Medicare Enrolled
Florida Board Action on Record
The Florida Department of Health has flagged this practitioner's license with a board action.
Verify on FL DOH →
Dr. David Buchalter, MD
Optician · Delray Beach, FL
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
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. Buchalter 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 →
Are you Dr. Buchalter?
Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →
What this data tells you about Dr. Buchalter
Dr. David Buchalter is an optician specialist in Delray Beach, FL, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Buchalter performed 11,716 Medicare services across 2,418 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Buchalter received a total of $6,505 from 30 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 101 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in optician. 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. Buchalter is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. This is not a quality rating. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
✓ 19 years in practice
▲ Top 7% volume in FL
$6,505 industry payments
Florida License Status
FL DOH · MQA1
Active license
Yes
Board action on record
0
Recent admin complaints
| Profession | License # | Status | Expires | Board Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Doctor | 56979 | Clear | January 31, 2027 | ⚠ |
Data from Florida Department of Health Medical Quality Assurance.
License records are public under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes.
Verify directly on FL DOH →
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗11,716
Medicare services
Top 7% in FL for optician
2,418
Unique beneficiaries
$26
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~617 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joint lubricant injection (Synvisc) | 6,128 | $7 | $12 |
| Dexamethasone injection (steroid) An injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a dose of 1 milligram. |
2,290 | $0 | $13 |
| Knee X-ray, 1-2 views An X-ray imaging test of the knee joint using one to two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
483 | $27 | $113 |
| 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. |
467 | $36 | $165 |
| 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. |
396 | $69 | $267 |
| 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. |
296 | $99 | $378 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
267 | $55 | $147 |
| 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. |
191 | $30 | $148 |
| Physical therapy exercise, per 15 min A therapy session using exercises to improve strength, endurance, range of motion, and flexibility. Each 15-minute unit is billed separately. |
169 | $18 | $71 |
| Neuromuscular re-education therapy, per 15 min A therapy procedure designed to re-educate the functional connection between the brain, nerves, and muscles. It is billed in 15-minute increments. |
150 | $24 | $70 |
| 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. |
143 | $29 | $119 |
| 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. |
116 | $125 | $495 |
| Pelvis X-ray, 1-2 views An X-ray imaging test of the pelvic area using one to two different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
94 | $22 | $119 |
| 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. |
89 | $71 | $330 |
| 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. |
55 | $86 | $385 |
| Manual therapy (hands-on treatment), per 15 min | 44 | $17 | $56 |
| Injection of anesthetic or steroid into sacroiliac joint with imaging guidance This procedure involves injecting an anesthetic or steroid medication into the joint connecting the lower spine and hip bone. Imaging guidance is used to ensure accurate placement of the injection. |
37 | $147 | $980 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement Use of real-time X-ray imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
37 | $96 | $559 |
| Total hip replacement Surgical procedure to replace the thigh bone and hip joint with artificial components. |
35 | $1,128 | $6,100 |
| 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. |
35 | $145 | $589 |
| Total knee replacement | 31 | $1,116 | $5,718 |
| 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. |
28 | $29 | $161 |
| X-ray of thigh bone, minimum 2 views An X-ray imaging test of the thigh bone using at least two different angles to visualize the bone structure. |
27 | $28 | $165 |
| X-ray of both hips, 2 views An X-ray imaging test that captures two views of both hip joints to evaluate bone structure and alignment. |
21 | $29 | $165 |
| Knee X-ray, 4 or more views An imaging test using X-rays to create multiple pictures of the knee joint from different angles. |
20 | $33 | $154 |
| Surgical repair of broken thigh bone with implant A surgical procedure to fix a fractured femur by using a bone implant to stabilize the broken bone. |
16 | $1,077 | $6,900 |
| Skin substitute graft application, 25 sq cm or less Application of a skin substitute graft to a wound on the trunk, arms, or legs covering 25 square centimeters or less. |
15 | $41 | $600 |
| Self-care/home management training, per 15 min Instruction provided to help patients manage their own care or daily activities at home. The service is billed in 15-minute increments. |
13 | $21 | $56 |
| Injection of anesthetic agent and/or steroid into other nerve or branch | 12 | $19 | $425 |
| Evaluation for physical therapy, typically 20 minutes | 11 | $75 | $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.
