Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Karan Bhalla, MD
Interventional Cardiology · Pasadena, TX
Practice pattern: Cardiac & Remote
— Practice combining cardiac and remote services
Mixed 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. Bhalla 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. Bhalla?
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What this data tells you about Dr. Bhalla
Dr. Karan Bhalla is an interventional cardiology specialist in Pasadena, TX, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Bhalla performed 12,284 Medicare services across 6,866 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Bhalla received a total of $47,773 from 53 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 748 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in interventional cardiology. 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. Bhalla 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 1% volume in TX
$47,773 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗12,284
Medicare services
Top 1% in TX for interventional cardiology
6,866
Unique beneficiaries
$172
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~647 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regadenoson injection (Lexiscan) for heart stress test An injection of regadenoson, a medication used to stress the heart during diagnostic testing. |
1,962 | $44 | $318 |
| 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. |
1,645 | $98 | $225 |
| Remote monitoring of implantable heart rhythm device Evaluation of data transmitted remotely from an implantable cardiovascular monitor, such as a loop recorder or subcutaneous cardiac rhythm monitor, over a period up to 30 days. |
1,043 | $29 | $250 |
| Remote cardiac rhythm monitor evaluation, up to 30 days Review and analysis of data from a remote cardiac rhythm monitoring system over a period of up to 30 days. |
837 | $21 | $125 |
| 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. |
651 | $11 | $55 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
568 | $144 | $800 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram under physician supervision and review. |
546 | $54 | $394 |
| Rubidium rb-82, diagnostic, per study dose, up to 60 millicuries | 513 | $286 | $1,015 |
| Nuclear stress test with CT scan A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow in the heart muscle at rest and during stress, performed alongside a concurrent CT scan. |
474 | $1,960 | $5,493 |
| PET scan of heart muscle blood flow A nuclear medicine imaging test that uses positron emission tomography (PET) to evaluate blood flow within the heart muscle. |
372 | $148 | $599 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in the arm or leg. The test uses sound waves to check blood flow and may include compression and other maneuvers. |
341 | $129 | $615 |
| Ultrasound of leg arteries or grafts An imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the blood vessels in the legs or any surgical grafts present. |
327 | $193 | $815 |
| Ultrasound of arm and leg arteries This procedure uses sound waves to create images of the blood vessels in the arms and legs. It allows healthcare providers to examine the structure and blood flow within these arteries. |
323 | $53 | $276 |
| Ultrasound of head and neck blood flow, bilateral An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow in the vessels of both the head and the neck. |
300 | $134 | $635 |
| Remote monitoring of implantable heart device, up to 30 days Remote evaluation of an implanted heart or blood vessel monitoring system over a period of up to 30 days. |
296 | $20 | $150 |
| Remote pacemaker/defibrillator monitoring, 90 days Remote evaluation of a pacemaker or implantable defibrillator system within 90 days of the last check. |
259 | $17 | $165 |
| Cardiac rhythm monitor programming Adjustment and configuration of an implanted cardiac rhythm monitoring device to ensure proper operation and data collection. |
204 | $47 | $100 |
| Remote pacemaker monitoring, 90 days Remote assessment of a pacemaker system, including single, dual, multiple lead, or leadless devices, performed up to 90 days apart. |
175 | $23 | $150 |
| 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. |
130 | $56 | $200 |
| 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. |
111 | $12 | $100 |
| 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. |
92 | $123 | $300 |
| Cardiac catheterization | 89 | $189 | $2,000 |
| Remote evaluation of implantable defibrillator system Remote assessment of a single, dual, or multiple lead implantable defibrillator system within 90 days of the previous evaluation. |
85 | $29 | $165 |
| Pacemaker programming, dual lead system Adjustment and configuration of a dual-lead pacemaker device to ensure proper operation and settings. |
83 | $59 | $103 |
| Technetium Tc-99m sestamibi diagnostic injection A diagnostic injection of technetium Tc-99m sestamibi used for imaging studies. |
75 | $128 | $469 |
| Continuous ECG monitoring, up to 30 days Continuous heart rhythm monitoring for up to 30 days, including professional review and reporting of the results. |
71 | $21 | $64 |
| Nuclear stress test of heart muscle A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow to the heart muscle at rest and during stress using a special camera. |
70 | $356 | $1,800 |
| Prothrombin time test (blood clotting) A laboratory test that measures how long it takes for blood to clot. This procedure evaluates the body's coagulation process. |
64 | $4 | $15 |
