Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Howard Blumstein, M.D.
Rheumatology · Smithtown, NY
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Consulting-driven
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. Blumstein 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. Blumstein
Dr. Howard Blumstein is a rheumatology specialist in Smithtown, NY, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Blumstein performed 116,940 Medicare services across 2,936 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Blumstein received a total of $47,626 from 25 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 211 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in rheumatology. The majority of payments are for consulting, which typically reflects recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Blumstein 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 NY
$47,626 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗116,940
Medicare services
Top 4% in NY for rheumatology
2,936
Unique beneficiaries
$10
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~5,847 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certolizumab injection (Cimzia) An injection of certolizumab pegol administered under the direct supervision of a physician. |
75,400 | $4 | $11 |
| Denosumab injection (Prolia/Xgeva) | 12,420 | $18 | $32 |
| Tocilizumab injection (Actemra) | 10,482 | $5 | $7 |
| Golimumab infusion (Simponi Aria) Administration of golimumab medication directly into a vein. This code specifies the dosage amount of 1 milligram for intravenous delivery. |
4,457 | $10 | $50 |
| Abatacept infusion (Orencia) An injection of abatacept administered under the direct supervision of a physician. This code is used for Medicare when the drug is not self-administered. |
4,295 | $34 | $70 |
| Hymovis intra-articular injection An injection of Hymovis, a hyaluronan derivative, administered directly into a joint space. |
1,848 | $13 | $36 |
| 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. |
1,637 | $110 | $175 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
1,294 | $8 | $17 |
| Rituximab injection, 10 mg Administration of a 10 mg dose of rituximab medication via injection. |
1,200 | $64 | $118 |
| Infliximab infusion (Remicade) An injection of infliximab, excluding biosimilar versions, administered in a 10 mg dose. |
1,170 | $26 | $150 |
| Non-hormonal chemotherapy injection This procedure involves administering non-hormonal anti-neoplastic chemotherapy medication via injection into the skin or muscle tissue. |
585 | $70 | $250 |
| 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. |
358 | $8 | $30 |
| Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test A blood test that measures how quickly red blood cells settle in a test tube to detect inflammation in the body. This specific method is performed manually rather than using an automated machine. |
353 | $4 | $15 |
| 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. |
213 | $79 | $125 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
192 | $1 | $2 |
| Normal saline infusion, 250 cc Administration of 250 cubic centimeters of normal saline solution into a vein. This procedure involves the intravenous delivery of a sterile saltwater fluid. |
153 | $0 | $30 |
| Intravenous chemotherapy infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of chemotherapy medication directly into a vein. The procedure takes one hour or less to complete. |
146 | $122 | $586 |
| Additional hour of intravenous chemotherapy This code represents the administration of chemotherapy medication into a vein for each additional hour beyond the initial period. |
106 | $26 | $150 |
| Zoledronic acid injection, 1 mg An injection of zoledronic acid administered at a dose of 1 mg. |
105 | $7 | $60 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
102 | $72 | $190 |
| 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. |
91 | $135 | $360 |
| Principal care management for high-risk disease, first 30 minutes This service covers the initial 30 minutes of clinical staff time per calendar month to manage a single high-risk disease. It is directed by a healthcare professional. |
66 | $56 | $100 |
| 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. |
64 | $46 | $325 |
| Urinalysis, manual A manual laboratory examination of a urine sample to check for various substances and cells. |
59 | $3 | $12 |
| X-ray of hand, minimum of 3 views An X-ray imaging test of the hand that captures at least three different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
43 | $34 | $95 |
| Intravenous drug injection A procedure involving the administration of a medication or substance directly into a vein. |
36 | $35 | $80 |
| 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. |
26 | $13 | $50 |
| Intravenous infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of medication or fluid directly into a vein for therapeutic, preventive, or diagnostic purposes. The procedure lasts one hour or less. |
22 | $62 | $175 |
| Methylprednisolone injection, up to 125 mg An injection of methylprednisolone sodium succinate, a corticosteroid medication, with a dosage of up to 125 mg. |
17 | $4 | $10 |
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.
8.8% high complexity
87.7% medium
3.6% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$47,626
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $6,804/year across 7 years
Top 11% in NY for rheumatology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
25
Companies
211
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.
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$43,684 (91.7%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$3,813 (8.0%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$129 (0.3%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,752
2023
$2,067
2022
$2,102
2021
$4,031
2020
$17,579
2019
$8,196
2018
$10,900
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Amgen Inc.
$2,203
ABBVIE INC.
$262
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$112
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$50
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$43
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$30
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$28
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
$24
Top 3 companies account for 93.6% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
United Rheumatology
$36,250
Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.
$2,523
Amgen Inc.
$2,328
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC
$1,400
UCB, Inc.
$1,352
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$680
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$581
Genentech USA, Inc.
$551
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$494
ABBVIE INC.
$353
Horizon Pharma plc
$234
AbbVie Inc.
$224
PFIZER INC.
$188
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$91
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$81
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$50
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$43
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$43
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$35
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$30
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
$24
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$22
AbbVie, Inc.
$20
Radius Health, Inc.
$15
Fidia Pharma USA Inc.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 86.3% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Actemra · Arcalyst · BENLYSTA · COSENTYX · Cimzia · DUZALLO · EVENITY · Enbrel · HUMIRA · HYM/HYN · IDACIO · INFLECTRA · KRYSTEXXA · LYRICA · MONOVISC · OFEV · ORENCIA · ORTHOVISC · RINVOQ · Rinvoq · Rituxan · SAPHNELO · SIMPONI · SIMPONI ARIA · SKYRIZI · TAVNEOS · TREMFYA · Tymlos · VISCO-3 sodium hyaluronate · XELJANZ · Zilretta
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 →
The majority of payments (92%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers.
Geographic Context
Rheumatologists within 10 mi
60
Per 100K population
3.9
County median income
$128,329
Nearest hospital
ST CATHERINE OF SIENA HOSPITAL
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. Blumstein is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 4% in NY), with consulting-driven industry engagement in the top 11% 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. Blumstein experienced with certolizumab injection (cimzia)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Blumstein performed 75,400 certolizumab injection (cimzia) 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. Blumstein receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Blumstein received a total of $47,626 from 25 companies across 211 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. Blumstein's costs compare to other rheumatologists in Smithtown?
Dr. Blumstein's average Medicare payment per service is $10. 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. Blumstein) 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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