Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Hernan Palermo, OD

Optometrist · Houston, TX
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
6699 CHIMNEY ROCK RD, Houston, TX 77081
7136616500
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1003851452 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. Palermo 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 →
Are you Dr. Palermo? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Palermo

Dr. Hernan Palermo is an optometrist in Houston, TX, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Palermo performed 1,741 Medicare services across 1,158 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Palermo received a total of $4,623 from 26 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 209 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in optometrist. 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. Palermo is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. This is not a quality rating. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.

✓ 19 years in practice ▲ Top 4% volume in TX $4,623 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
1,741
Medicare services
Top 4% in TX for optometrist
1,158
Unique beneficiaries
$52
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~92 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
Comprehensive eye exam, established patient 450 $89 $141
Microfluid analysis of tears 190 $22 $40
Extended exam of the back part of the eye with optic nerve drawing 167 $12 $75
Retinal photography (fundus photo) 115 $28 $120
Retinal imaging (OCT scan) 95 $30 $85
Closure of tear duct opening using plug 92 $156 $400
Visual field test, extended 88 $47 $130
Exam of the internal drainage system of eye 81 $21 $75
Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan) 70 $26 $85
Eye exam, established patient, focused 66 $66 $101
Ultrasound scan to determine eye length and lens power 59 $49 $185
Ct scan of cornea 51 $27 $75
Ultrasound scan of cornea to determine thickness 50 $9 $25
Comprehensive eye exam, new patient 46 $81 $180
2d ultrasound scan of eye tissue and structures 37 $30 $185
Measurement of nerve conduction using visual stimulation testing with report 35 $50 $175
Photography of content of eyes 30 $17 $130
Imaging of front third of eye using a special microscope 19 $26 $150
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 ↗
$4,623
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $660/year across 7 years
Top 8% in TX for optometrist
26
Companies
209
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
$4,623 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$899
2023
$684
2022
$614
2021
$772
2020
$473
2019
$576
2018
$606

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Allergan Inc.
$726
ABBVIE INC.
$634
Allergan, Inc.
$539
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$507
Bausch & Lomb Americas Inc.
$374
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$343
Shire North American Group Inc
$256
Alcon Vision LLC
$207
Dompe US, Inc.
$146
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$115
Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$113
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$82
Optos, Inc.
$78
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS INC.
$76
Thea Pharma Inc.
$68
TISSUETECH, INC.
$67
Oyster Point Pharma, Inc.
$52
BioTissue Holdings, Inc.
$45
Bausch & Lomb, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$39
Eyevance Pharmaceuticals LLC
$36
Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$33
Harrow Eye, LLC
$23
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$17
Celularity Inc.
$17
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$16
Sight Sciences, Inc.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 41.1% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ALPHAGAN P · AcrySof IQ PanOptix · AcrySof IQ VIVITY IOL · BROMSITE · Biovance · CEQUA · COMBIGAN · Cequa · DUREZOL · DURYSTA · EYLEA · Flarex · INVELTYS · IYUZEH · Izervay · LUMIGAN · MIEBO · NEOX · NFC-700 · OXERVATE · PROKERA · PanOptix · RESTASIS · RESTASIS MULTIDOSE · Rocklatan · Simbrinza · TYRVAYA · TearCare SmartLid · VEVYE · VUITY · VYZULTA · XDEMVY · XIIDRA · rhopressa · rocklatan
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. Total industry engagement is in the top 8% for optometrist in TX.

Equivalent to $266 per 100 Medicare services performed
Looking for an optometrist in Houston?
Compare optometrists in the Houston area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Optometrists within 10 mi
1,188
Per 100K population
25.0
County median income
$73,104
Nearest hospital
BEHAVIORAL HOSPITAL OF BELLAIRE
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 measures how much public data is available about a provider — not how good they are. How we calculate this →

Summary

Dr. Palermo is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 4% in TX), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 8% of TX peers, with 19 years of NPI registration.

This summary is auto-generated from federal data. It describes data availability and patterns — not clinical quality. Read our methodology →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dr. Palermo experienced with comprehensive eye exam, established patient?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Palermo performed 450 comprehensive eye exam, established patient 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. Palermo receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Palermo received a total of $4,623 from 26 companies across 209 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. Palermo's costs compare to other optometrists in Houston?
Dr. Palermo's average Medicare payment per service is $52. 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. Palermo) 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 →
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. The Transparency Score measures 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 →