen, Inc.
$130
Allergan, Inc.
$126
Allergan Inc.
$125
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$124
Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc.
$123
Bausch & Lomb, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$116
Dompe US, Inc.
$111
Amgen Inc.
$110
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$91
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$34
Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$18
Top 3 companies account for 28.6% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ARGOS · Ahmed Glaucoma Valve · BIOTRUE · BROMSITE · BromSite · BromSite (bromfenac ophthalmic solution) 0.075% · Centurion · Cequa · Clareon · EYLEA · Hydrus · INVELTYS · Kahook Dual Blade · LOTEMAX SM · LUMIGAN · LenSx · MIEBO · OMNI · OMNI SURGICAL SYSTEM · OMNI(R) SURGICAL SYSTEM (US) · ORA · OXERVATE · PanOptix · ReSTOR · Rhopressa · TECNIS IOL · TEPEZZA · VUITY · VYZULTA · XELPROS · iStent inject Trabecular Micro-Bypass Stent System · rocklatan
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 Santa Barbara?
Compare ophthalmologists in the Santa Barbara area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse ophthalmologists nearby

Geographic Context

Ophthalmologists within 10 mi
21
Per 100K population
4.7
County median income
$95,977
Nearest hospital
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY PSYCHIATRIC HEALTH FACILITY
5.0 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. Poulin is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement, 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. Poulin experienced with comprehensive eye exam, established patient?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Poulin performed 236 comprehensive eye exam, established patient 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. Poulin receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Poulin received a total of $3,568 from 21 companies across 56 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. Poulin's costs compare to other ophthalmologists in Santa Barbara?
Dr. Poulin's average Medicare payment per service is $75. 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. Poulin) 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.

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 →