Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Joseph Brula, MD
Anesthesiology · Pittsburgh, PA
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. Brula 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. Brula
Dr. Joseph Brula is an anesthesiology specialist in Pittsburgh, PA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Brula performed 973 Medicare services across 901 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Brula received a total of $1,057 from 9 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 29 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in anesthesiology. 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. Brula 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 3% volume in PA
$1,057 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗973
Medicare services
Top 3% in PA for anesthesiology
901
Unique beneficiaries
$58
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~49 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anesthesia for urinary system procedure via urethra Administration of anesthesia for a surgical procedure on the urinary system performed through the urethra. |
122 | $49 | $822 |
| Anesthesia for endoscopic procedure on esophagus, stomach, or upper small bowel Administration of anesthesia during an endoscopic procedure involving the esophagus, stomach, or upper small bowel. |
102 | $52 | $890 |
| Anesthesia for large bowel endoscopy Administration of anesthesia during a procedure to examine the large bowel using an endoscope. |
69 | $45 | $767 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, low complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an established patient with straightforward or low-level medical decision making. The visit requires at least 25 minutes of time spent on the day of service. |
53 | $38 | $180 |
| Ultrasound guidance for blood vessel access Use of ultrasound imaging to help locate and access a blood vessel. This guidance assists healthcare providers in performing procedures such as inserting IV lines or drawing blood. |
45 | $11 | $400 |
| Ultrasound guidance for needle placement Use of ultrasound imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
41 | $23 | $402 |
| Anesthesia for bowel endoscopy Administration of anesthesia during a procedure to examine the small and large bowel using an endoscope. |
38 | $58 | $985 |
| Anesthesia for colonoscopy Administration of anesthesia during an examination of the colon using an endoscope. |
37 | $51 | $748 |
| Insertion of non-tunneled central venous catheter A procedure to place a central venous catheter for infusion in patients aged 5 years or older. The catheter is inserted directly into a large vein without being tunneled under the skin. |
36 | $66 | $360 |
| Anesthesia for x-ray or radiation therapy Administration of anesthesia during x-ray or radiation therapy procedures. |
30 | $67 | $1,125 |
| Abdominal wall pain injection with imaging guidance An injection of local anesthetic is administered to control pain in the abdominal wall on both sides. The procedure is performed using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
30 | $53 | $450 |
| Anesthesia for skin procedures on arms, legs, or front body This code covers anesthesia services provided for surgical procedures performed on the skin of the arms, legs, or anterior trunk. |
28 | $73 | $1,145 |
| Femoral nerve injection with anesthetic and/or steroid An injection of an anesthetic agent and/or steroid into the femoral nerve in the thigh. This procedure delivers medication directly to the nerve. |
28 | $47 | $210 |
| Anesthesia for upper abdomen procedure Administration of anesthesia for surgical procedures performed on the upper abdomen. |
27 | $125 | $1,907 |
| Anesthesia for kidney stone removal with endoscope Anesthesia provided during the fragmentation, manipulation, or removal of a kidney stone using an endoscope. |
25 | $77 | $1,159 |
| Anesthesia for lower leg, ankle, or foot bone procedure Administration of anesthesia during surgical procedures involving the bones of the lower leg, ankle, or foot. |
23 | $77 | $1,196 |
| Injection of anesthetic agent and/or steroid into other nerve or branch | 22 | $24 | $450 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving moderate-level medical decision making, with at least 55 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
22 | $91 | $540 |
| Anesthesia for shock wave therapy for urinary stones Administration of anesthesia during shock wave lithotripsy to break up urinary system stones without the use of a water bath. |
21 | $72 | $1,094 |
| Anesthesia for lower abdomen procedure Administration of anesthesia for surgical procedures performed on the lower abdomen. |
19 | $114 | $1,824 |
| Anesthesia for lower abdominal procedure Administration of anesthesia for a surgical procedure performed on the lower abdomen outside the abdominal cavity. |
18 | $85 | $1,424 |
| Anesthesia for total knee replacement Administration of anesthesia during a total knee joint replacement procedure. |
18 | $143 | $2,094 |
| Anesthesia for forearm, wrist, and hand procedure This code covers the administration of anesthesia for surgical procedures involving the nerves, muscles, tendons, and tissues of the forearm, wrist, and hand. |
18 | $53 | $824 |
| Anesthesia for bladder tumor removal with endoscope Anesthesia provided during the surgical removal of tumors from the urinary bladder using an endoscope. |
17 | $69 | $1,088 |
| Anesthesia for head, neck, or upper back procedure Administration of anesthesia for surgical procedures involving the skin, muscles, or nerves of the head, neck, or upper back. |
16 | $87 | $1,398 |
| Arterial line insertion A tube is inserted into an artery through the skin to allow for blood sampling or infusion. |
16 | $35 | $270 |
| Anesthesia for abnormal heart rhythm correction Administration of anesthesia during a procedure to correct an abnormal heart rhythm. |
14 | $40 | $700 |
| Anesthesia for procedure on upper 2/3rd of thigh bone Anesthesia services provided for a surgical procedure involving the upper two-thirds of the thigh bone. |
14 | $96 | $1,491 |
| Anesthesia for upper abdominal hernia repair Anesthesia services provided during the surgical repair of an upper abdominal incisional hernia or wound opening. |
12 | $112 | $1,658 |
| Anesthesia for anus and rectum procedure Administration of anesthesia during a surgical or diagnostic procedure involving the anus and rectum. |
12 | $63 | $934 |
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.
5.5% high complexity
34.9% medium
59.5% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$1,057
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $151/year across 7 years
Top 13% in PA for anesthesiology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
9
Companies
29
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
$1,057 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$221
2023
$22
2022
$209
2021
$71
2020
$62
2019
$397
2018
$75
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Inari Medical, Inc.
$194
Mindray DS USA, Inc.
$27
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Inari Medical, Inc.
$351
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
$302
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$223
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$52
AcelRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$43
Mindray DS USA, Inc.
$27
Boston Scientific Corporation
$22
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$22
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$15
Top 3 companies account for 82.8% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
A7 ANESTHESIA SYSTEM · BRIDION · DSUVIA · EXPAREL · Edwards SAPIEN 3 Transcatheter Heart Valve · FLOWTRIEVER CATHETER · RELISTOR · S · WATCHMAN
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.
Geographic Context
Anesthesiologists within 10 mi
359
Per 100K population
28.9
County median income
$76,393
Nearest hospital
ST CLAIR 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. Brula is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 3% in PA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 13% of PA 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. Brula experienced with anesthesia for urinary system procedure via urethra?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Brula performed 122 anesthesia for urinary system procedure via urethra 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. Brula receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Brula received a total of $1,057 from 9 companies across 29 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. Brula's costs compare to other anesthesiologists in Pittsburgh?
Dr. Brula's average Medicare payment per service is $58. 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. Brula) 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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