Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Donald Bulla, PA-C, RPH.
Pain Medicine · High Point, NC
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. Bulla 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. Bulla
Dr. Donald Bulla is a pain medicine specialist in High Point, NC, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Bulla performed 4,644 Medicare services across 1,996 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Bulla received a total of $2,431 from 29 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 125 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in pain 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. Bulla 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.
✓ 19 years in practice
▲ Top 12% volume in NC
$2,431 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗4,644
Medicare services
Top 12% in NC for pain medicine
1,996
Unique beneficiaries
$21
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~244 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dexamethasone injection (steroid) An injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a dose of 1 milligram. |
630 | $0 | $1 |
| 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. |
409 | $66 | $227 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
324 | $8 | $11 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
320 | $10 | $18 |
| Complete blood count (CBC) with differential An automated laboratory test that measures the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood, including a breakdown of the different types of white blood cells. |
318 | $8 | $14 |
| Lipid panel (cholesterol and triglycerides) A blood test that measures cholesterol and triglyceride levels. |
258 | $13 | $28 |
| Ceftriaxone antibiotic injection This code represents the administration of ceftriaxone sodium, an antibiotic medication. The charge is calculated for every 250 mg of the drug administered. |
224 | $0 | $2 |
| Parathyroid hormone level test A blood test that measures the amount of parathyroid hormone in your body. This hormone helps regulate calcium levels in the blood and bones. |
196 | $40 | $85 |
| 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. |
184 | $8 | $37 |
| 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. |
184 | $49 | $158 |
| Vitamin D level test A blood test to measure the amount of Vitamin D-3 in your body. |
173 | $29 | $61 |
| COVID-19 antibody test A blood test that measures antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19). It detects the presence of immune response markers to the virus. |
119 | $41 | $84 |
| Hemoglobin A1c test (diabetes monitoring) A blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. |
105 | $10 | $18 |
| Blood glucose test using hand-held instrument A test that measures the level of sugar in the blood using a portable device. The result helps monitor blood glucose levels. |
94 | $3 | $7 |
| Annual wellness visit, follow-up A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service. |
85 | $106 | $210 |
| Annual alcohol misuse screening, 5 to 15 minutes | 84 | $15 | $38 |
| Annual intensive behavioral therapy for cardiovascular disease, 15 minutes A yearly, in-person session focused on intensive behavioral therapy to help manage cardiovascular disease. The session lasts for 15 minutes and is conducted with the patient individually. |
84 | $21 | $54 |
| Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test A blood test that measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone to evaluate thyroid function. |
76 | $16 | $30 |
| 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. |
75 | $7 | $25 |
| Free thyroxine (T4) test A blood test that measures the level of free thyroxine, a thyroid hormone, in the bloodstream. |
74 | $9 | $16 |
| Drug screening test A laboratory test that uses a chemistry analyzer to detect the presence of drugs in a sample. |
71 | $60 | $120 |
| Urinalysis, manual A manual laboratory examination of a urine sample to check for various substances and cells. |
66 | $3 | $6 |
| Total T3 thyroid hormone test A blood test that measures the total amount of triiodothyronine (T3) hormone in your body. T3 is a thyroid hormone that helps regulate metabolism and energy levels. |
62 | $14 | $25 |
| Magnesium level test A blood test to measure the amount of magnesium in your body. This helps check for magnesium deficiency or excess. |
47 | $6 | $15 |
| Quadrivalent influenza vaccine, cell culture-derived A flu shot that protects against four strains of the influenza virus. It is produced using cell culture technology rather than traditional egg-based methods. |
44 | $32 | $36 |
| Flu vaccine administration This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient. |
44 | $29 | $37 |
| Airflow rate measurement test A test that measures the rate of airflow. This procedure assesses how quickly air moves. |
38 | $19 | $71 |
| 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. |
34 | $17 | $70 |