| 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. |
60 | $686 | $1,000 |
| Radiofrequency vein destruction, first vein A procedure to treat the first incompetent vein in the arm or leg using radiofrequency energy and imaging guidance. |
59 | $933 | $8,500 |
| Programming of multiple lead implantable defibrillator system Adjustment and testing of the settings for an implanted heart device with multiple leads to ensure proper function. |
53 | $80 | $218 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
52 | $8 | $50 |
| Insertion of implantable heart rhythm monitor A small device is placed under the skin to continuously record the heart's electrical activity. This helps detect irregular heart rhythms that may not appear during a standard office visit. |
44 | $3,576 | $15,000 |
| Complete ultrasound of aorta, vena cava, groin vessels or bypass grafts A complete ultrasound exam of the aorta, vena cava, groin vessels, or bypass grafts. This imaging test uses sound waves to visualize these blood vessels. |
37 | $120 | $477 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A test that monitors the heart's electrical activity while the patient exercises or receives medication to increase heart rate. |
35 | $22 | $95 |
| Coronary stent placement A procedure to insert a stent into a coronary artery or its branch to keep it open, using balloon dilation during the process. |
29 | $478 | $5,000 |
| 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 | $141 | $352 |
| Chemical injection for multiple incompetent leg veins A procedure involving the injection of a chemical agent into several non-functioning veins in the leg. |
27 | $181 | $1,114 |
| Programming of dual lead implantable defibrillator system Adjustment and testing of the settings for an implanted heart device with two leads to ensure proper function. |
26 | $67 | $176 |
| Pacemaker system programming Adjustment and testing of a multi-lead pacemaker to ensure proper function and settings. |
19 | $69 | $103 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an existing patient involving moderate medical decision making. The visit requires at least 35 minutes of time spent on the date of service. |
18 | $65 | $176 |
| Arterial catheter insertion, initial third order branch Insertion of a tube into an abdominal, pelvic, or leg artery, specifically targeting the initial third order branch. |
17 | $150 | $960 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in one arm or leg using compression and other maneuvers to assess blood flow and check for blockages. |
15 | $89 | $375 |
| Intravascular ultrasound of heart vessel, initial An ultrasound procedure used to evaluate a blood vessel within the heart during a diagnostic or treatment procedure. |
14 | $59 | $242 |
| Aortic tube insertion A procedure to place a tube into the aorta, the main artery carrying blood from the heart to the rest of the body. |
11 | $57 | $440 |
| Radiologist review of abdominal aorta image A radiologist reviews images of the abdominal aorta to evaluate the blood vessel. |
11 | $55 | $1,500 |
| Radiologist review of arm or leg artery images A radiologist reviews images of the arteries in one or both arms or legs to assess blood flow and vessel health. |
11 | $75 | $1,200 |
| Ultrasound of abdominal aorta An imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the abdominal aorta, the large blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lower body. |
11 | $110 | $295 |
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.
11.7% high complexity
37.7% medium
50.6% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$47,773
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $6,825/year across 7 years
Top 12% in TX for interventional cardiology
53
Companies
748
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
$18,364 (38.4%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$16,600 (34.7%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$12,810 (26.8%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$8,396
2023
$7,283
2022
$2,461
2021
$3,572
2020
$5,773
2019
$5,225
2018
$15,063
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Boston Scientific Corporation
$16,437
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$12,859
Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
$4,250
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$2,308
BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
$1,349
Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
$1,032
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$966
Terumo Medical Corporation
$916
Medtronic, Inc.
$878
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$825
Tactile Systems Technology Inc
$745
Venclose Inc.
$580
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$480
PFIZER INC.
$399
Amgen Inc.
$381
Abbott Laboratories
$305
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
$281
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$256
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$233
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$219
ATRICURE, INC.
$206
Baxter Healthcare
$193
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$183
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$172
Chiesi USA, Inc.
$143
HeartFlow, Inc.
$138
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$134
Impulse Dynamics (USA) Inc.
$111
Biosense Webster, Inc.
$110
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$104
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$62
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$59
Allergan Inc.
