Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Ali Karrar, M.D.

Rheumatology · Grand Blanc, MI
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
8200 S SAGINAW ST STE 500, Grand Blanc, MI 48439
8109538700
In practice since 2006 (20 years)
NPI: 1871520239 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. Karrar 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. Karrar? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Karrar

Dr. Ali Karrar is a rheumatology specialist in Grand Blanc, MI, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Karrar performed 1,139 Medicare services across 619 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Karrar received a total of $23,876 from 51 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 1081 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. Karrar 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 38% volume in MI $23,876 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
1,139
Medicare services
Top 38% in MI for rheumatology
619
Unique beneficiaries
$59
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~57 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
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.
407 $89 $130
Steroid injection (triamcinolone)
A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered.
166 $1 $5
Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity
Follow-up hospital visit for an existing patient involving moderate medical decision making. The visit requires at least 35 minutes of time spent on the date of service.
112 $60 $95
Complete ultrasound scan of joint
An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to create detailed images of a joint. This procedure allows for the visualization of the joint's internal structures.
88 $40 $190
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.
75 $47 $110
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.
72 $114 $220
Joint injection, major joint
Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space.
58 $46 $95
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.
47 $9 $115
Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg 39 $5 $9
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.
36 $33 $115
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.
27 $115 $268
Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity
Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving moderate-level medical decision making, with at least 55 minutes total time on the date of the encounter.
12 $92 $181
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 ↗
$23,876
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $3,411/year across 7 years
Top 15% in MI for rheumatology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
51
Companies
1,081
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
$21,051 (88.2%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$2,825 (11.8%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$5,369
2023
$5,820
2022
$2,385
2021
$2,179
2020
$1,827
2019
$3,299
2018
$2,998

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Biogen, Inc.
$2,257
Amgen Inc.
$618
ABBVIE INC.
$566
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$546
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$209
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$149
Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc.
$105
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$81
Organon Llc
$75
ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$74
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$67
Genentech USA, Inc.
$59
Lilly USA, LLC
$58
UCB, Inc.
$58
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$56
PFIZER INC.
$53
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC
$52
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$42
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$41
GENZYME CORPORATION
$36
Eisai Inc.
$35
Octapharma USA, Inc.
$25
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$21
SOBI, INC
$19
Alvogen Inc
$18
HOSPIRA, INC.
$16
Radius Health, Inc.
$16
Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 64.1% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Biogen, Inc.
$3,734
Amgen Inc.
$3,049
AbbVie, Inc.
$2,693
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$1,878
AstraZeneca UK Limited
$1,684
ABBVIE INC.
$1,514
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$1,106
PFIZER INC.
$952
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$864
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$701
UCB, Inc.
$515
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$447
Lilly USA, LLC
$435
AbbVie Inc.
$409
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$303
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$260
Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc.
$255
Horizon Pharma plc
$242
Genentech USA, Inc.
$222
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$214
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$194
GENZYME CORPORATION
$190
Sobi, Inc
$162
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$160
Radius Health, Inc.
$157
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$148
SOBI, INC
$131
Organon LLC
$130
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$128
Celgene Corporation
$126
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.
$109
ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$98
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC
$95
Organon Llc
$75
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
$67
Alvogen Inc
$67
Octapharma USA, Inc.
$49
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$41
Eisai Inc.
$35
Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.
$33
Sandoz Inc.
$32
Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
$23
Lundbeck LLC
$22
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$18
Mylan Institutional Inc.
$17
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$17
HOSPIRA, INC.
$16
Kyowa Kirin, Inc.
$16
Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc.
$15
FIDIA PHARMA USA INC.
$15
Celltrion USA Inc.
$14
Top 3 companies account for 39.7% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTHAR · AMJEVITA · Actemra · Adempas · Arcalyst · BENLYSTA · Bimzelx · COSENTYX · CYLTEZO · Cimzia · Crysvita · DUEXIS · EUCRISA · EUFLEXXA · EVENITY · EVUSHELD · Enbrel · FORTEO · HADLIMA · HUMIRA · HYRIMOZ · Humira · Hymovis · IDACIO · ILARIS · INFLECTRA · KEVZARA · KEVZARA SARILUMAB INJECTION · KINERET · KRYSTEXXA · Kineret · LUMIZYME · LUPKYNIS · LYRICA · Leqembi · OCTAGAM IMMUNE GLOBULIN (HUMAN) · OFEV · OPSUMIT · OPSUMIT MACITENTAN · ORENCIA · OTREXUP · Otezla · Otrexup · PANZYGA · PENNSAID · PURIFIED CORTROPHIN GEL · Prolia · RAYOS · REMICADE · RENFLEXIS · RINVOQ · Rituxan · SAPHNELO · SIMPONI · SIMPONI ARIA · SKYRIZI · STELARA · STRENSIQ · Strensiq · TALTZ · TAVNEOS · TERIPARATIDE · TREMFYA · Tavneos · Tymlos · VYEPTI · XELJANZ · XYOSTED · YUFLYMA · Zilretta · 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 (88%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Looking for a rheumatology specialist in Grand Blanc?
Compare rheumatologists in the Grand Blanc area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse rheumatologists nearby

Geographic Context

Rheumatologists within 10 mi
7
Per 100K population
1.7
County median income
$60,673
Nearest hospital
ASCENSION GENESYS HOSPITAL
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. Karrar is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 15% of MI 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. Karrar experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Karrar performed 407 office visit, established patient (30-39 min) 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. Karrar receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Karrar received a total of $23,876 from 51 companies across 1,081 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. Karrar's costs compare to other rheumatologists in Grand Blanc?
Dr. Karrar's average Medicare payment per service is $59. 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. Karrar) 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. 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 →