Dr. Ron Karni, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Karni
Dr. Ron Karni is an otolaryngology specialist in Houston, TX, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Karni performed 677 Medicare services across 538 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Karni received a total of $311,959 from 17 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 386 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in otolaryngology. The majority of payments are for speaking programs and promotional activities, reflecting participation in industry-sponsored events. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Karni 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.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗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. |
265 | $69 | $223 |
| Flexible laryngoscopy A diagnostic exam of the voice box using a flexible endoscope to visualize the larynx. |
154 | $97 | $583 |
| 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. |
93 | $85 | $240 |
| Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy, first lesion A biopsy procedure where a thin needle is used to collect tissue samples from a growth, guided by ultrasound imaging. This code applies to the first lesion or mass sampled during the session. |
44 | $97 | $458 |
| 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. |
35 | $131 | $379 |
| Removal of lymph nodes, muscle, and tissue of neck Surgical removal of lymph nodes, muscle, and tissue from the neck area. |
19 | $1,146 | $9,424 |
| Parathyroid gland removal or exploration A surgical procedure to remove or examine the parathyroid glands. |
16 | $804 | $5,030 |
| Voice box biopsy using endoscope A procedure to remove a small tissue sample from the voice box (larynx) using an endoscope for examination. |
14 | $122 | $1,433 |
| Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
14 | $46 | $139 |
| Tracheostomy for breathing tube insertion A surgical incision is made in the windpipe to insert a breathing tube. This procedure is performed on patients older than two years. |
12 | $187 | $1,994 |
| Salivary gland growth removal with facial nerve release Surgical removal of a growth from a salivary gland while releasing the facial nerve to ensure its safety and proper function during the procedure. |
11 | $843 | $5,965 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2024)
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
The majority of payments (49%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in otolaryngology and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 0% for otolaryngology in TX.
Geographic Context
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. Karni is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 0% 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
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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.
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