$53
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$47
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
$42
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$36
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$33
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$22
Itamar Medical Inc
$19
MEDICOMP INC
$18
Cook Medical LLC
$18
Ethicon US, LLC
$17
Bracco Diagnostics Inc.
$17
QorumPartners
$17
Novo Nordisk Inc
$17
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$16
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$16
CORDIS US CORP.
$14
GE Healthcare
$12
Bardy Diagnostics, Inc.
$12
Biocompatibles, Inc.
$12
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$11
EKOS Corporation
$11
Top 3 companies account for 70.2% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACCOLADE · ACCOLADE SR · ACUITY Steerable · ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION SYSTEM · AZUR · Arcalyst · Auryon Laser System 100-120 Vac · BRILINTA · BRITE TIP RADIANZ · BYSTOLIC · BodyGuardian · CARTO 3 · CHANTIX · CLOSUREFAST · COMET · COREVALVE EVOLUT R · Cardiac Monitor · Cardiogen-82 · Carnation Ambulatory Monitor · Chocolate PTA Balloon · ClosureFast · ClosureRFS · Coala Heart Monitor · Concerto · CoreValve Evolut · Corlanor · Coronary Orbital Atherectomy System · EASYTRAK 3 · EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE (THV) · EKOSONIC · ELIQUIS · ELUVIA · EMBLEM · EMBLEM MRI S-ICD · EMERGE · ENTRESTO · EPI-SENSE GUIDED COAGULATION SYSTEM WITH VISITRAX · ESSENTIO SR · EVRSF · FARXIGA · FFRct · FINELINE II Sterox · FLEXITOUCH · Flexitouch Plus · GENERAL ATHERECTOMY · GENERAL BRADY · GENERAL EP · GENERAL TACHY · GENERAL THERAPIES · GENERAL BRADY · GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION · GENERAL - BRADY · GENERAL - VASCULAR INTERVENTION · GENERAL BRADY · GUIDEZILLA · General - Angiography · General - Therapies · General - Vascular Intervention · HawkOne · HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular Dev · Hillrom - Carnation Ambulatory Monitor · IGT D Peripheral · IN.PACT AV · IN.PACT Admiral · INTELLAMAP ORION · INVOKANA · Inpefa · JARDIANCE · KENGREAL · LATITUDE · LATITUDE CLARITY · LATITUDE Communicator Power Supply · LEQVIO · LIFESTENT · LUTONIX · LUX DX · LUX-DX · LUX-Dx Insertable Cardiac Monitor · LifeVest · MULTAQ · NEXLETOL · OPTIMIZER · Optis Coronary Imaging System · Ozempic · PRADAXA · PRALUENT · Perclose ProGlide suture mediated closure system · Peripheral Orbital Atherectomy System · RESONATE · REVEAL LINQ · RHYTHMIA · ROTABLATOR · ROTAPRO · Repatha · Resolute · Reveal LINQ · Rhythmia Mapping System · S-ICD System Magnet · SAPIEN 3 Ultra RESILIA · SURGIFLO Hemostatic Matrix Family of Products · SYNERGY · THORATEC HEARTMATE 3 LVAS IMPLANT KIT · ULTRASCORE · UPTRAVI · VALITUDE · VARITHENA · VASCUTRAK · VENASEAL · VENOVO · VERQUVO · VIDA · VIGILANT · VIGILANT X4 CRT-D · VYNDAMAX · Vascepa · VenaSeal · Venclose Maven Catheter · WATCHMAN · WATCHMAN Access System · WOLVERINE · WatchPATONE · XARELTO · ZILVER PTX · ZIO XT Patch
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 (38%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Equivalent to $389 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Interventional cardiologists within 10 mi
44
Per 100K population
0.9
County median income
$73,104
Nearest hospital
OCEANS BEHAVIORAL HOSPITAL OF PASADENA
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 measures how much public data is available about a provider — not how good they are. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Bhalla is a cardiac & remote specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 1% in TX), with mixed engagement industry engagement in the top 12% 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. Bhalla experienced with regadenoson injection (lexiscan) for heart stress test?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Bhalla performed 1,962 regadenoson injection (lexiscan) for heart stress test 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. Bhalla receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Bhalla received a total of $47,773 from 53 companies across 748 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. Bhalla's costs compare to other interventional cardiologists in Pasadena?
Dr. Bhalla's average Medicare payment per service is $172. 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. Bhalla) 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. 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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