Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Joseph Kowalski, MD

Orthopedic Surgery · Buffalo, NY
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
462 GRIDER ST, Buffalo, NY 14215
7168985983
In practice since 2006 (20 years)
NPI: 1043285786 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. Kowalski 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. Kowalski

Dr. Joseph Kowalski is an orthopedic surgery specialist in Buffalo, NY, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Kowalski performed 434 Medicare services across 289 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Kowalski received a total of $1,123 from 4 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 14 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in orthopedic surgery. 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. Kowalski 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 ▲ 434 Medicare services $1,123 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
434
Medicare services
Bottom 32% in NY for orthopedic surgery
Lower Medicare volume may reflect subspecialty focus, hospital-based work, or a higher share of non-Medicare patients.
289
Unique beneficiaries
$131
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~22 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.
 134 $66 $134
X-ray of entire middle and lower spine, 2-3 views
An X-ray imaging test that captures 2 to 3 views of the entire middle and lower spine to visualize the bones and structures in these areas.
 71 $51 $120
Spinal fusion of additional segment
A surgical procedure to join an additional section of the spine to the existing fusion. This is performed as a separate or subsequent step to stabilize more of the spinal column.
 51 $201 $572
X-ray of upper spine, 6 or more views
An X-ray imaging test of the upper spine using six or more separate views to capture detailed images of the bones and structures in that area.
 35 $38 $130
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.
 33 $28 $79
Spine fusion with cage or mesh device insertion
A surgical procedure to fuse spine bones by inserting a cage or mesh device into the disc space.
 24 $188 $510
New patient office visit (30-44 min)
An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range.
 19 $86 $198
Spinal stabilization device placement, 3-6 segments
Surgical placement of a device to stabilize three to six vertebrae in the back.
 18 $361 $1,403
Pelvis X-ray, 1-2 views
An X-ray imaging test of the pelvic area using one to two different angles to visualize the bones and joints.
 13 $20 $53
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.
 13 $99 $198
Lower back spinal fusion with bone and disc removal
A surgical procedure to fuse vertebrae in the lower back. It involves removing part of the spine bone and a disc to stabilize the area.
 12 $1,287 $3,429
Partial removal of spine bone with nerve release during fusion
This procedure involves removing part of the bone in a single segment of the lower spine to release the spinal cord or nerves, performed during a spinal fusion.
 11 $195 $500
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.
22.6% high complexity
0.0% medium
77.4% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$1,123
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $281/year across 4 years
Bottom 30% in NY for orthopedic surgery
4
Companies
14
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
$1,123 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$844
2023
$154
2019
$108
2018
$17

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Globus Medical, Inc.
$695
Alphatec Spine, Inc
$149
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Globus Medical, Inc.
$942
Alphatec Spine, Inc
$149
Radius Health, Inc.
$17
Orthofix Medical, Inc.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 98.6% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AFFIRM · CREO Threaded · ExcelsiusGPS Robotic Navigation System · Other - Miscellaneous · Physio-Stim Osteogenesis Stimulator · Spine · Tymlos
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 orthopedic surgery specialist in Buffalo?
Compare orthopedic surgeons in the Buffalo area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Orthopedic surgeons within 10 mi
83
Per 100K population
8.7
County median income
$71,175
Nearest hospital
UPSTATE NEW YORK VA HEALTHCARE SYSTEM (WESTERN NY VA HEALTHCARE SYSTEM)
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. Kowalski is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, 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. Kowalski experienced with office visit, established patient (20-29 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Kowalski performed 134 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. Kowalski receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Kowalski received a total of $1,123 from 4 companies across 14 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. Kowalski's costs compare to other orthopedic surgeons in Buffalo?
Dr. Kowalski's average Medicare payment per service is $131. 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. Kowalski) 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.

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 →