Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Bharat Vakharia, MD

Internal Medicine · Sturgis, MI
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
26273 US HIGHWAY 12, Sturgis, MI 49091
2696512011
In practice since 2006 (20 years)
NPI: 1770523045 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. Vakharia 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. Vakharia

Dr. Bharat Vakharia is an internal medicine specialist in Sturgis, MI, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Vakharia performed 3,673 Medicare services across 1,614 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Vakharia received a total of $35 from 1 pharmaceutical and/or device company across 2 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in internal medicine. 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. Vakharia 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 4% volume in MI $35 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
3,673
Medicare services
Top 4% in MI for internal medicine
1,614
Unique beneficiaries
$45
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~184 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 (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.
1,130 $59 $105
Allergy immunotherapy preparation
A professional service involving the preparation and administration of one or more antigens.
750 $10 $20
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.
286 $80 $150
Allergy injection therapy, multiple injections
A professional service involving the administration of multiple allergen injections.
225 $7 $35
Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead
A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report.
191 $10 $30
Fecal immunochemical test (FIT), 1-3 simultaneous
A screening test that uses a stool sample to detect hidden blood in the feces, helping to identify potential colorectal cancer.
150 $18 $35
Advance care planning consultation, first 30 min
A session focused on discussing and documenting future healthcare preferences and goals. This service covers the initial 30 minutes of the planning discussion.
137 $78 $150
Annual depression screening 133 $17 $30
Annual wellness visit, follow-up
A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service.
131 $123 $180
Steroid injection (triamcinolone)
A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered.
105 $1 $10
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.
85 $72 $275
Echocardiogram, transthoracic
An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function.
50 $115 $400
Flu vaccine administration
This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient.
49 $29 $40
Flu vaccine, quadrivalent
A flu shot containing four strains of the influenza virus to help prevent seasonal influenza infection.
48 $76 $90
Ultrasound guidance for needle placement
Use of ultrasound imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure.
44 $44 $175
Upper GI endoscopy with biopsy
A procedure to collect tissue samples from the esophagus, stomach, or upper small intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities.
28 $77 $350
Destruction of precancerous skin growth, 1
Removal of a single precancerous skin growth. This procedure destroys abnormal skin cells to prevent them from developing into cancer.
24 $49 $120
Transitional care management, high complexity
Coordination of care for a patient transitioning from a short-term hospital stay or other facility to home or another care setting. This service addresses a high-complexity medical problem.
23 $196 $375
Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min)
An office or outpatient visit for an existing patient lasting between 40 and 54 minutes. This level of service is determined by the total time spent on the date of the encounter.
18 $110 $200
Sleep study with continuous airway pressure, age 6+
A sleep study conducted in a sleep lab that monitors breathing and other body functions while administering continuous airway pressure. This test is performed on patients aged 6 years or older.
15 $95 $458
Office visit, established patient (10-19 min)
An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition.
15 $34 $70
Trigger point injection, 1-2 muscles
A procedure involving the injection of medication into one or two specific muscles to treat trigger points.
13 $40 $100
Colonoscopy
A diagnostic exam of the large bowel using a flexible endoscope to visualize the interior of the colon.
12 $120 $425
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.
11 $93 $230
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.
1.4% high complexity
13.9% medium
84.7% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2022 ↗
$35
Total received (2022-2022)
Bottom 11% in MI for internal medicine
1
Company
2
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
$35 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2022
$35

Payments by company (2022)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Harmony Biosciences LLC
$35
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2022 payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Wakix
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 internal medicine specialist in Sturgis?
Compare internal medicine physicians in the Sturgis area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Internal medicine physicians within 10 mi
24
Per 100K population
39.4
County median income
$64,707
Nearest hospital
STURGIS 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 2022
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. Vakharia is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 4% in MI), with low-engagement industry engagement, 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. Vakharia experienced with office visit, established patient (20-29 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Vakharia performed 1,130 office visit, established patient (20-29 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. Vakharia receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Vakharia received a total of $35 from 1 company across 2 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. Vakharia's costs compare to other internal medicine physicians in Sturgis?
Dr. Vakharia's average Medicare payment per service is $45. 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. Vakharia) 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 →