0.6% high complexity
75.0% medium
24.4% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$6,505
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $929/year across 7 years
Top 19% in FL for optician
30
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
$6,505 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$1,937
2023
$1,029
2022
$1,415
2021
$399
2020
$113
2019
$1,214
2018
$399
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Stryker Corporation
$1,938
ENCORE MEDICAL, LP
$687
Kyocera Medical Technologies, Inc.
$662
KYOCERA MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
$501
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
$378
MicroPort Orthopedics Inc
$318
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
$294
Aesculap Implant Systems, LLC
$253
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$239
Sanara MedTech Inc.
$181
Southern Edge Orthopaedics, inc.
$166
Bone Support Inc.
$152
DJO, LLC
$123
Ethicon US, LLC
$90
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$75
Aroa Biosurgery Incorporated
$73
ORTHALIGN INC
$59
Carbofix Orthopedics Inc
$55
KCI USA, Inc.
$46
SI-BONE, Inc.
$34
Avanos Medical
$27
Acera Surgical, Inc.
$26
CSL Behring
$22
Abbott Laboratories
$20
HERAEUS MEDICAL, LLC.
$17
Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$17
Davol Inc.
$16
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$14
Cumberland Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$11
Ossur Americas, Inc.
$8
Top 3 companies account for 50.5% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACCOLADE · AXSOS · Arcos · BIXCUT · BLUEPRINT PATIENT SPECIFIC INSTRUMENTATION · Biomet Orthopak · CERAMENTBONE VOID FILLER · CMF · COREHIP SYSTEM · Caldolor · CellerateRx · DERMABOND Portfolio · DJO Surgical 3DKnee System · DJO Surgical Empowr Knee System · DJO Surgical Exprt Revision Hip · DYNACORD · EBI Bone Healing System · ETERNA · ETHICON · EVOS · Exparel · GAMMA · HEALIX KNOTLESS PEEK · HOFFMANN · INSIGNIA · Iovera · Kcentra · MAKO · METHA SHORT HIP STEM · MONOVISC · MPO Hip System · MPO Medial Pivot Knee · Miami J · NA · ON-Q PUMP AND ACCESSORIES · ON-Q* PUMP AND ACCESSORIES · ORTHALIGN PLUS · ORTHOVISC · OrthAlign Plus System · PALACOS · PREVENA · Persona · PlasmaBlade · Restrata Wound Matrix · STRATAFIX · SURGICEL Family of Absorbable Hemostats · SURGIFLO Hemostatic Matrix · Spinal Pak 2 · T2 · TFN-ADVANCE · TRIGEN · TRIGEN INTERTAN · Tapestry · XIAFLEX · iFuse Implant
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.
Equivalent to $56 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Opticians within 10 mi
495
Per 100K population
32.8
County median income
$81,115
Nearest hospital
DELRAY MEDICAL CENTER
1.6 mi
1.6 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 measures how much public data is available about a provider — not how good they are. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Buchalter is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 7% in FL), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 19% of FL peers, with 19 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data. It describes data availability and patterns — not clinical quality. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Buchalter experienced with joint lubricant injection (synvisc)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Buchalter performed 6,128 joint lubricant injection (synvisc) 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. Buchalter receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Buchalter received a total of $6,505 from 30 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. Buchalter's costs compare to other opticians in Delray Beach?
Dr. Buchalter's average Medicare payment per service is $26. 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. Buchalter) 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 →
Explore related providers
Same specialty & city
Opticians in Delray Beach
Browse opticians in Delray Beach ranked by procedure volume and transparency data.
Highest volume
Top Opticians in FL
Opticians ranked by total Medicare services performed statewide.
Industry payments
Pharma Payments to Opticians in FL
Which FL opticians receive the most from drug and device companies.
By company
Stryker Corporation Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from Stryker Corporation.
By company
ENCORE MEDICAL, LP Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from ENCORE MEDICAL, LP.
By company
Kyocera Medical Technologies, Inc. Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from Kyocera Medical Technologies, Inc.
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. The Transparency Score measures 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