Dr. Kara Hilmes, FNP
What this data tells you about Dr. Hilmes
Dr. Kara Hilmes is a physician assistant in San Angelo, TX, with 14 years in practice. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Hilmes performed 2,900 Medicare services across 1,267 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Hilmes received a total of $1,864 from 3 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 28 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in physician assistant. 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. Hilmes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denosumab injection (Prolia/Xgeva) | 1,140 | $18 | $33 |
| Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) | 447 | $76 | $217 |
| Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) | 196 | $48 | $146 |
| Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 80 mg | 127 | $9 | $41 |
| Fusion of additional segment of spine | 100 | $40 | $406 |
| Injection of substance into lower spine canal using imaging guidance | 100 | $162 | $698 |
| Insertion of cage or mesh device to spine bone and disc space during spine fusion | 93 | $27 | $195 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with release of spinal cord and/or nerves, each additional segment | 65 | $22 | $622 |
| Fusion of spine in lower back | 46 | $162 | $1,299 |
| Electronic analysis reprogramming and refill of spinal canal drug infusion pump by physician | 46 | $56 | $364 |
| Placement of stabilizing device to back, 3-6 spine bone segments | 44 | $79 | $1,724 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with release of lower spinal cord and/or nerves, 1 segment | 40 | $68 | $808 |
| Placement of stabilizing device to front, 2-3 spine bone segments | 39 | $75 | $1,102 |
| Flu vaccine administration | 39 | $17 | $17 |
| Flu vaccine, high-dose | 34 | $62 | $63 |
| Fusion of lower spine bone through abdomen with partial removal of disc | 30 | $160 | $1,306 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity | 30 | $85 | $268 |
| Placement of stabilizing device to back of 1 spine bone in neck | 28 | $78 | $1,186 |
| Fusion of upper spine bone with removal of disc and release of spinal cord or nerve, each additional disc | 27 | $41 | $296 |
| Fusion of spine in neck by posterior approach | 27 | $119 | $994 |
| Drug injection, under skin or into muscle | 26 | $9 | $50 |
| Fusion of upper spine bone with removal of disc and release of spinal cord or nerve, 1 disc | 23 | $174 | $1,264 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) | 21 | $8 | $8 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, 2-3 views | 21 | $23 | $76 |
| Injection of lower or sacral spine facet joint using imaging guidance, single level | 19 | $129 | $884 |
| Injection of lower or sacral spine facet joint using imaging guidance, second level | 19 | $72 | $486 |
| X-ray of upper spine, 2-3 views | 18 | $22 | $83 |
| Injection of anesthetic or steroid into joint between lower spine and hip bone using imaging guidance | 15 | $107 | $547 |
| Placement of stabilizing device to front, 4-7 spine bone segments | 14 | $78 | $1,199 |
| Placement of electrical stimulation device for bone healing | 13 | $54 | $220 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with release of upper spinal cord and/or nerves, 1 segment | 13 | $67 | $1,356 |
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 ›
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
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. Hilmes is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 3% in TX), and high industry engagement (low-engagement, top 18%).
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. Hilmes experienced with denosumab injection (prolia/xgeva)?
Does Dr. Hilmes receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Hilmes's costs compare to other physician assistants in San Angelo?
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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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