Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Charles Galea, M.D.
Rheumatology · Waycross, GA
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. Galea 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. Galea
Dr. Charles Galea is a rheumatology specialist in Waycross, GA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Galea performed 70,057 Medicare services across 704 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Galea received a total of $18,258 from 47 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 1084 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in rheumatology. 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. Galea 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.
✓ 20 years in practice
▲ Top 12% volume in GA
$18,258 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗70,057
Medicare services
Top 12% in GA for rheumatology
704
Unique beneficiaries
$16
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~3,503 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golimumab infusion (Simponi Aria) Administration of golimumab medication directly into a vein. This code specifies the dosage amount of 1 milligram for intravenous delivery. |
31,478 | $10 | $50 |
| Romosozumab injection (Evenity) for osteoporosis | 16,170 | $8 | $18 |
| Abatacept infusion (Orencia) An injection of abatacept administered under the direct supervision of a physician. This code is used for Medicare when the drug is not self-administered. |
16,050 | $33 | $116 |
| Denosumab injection (Prolia/Xgeva) | 4,860 | $18 | $42 |
| Drug injection, under skin or into muscle A procedure involving the administration of a medication or substance via injection into the subcutaneous tissue or muscle. |
437 | $10 | $49 |
| Intravenous chemotherapy infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of chemotherapy medication directly into a vein. The procedure takes one hour or less to complete. |
230 | $90 | $500 |
| Intravenous infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of medication or fluid directly into a vein for therapeutic, preventive, or diagnostic purposes. The procedure lasts one hour or less. |
203 | $44 | $135 |
| 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. |
109 | $89 | $245 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
109 | $1 | $4 |
| X-ray of hand, minimum of 3 views An X-ray imaging test of the hand that captures at least three different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
90 | $24 | $56 |
| 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. |
71 | $116 | $321 |
| Bone density scan (DEXA) A test that uses low-dose X-rays to measure bone mineral density in the hip, pelvis, and spine. It helps assess bone strength and risk of fractures. |
47 | $35 | $145 |
| Foot X-ray, 3+ views An X-ray imaging test of the foot that captures at least three different views to evaluate the bones and joints. |
44 | $25 | $54 |
| Diphenhydramine injection, up to 50 mg An injection of diphenhydramine hydrochloride, an antihistamine medication, administered in a dose of up to 50 milligrams. |
41 | $1 | $2 |
| Ketorolac injection, per 15 mg An injection of ketorolac tromethamine, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, administered in doses measured per 15 mg. |
35 | $0 | $5 |
| 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. |
27 | $61 | $175 |
| 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. |
22 | $24 | $54 |
| Drug test with direct observation A drug screening test performed under direct observation to ensure the sample is provided correctly. This method is used to verify the integrity of the specimen collection process. |
20 | $12 | $40 |
| Chest X-ray, 2 views An X-ray imaging test of the chest that captures two different angles to visualize the lungs, heart, and chest wall. |
14 | $21 | $63 |
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.
68.5% high complexity
30.9% medium
0.6% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$18,258
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $2,608/year across 7 years
Top 18% in GA for rheumatology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
47
Companies
1,084
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
$18,258 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,064
2023
$2,173
2022
$2,869
2021
$2,633
2020
$2,152
2019
$3,021
2018
$3,347
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$381
Amgen Inc.
$304
ABBVIE INC.
$193
UCB, Inc.
$172
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$156
Octapharma USA, Inc.
$122
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$103
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$98
GENZYME CORPORATION
$74
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$65
ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$62
SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$57
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$55
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$51
Lilly USA, LLC
$48
Radius Health, Inc.
$48
Genentech USA, Inc.
$27
Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc.
$18
PFIZER INC.
$17
Exact Sciences Corporation
$15
Top 3 companies account for 42.5% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Amgen Inc.
$2,868
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$1,811
UCB, Inc.
$1,702
ABBVIE INC.
$995
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$876
Genentech USA, Inc.
$846
PFIZER INC.
$765
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$713
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$710
Lilly USA, LLC
$621
Radius Health, Inc.
$580
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$550
GENZYME CORPORATION
$505
AbbVie Inc.
$477
AbbVie, Inc.
$473
Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc.
$433
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$400
Celgene Corporation
$378
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$363
Octapharma USA, Inc.
$270
Horizon Pharma plc
$195
Mallinckrodt Enterprises LLC
$189
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$188
ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$169
Mallinckrodt LLC
$168
Upsher-Smith Laboratories LLC
$160
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$118
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$107
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$85
Genentech, Inc.
$80
SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$57
Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
$53
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$38
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.
$35
Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$34
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$30
Exeltis, USA Inc.
$29
Orthogenrx Inc.
$29
West-Ward Pharmaceuticals
$28
Pharmacosmos Therapeutics Inc.
$23
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$20
Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.
$18
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC
$17
Exact Sciences Corporation
$15
Bioventus LLC
$14
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$13
SOBI, INC
$11
Top 3 companies account for 34.9% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTHAR · AVSOLA · Actemra · BENLYSTA · Bimzelx · CHANTIX · COSENTYX · CUVITRU · Cimzia · Cologuard Collection Kit · Crysvita · DUZALLO · Durolane · EUFLEXXA · EVENITY · Enbrel · FORTEO · GLOPERBA · GenVisc 850 · HUMIRA · Humira · KEVZARA · KINERET · KRYSTEXXA · LUPKYNIS · LYRICA · MONOFERRIC · MONOVISC · Mitigare · OCTAGAM IMMUNE GLOBULIN (HUMAN) · OFEV · ORENCIA · ORTHOVISC · OTREXUP · Otezla · PANZYGA · PENNSAID · PURIFIED CORTROPHIN GEL · Prolia · QUDEXY XR Topiramate Extended Release Capsules · RAYOS · REMICADE · RINVOQ · Rinvoq · Rituxan · SAPHNELO · SIMPONI · SIMPONI ARIA · SKYRIZI · STELARA · TALTZ · TAVNEOS · TREMFYA · TROKENDI XR · Tavneos · Truxima · Tymlos · Uloric · XELJANZ · ZTLido · Zilretta
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.
Geographic Context
Rheumatologists within 10 mi
1
Per 100K population
2.8
County median income
$44,833
Nearest hospital
Memorial Satilla Health
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. Galea is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 12% in GA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 18% of GA peers, with 20 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. Galea experienced with golimumab infusion (simponi aria)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Galea performed 31,478 golimumab infusion (simponi aria) 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. Galea receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Galea received a total of $18,258 from 47 companies across 1,084 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. Galea's costs compare to other rheumatologists in Waycross?
Dr. Galea's average Medicare payment per service is $16. 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. Galea) 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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