Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Robert Fafalak, MD
Rheumatology · New York, NY
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
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. Fafalak 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. Fafalak
Dr. Robert Fafalak is a rheumatology specialist in New York, NY, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Fafalak performed 7,695 Medicare services across 2,234 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Fafalak received a total of $39,113 from 64 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 1201 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. Fafalak 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 19% volume in NY
$39,113 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗7,695
Medicare services
Top 19% in NY for rheumatology
2,234
Unique beneficiaries
$53
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~385 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic care management, first 20 min/month This service covers the first 20 minutes of clinical staff time directed by a healthcare professional each calendar month to manage chronic conditions. |
1,746 | $54 | $85 |
| Denosumab injection (Prolia/Xgeva) | 1,140 | $19 | $25 |
| 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. |
1,035 | $104 | $200 |
| 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. |
989 | $76 | $150 |
| Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg | 566 | $6 | $75 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
495 | $8 | $30 |
| Urinalysis, manual A manual laboratory examination of a urine sample to check for various substances and cells. |
473 | $3 | $30 |
| 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. |
183 | $13 | $75 |
| Rib nerve block injection An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into multiple rib nerves to block pain signals in the chest wall. |
178 | $30 | $180 |
| Annual wellness visit, follow-up A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service. |
175 | $148 | $250 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
101 | $70 | $344 |
| Lower back and sciatic nerve injection An injection of an anesthetic and/or steroid medication into the lower back and sciatic nerve. This procedure delivers medication directly to the nerve site. |
69 | $229 | $971 |
| Injection, thiamine hcl, 100 mg | 68 | $2 | $75 |
| 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. |
62 | $12 | $100 |
| Vitamin B-12 injection An injection of vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin) with a dose of up to 1000 mcg. |
62 | $1 | $75 |
| Injection of anesthetic agent and/or steroid into rib nerve | 60 | $74 | $541 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 54 | $158 | $350 |
| Respiratory virus test for SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B, and RSV A laboratory test that detects the presence of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), influenza A, influenza B, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in an upper respiratory specimen. |
48 | $140 | $286 |
| Quadrivalent influenza vaccine, cell-culture derived A flu shot containing four strains of influenza virus, produced using cell culture technology rather than eggs. This formulation is free from preservatives and antibiotics. |
43 | $33 | $50 |
| Flu vaccine administration This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient. |
43 | $35 | $50 |
| Annual wellness visit, initial visit A yearly appointment to review your health and create a personalized prevention plan. This initial visit focuses on preventive care and health assessment. |
32 | $189 | $250 |
| 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. |
29 | $112 | $250 |
| 2-day continuous ECG with review and report A two-day continuous electrocardiogram recording that includes a professional review and written report of the results. |
11 | $64 | $166 |
| Continuous ECG monitoring, up to 30 days Continuous heart rhythm monitoring for up to 30 days, including professional review and reporting of the results. |
11 | $23 | $48 |
| 30-day continuous ECG with patient-triggered event transmission and review This procedure involves continuous electrocardiogram monitoring for up to 30 days, including the transmission of patient-triggered events. A healthcare professional reviews the data and provides a report. |
11 | $803 | $1,420 |
| Initial preventive physical examination, new Medicare beneficiary A comprehensive preventive health visit for new Medicare beneficiaries during their first 12 months of enrollment. The service is conducted as a face-to-face visit and is limited to preventive care. |
11 | $190 | $350 |
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 ↗$39,113
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $5,588/year across 7 years
Top 13% in NY for rheumatology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
64
Companies
1,201
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
$21,755 (55.6%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$17,358 (44.4%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$3,523
2023
$3,212
2022
$3,199
2021
$5,805
2020
$5,146
2019
$12,455
2018
$5,773
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ABBVIE INC.
$793
ViiV Healthcare Company
$371
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$363
PFIZER INC.
$351
Amgen Inc.
$330
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$295
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$139
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$137
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$130
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$96
EMD Serono, Inc.
$92
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$84
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$80
IRONWOOD PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
$74
Lilly USA, LLC
$43
Genentech USA, Inc.
$35
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$28
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$27
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$24
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$17
Philips North America LLC
$16
Top 3 companies account for 43.3% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
AbbVie, Inc.
