Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Catherine Balestra

MOHS-Micrographic Surgery Physician · Miramar, FL
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
12600 PEMBROKE RD STE 312, Miramar, FL 33027
9544317681
In practice since 2007 (18 years)
NPI: 1518177013 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. Balestra 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. Balestra

Dr. Catherine Balestra is a mohs-micrographic surgery physician in Miramar, FL, with 18 years in practice. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Balestra performed 944 Medicare services across 753 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Balestra received a total of $688 from 16 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 36 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in mohs-micrographic surgery physician. 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. Balestra 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.

✓ 18 years in practice▲ 944 Medicare services$ $688 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
944
Medicare services
Bottom 10% in FL for mohs-micrographic surgery physician
Lower Medicare volume may reflect subspecialty focus, hospital-based work, or a higher share of non-Medicare patients.
753
Unique beneficiaries
$344
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~52 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.

ProcedureVolumeAvg. paidAvg. submitted
Removal and microscopic exam of growth of head, neck, hands, feet, or genitals, 1-5 tissue blocks301$487$1,585
Removal and microscopic exam of growth of head, neck, hands, feet, or genitals, each additional stage, 1-5 tissue blocks228$335$955
Complicated repair of wound of forehead, cheeks, chin, mouth, neck, underarms, genitals, hands, or feet, 2.6-7.5 cm120$196$1,335
Office visit, established patient (20-29 min)84$69$297
Removal and microscopic exam of growth of trunk, arms, or legs, 1-5 tissue blocks42$514$1,483
Complicated repair of wound of scalp, arms, or legs, 2.6-7.5 cm35$182$1,016
Complicated repair of wound of eyelids, nose, ears, or lip, 2.6-7.5 cm27$209$1,300
Repair of wound of eyelids, nose, ears, or lips by transferring skin, 10.0 sq cm or less27$627$1,859
Skin biopsy, tangential19$67$243
Removal and microscopic exam of growth of trunk, arms, or legs, each additional stage, 1-5 tissue blocks19$325$862
Complicated repair of wound of forehead, cheeks, chin, mouth, neck, underarms, genitals, hands, or feet, 1.1-2.5 cm16$182$1,018
Repair of wound of forehead, cheeks, chin, mouth, neck, underarms, genitals, hands, or feet by transferring skin, 10.0 sq cm or less15$631$2,375
Complicated repair of wound of eyelids, nose, ears, or lip, 1.1-2.5 cm11$162$1,024
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 ↗
$688
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $98/year across 7 years
Bottom 31% in FL for mohs-micrographic surgery physician
16
Companies
36
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
$688 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$245
2023
$108
2022
$62
2021
$216
2020
$24
2019
$15
2018
$19

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ABBVIE INC.
$204
AbbVie Inc.
$135
PFIZER INC.
$35
Ortho Dermatologics, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$32
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$31
UCB, Inc.
$29
Amgen Inc.
$28
Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$25
Galderma Laboratories, L.P.
$24
ORGANOGENESIS INC.
$24
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$24
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$20
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$20
Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc.
$20
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$19
Celgene Corporation
$19
Top 3 companies account for 54.5% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ALTRENO · BLU-U · COLLAGENASE SANTYL · COSENTYX · Cimzia · EUCRISA · JUBLIA · LIBTAYO · Otezla · Puraply · RINVOQ · SKYRIZI · TREMFYA · YCANTH
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 $73 per 100 Medicare services performed
Looking for a mohs-micrographic surgery physician in Miramar?
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Geographic Context

MOHS-Micrographic Surgery Physicians within 10 mi
24
Per 100K population
1.2
County median income
$74,534
Nearest hospital
MEMORIAL HOSPITAL WEST
1.8 mi

Data Sources

Provider Registry NPPESWeekly updates
Medicare Enrollment PECOSMonthly updates
Practice Data Medicare Util.Annual (CY lag)
Industry Payments Open PaymentsCY 2024
Disciplinary History— Not publicN/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. Balestra is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, and low-engagement industry engagement, with 18 years of practice experience.

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. Balestra experienced with removal and microscopic exam of growth of head, neck, hands, feet, or genitals, 1-5 tissue blocks?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Balestra performed 301 removal and microscopic exam of growth of head, neck, hands, feet, or genitals, 1-5 tissue 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. Balestra receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Balestra received a total of $688 from 16 companies across 36 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. Balestra's costs compare to other mohs-micrographic surgery physicians in Miramar?
Dr. Balestra's average Medicare payment per service is $344. 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. Balestra) 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. 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

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 →