| Uric acid level test A blood test that measures the level of uric acid in your body. Uric acid is a waste product formed when the body breaks down purines. |
26 | $4 | $8 |
| PSA test (prostate cancer screening) A blood test that measures the level of prostate-specific antigen to screen for prostate cancer. |
26 | $19 | $41 |
| Vitamin B-12 level test A blood test that measures the amount of vitamin B-12 in your body. |
23 | $15 | $28 |
| Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg | 21 | $6 | $10 |
| SARS-CoV-2 immunoassay test A laboratory test using immunoassay techniques to detect the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. |
20 | $33 | $79 |
| Folic acid level test A blood test that measures the amount of folic acid in the serum. |
19 | $14 | $25 |
| Ferritin level test (iron stores) A blood test that measures the level of ferritin, a protein that stores iron in the body. |
17 | $13 | $25 |
| Iron binding capacity test A blood test that measures the amount of iron in the blood and the blood's ability to bind and transport iron. |
17 | $9 | $19 |
| Iron level test | 16 | $6 | $14 |
| Influenza virus nucleic acid detection test A laboratory test that uses nucleic acid technology to detect multiple types of influenza virus. |
14 | $87 | $176 |
| 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. |
12 | $22 | $85 |
| Rheumatoid factor level | 11 | $6 | $12 |
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 ↗$2,431
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $347/year across 7 years
Top 39% in NC for pain medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
29
Companies
125
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
$1,936 (79.6%)
Other
Charitable contributions, space rental, and other categories
$495 (20.4%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$635
2023
$507
2022
$654
2021
$597
2020
$12
2019
$13
2018
$13
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ABBVIE INC.
$275
AIMMUNE THERAPEUTICS, INC.
$156
Amgen Inc.
$34
Lilly USA, LLC
$31
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$25
Mylan Specialty L.P.
$21
Indivior Inc.
$19
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$17
SHIELD THERAPEUTICS INC
$15
Novo Nordisk Inc
$15
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$15
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 73.2% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
ABBVIE INC.
$856
Welch Allyn
$263
Baxter Healthcare
$232
AbbVie Inc.
$231
AIMMUNE THERAPEUTICS, INC.
$156
Lilly USA, LLC
$77
Novo Nordisk Inc
$75
Amgen Inc.
$64
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$46
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$45
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$43
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$42
Mylan Specialty L.P.
$40
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$31
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$25
Indivior Inc.
$19
PFIZER INC.
$17
Eisai Inc.
$17
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$17
SHIELD THERAPEUTICS INC
$15
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$15
NESTLE HEALTHCARE NUTRITION INC.
$14
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$13
Nestle HealthCare Nutrition Inc.
$13
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$13
EISAI INC.
$13
Genentech USA, Inc.
$13
Dova Pharmaceuticals
$13
EVOKE PHARMA, INC.
$12
Top 3 companies account for 55.6% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACCRUFER · BELSOMRA · Belviq · CREON · Doptelet · ELIQUIS · EVENITY · FARXIGA · GIMOTI · Hillrom - Life 2000 Ventilation System · JARDIANCE · LINZESS · Leqembi · MAVYRET · MOUNJARO · NURTEC ODT · None · Otezla · Ozempic · QULIPTA · QUVIVIQ · REXULTI · RYBELSUS · Rybelsus · SOLIQUA 100/33 · SUBLOCADE · TRELEGY ELLIPTA · TRULICITY · UBRELVY · VRAYLAR · Vascepa · Wegovy · Xofluza · YUPELRI · ZENPEP
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 (80%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Pain medicines within 10 mi
32
Per 100K population
5.9
County median income
$66,027
Nearest hospital
NOVANT HEALTH THOMASVILLE MEDICAL CENTER
7.8 mi
7.8 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. Bulla is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 12% in NC), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 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. Bulla experienced with dexamethasone injection (steroid)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Bulla performed 630 dexamethasone injection (steroid) 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. Bulla receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Bulla received a total of $2,431 from 29 companies across 125 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. Bulla's costs compare to other pain medicines in High Point?
Dr. Bulla's average Medicare payment per service is $21. 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. Bulla) 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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