$11,147
AbbVie Inc.
$6,211
PFIZER INC.
$3,098
Amgen Inc.
$2,487
ABBVIE INC.
$2,092
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$1,986
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$1,352
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$1,247
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$762
UCB, Inc.
$720
ViiV Healthcare Company
$608
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$542
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$508
Genentech USA, Inc.
$466
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$372
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$346
Celgene Corporation
$339
Lilly USA, LLC
$329
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$315
Mallinckrodt Enterprises LLC
$295
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$278
EMD Serono, Inc.
$257
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$244
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$223
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$217
Mallinckrodt LLC
$205
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$197
IRONWOOD PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
$184
Aytu BioScience, Inc
$156
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$149
Allergan Inc.
$144
Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA
$136
Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc
$135
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$120
West-Ward Pharmaceuticals
$114
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$105
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$96
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$86
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$83
Horizon Pharma plc
$72
GENZYME CORPORATION
$68
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$57
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$53
Pharming Healthcare, Inc.
$46
RedHill Biopharma Inc.
$45
Purdue Pharma L.P.
$39
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$37
Intra-Sana Laboratories
$30
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$27
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$27
Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$23
Kyowa Kirin, Inc.
$23
Aytu Bioscience, Inc
$22
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC
$21
Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
$21
EISAI INC.
$20
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.
$20
TerSera Therapeutics LLC
$20
BioCryst US Sales Co., LLC
$17
Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$16
Philips North America LLC
$16
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$15
Avion Pharmaceuticals
$15
Sebela Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 52.3% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
(CK7) Extended Holter · ACTHAR · ADVAIR · AIRSUPRA · ANORO · ANORO ELLIPTA · APRETUDE · Actemra · Aimovig · Androgel · Arcalyst · BELSOMRA · BENLYSTA · BEVESPI AEROSPHERE · BREO · BREZTRI · BREZTRI AEROSPHERE · BYSTOLIC · CHANTIX · COLOGUARD · COLOGUARD DNA CAPTURE REAGENTS · COSENTYX · CREON · CUVITRU · CYLTEZO · Cimzia · Crysvita · DOVATO · Dayvigo · ELIQUIS · EVENITY · Enbrel · FARXIGA · FORTEO · GVOKE HYPOPEN · Gloperba · HETLIOZ · HUMIRA · HYQVIA · Humira · IDACIO · INJECTAFER · JANUVIA · JULUCA · KEVZARA · KEVZARA SARILUMAB INJECTION · KRYSTEXXA · LINZESS · LIVALO · LYRICA · Linzess · Livalo · MOVANTIK · MYRBETRIQ · Mitigare · Morphabond ER · Movantik · NURTEC ODT · Natesto · Nucynta · ORENCIA · ORLADEYO · ORTHOVISC · Otezla · PAXLOVID · PENNSAID · PIFELTRO · PREMARIN · Prolia · QULIPTA · QUVIVIQ · Quzyttir · RAYOS · RELISTOR · RELTONE 200 MG · REMICADE · RIDAURA · RINVOQ · RUCONEST · Repatha · Rinvoq · Rituxan · SAPHNELO · SEROSTIM · SHINGRIX · SIMPONI ARIA · SKYRIZI · STRENSIQ · SYMBICORT · SYMPROIC · SYNTHROID · Strensiq · Synthroid · TALTZ · TAVNEOS · TRELEGY ELLIPTA · TREMFYA · TRINTELLIX · TZIELD · Tavneos · Trulance · UBRELVY · Uloric · VIBERZI · VRAYLAR · Vascepa · XELJANZ · XTAMPZA · XYOSTED · ZEPBOUND
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 (56%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Rheumatologists within 10 mi
382
Per 100K population
23.5
County median income
$104,553
Nearest hospital
VA NEW YORK HARBOR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM - NY DIV.
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. Fafalak is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 19% in NY), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 13% of NY 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. Fafalak experienced with chronic care management, first 20 min/month?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Fafalak performed 1,746 chronic care management, first 20 min/month 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. Fafalak receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Fafalak received a total of $39,113 from 64 companies across 1,201 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. Fafalak's costs compare to other rheumatologists in New York?
Dr. Fafalak's average Medicare payment per service is $53. 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. Fafalak) 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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