Joseph Karam, M.D.
NPI 1497999718 · Surgery Physician · San Antonio, TX
Enrolled with Medicare as Practitioner - General Surgery · source: CMS PECOS Public Provider Enrollment (2026.04.01)
Provider details
- NPI number
- 1497999718
- Entity type
- Individual
- Primary specialty
- Surgery PhysicianAllopathic & Osteopathic Physicians
- Credential
- M.D.
- Sex
- Male
- Sole proprietor
- No
- License
- Q3028 (TX)
Specialties & taxonomies
Allopathic & Osteopathic Physicians
Student, Health Care
Profile Score
A profile completeness & documented-activity index — NOT a quality, outcomes, or patient-satisfaction rating.
- Registry tenure25% of score
17 yrs in NPPES registry
- Profile completeness25% of score
100% of core fields populated
- Practice footprint15% of score
1 documented practice location
- Medicare service volume (vs. specialty peers)25% of score
385 Medicare services, 2024 (ranked within specialty)
- Open Payments transparency10% of score
Has Open Payments disclosures (2024)
Medicare volume is ranked against active providers in the same specialty. Signals a provider has no public data for (e.g. Medicare claims) are left out of the score entirely — never counted as zero — so providers without that data are not penalized. See the full formula and weights in our .
What this provider does (Medicare)
Based on Medicare fee-for-service claims, 2024; not all care is captured.
| Service (HCPCS) | Medicare services | Typical Medicare-allowed (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| New Patient Office Or Other Outpatient Visit With Moderate Level of Medical Decision Making, If Using Time, 45 Minutes Or More99204 | 70 | $158 |
| New Patient Office Or Other Outpatient Visit With Low Level of Medical Decision Making, If Using Time, 30 Minutes Or More99203 | 68 | $105 |
| Removal of Gallbladder Using an Endoscope47562 | 32 | $595 |
| Repair of Groin Hernia Using an Endoscope49650 | 32 | $527 |
| Established Patient Office Or Other Outpatient Visit With Moderate Level of Decision Making, If Using Time, 30 Minutes Or More99214 | 30 | $122 |
| Established Patient Office Or Other Outpatient Visit With Low Level OD Decision Making, If Using Time, 20 Minutes Or More |
What this provider prescribes (Medicare Part D)
Top drugs by Medicare Part D claim volume, 2024 · 5 distinct drugs on file.
| Drug | Part D claims (2024) | Beneficiaries |
|---|---|---|
| Tramadol Hcl | 146 | 146 |
| Methocarbamol | 61 | 61 |
| Bethanechol Chloride | 35 | 35 |
| Acetaminophen With Codeinebrand: Acetaminophen-Codeine | 27 | 27 |
| Tamsulosin Hcl | 23 | 20 |
Medicare Part D only. These counts cover prescriptions paid through Medicare Part D in 2024 — they do notinclude cash-pay, commercial-insurance, Medicaid, or Part B–administered drugs, and badly undercount high cash-pay categories (e.g. GLP-1 weight-loss, testosterone, and ED medications). Any drug with 10 or fewer claims is omitted by CMS, and beneficiary counts under 11 are suppressed — so a missing drug means no Part D record, never zero. This is a factual claims summary, not an endorsement, not medical advice, and not a consumer report. Source: CMS Medicare Part D Prescribers — by Provider and Drug.
Transparency — industry payments
Based on CMS Open Payments, 2024; not all care is captured.
$20,852 across 51 records (Open Payments 2024)
Open Payments discloses payments and transfers of value (meals, travel, consulting, research, royalties) from drug and device makers to providers. This is a transparency signal, not a verdict — such payments are legal and common, and their presence is neither an endorsement nor a criticism. Source: CMS Open Payments, program year 2024.
Practice location
Mailing address
Registry dates
- Enumerated
- 2009-04-30
- Last updated
- 2017-10-23
Source: CMS NPPES Data Dissemination (June 2026). NPI Central is not affiliated with CMS. Data is provided as-is from the public registry.