Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Carl Hughes, MD
Internal Medicine · Charlotte, NC
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
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. Hughes 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. Hughes?
Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →
What this data tells you about Dr. Hughes
Dr. Carl Hughes is an internal medicine specialist in Charlotte, NC, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Hughes performed 3,075 Medicare services in 2023. These records do not provide a deduplicated patient total.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Hughes received a total of $4,634 from 44 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 285 payment records. A record can group multiple payments. These transfers are publicly reported through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their effect on care. A reliable breakdown by payment category is not available in this snapshot. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Hughes is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
✓ 20 years of NPI registration
▲ Top 12% volume in NC
$4,634 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary — 2023
Medicare Utilization ↗3,075
Medicare services
Top 12% in NC for internal medicine
Not available
Unique patients (not deduplicated)
$39
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
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 (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. |
593 | $78 | $262 |
| Lipid panel (cholesterol and triglycerides) A blood test that measures cholesterol and triglyceride levels. |
318 | $13 | $21 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
297 | $10 | $35 |
| Annual wellness visit, follow-up A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service. |
251 | $125 | $285 |
| Annual alcohol misuse screening, 5 to 15 minutes | 193 | $18 | $44 |
| Annual depression screening | 176 | $18 | $44 |
| Hemoglobin A1c test (diabetes monitoring) A blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. |
173 | $10 | $30 |
| Vitamin D level test A blood test to measure the amount of Vitamin D-3 in your body. |
154 | $29 | $46 |
| Complete blood count (CBC) with differential An automated laboratory test that measures the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood, including a breakdown of the different types of white blood cells. |
121 | $8 | $12 |
| PSA test (prostate cancer screening) A blood test that measures the level of prostate-specific antigen to screen for prostate cancer. |
107 | $19 | $28 |
| Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test A blood test that measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone to evaluate thyroid function. |
101 | $16 | $26 |
| 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. |
86 | $48 | $177 |
| Free thyroxine (T4) test A blood test that measures the level of free thyroxine, a thyroid hormone, in the bloodstream. |
85 | $9 | $14 |
| Urinalysis with microscopic exam A urine test performed manually that includes examining the sample under a microscope to check for abnormalities. |
49 | $3 | $5 |
| 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. |
40 | $120 | $353 |
| Basic metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of basic chemicals, including total calcium levels. |
38 | $8 | $13 |
| Ferritin level test (iron stores) A blood test that measures the level of ferritin, a protein that stores iron in the body. |
38 | $13 | $21 |
| Urine microalbumin test (kidney screening) A laboratory test that measures the amount of microalbumin, a small protein, in a urine sample. This test is used to detect early signs of kidney damage. |
37 | $6 | $9 |
| Creatinine test (kidney function) A blood test that measures the amount of creatinine to assess kidney function or detect muscle injury. |
37 | $5 | $8 |
| Vitamin B-12 level test A blood test that measures the amount of vitamin B-12 in your body. |
29 | $15 | $23 |
| Automated urinalysis An automated laboratory test performed on a urine sample to analyze its chemical and physical properties. The procedure uses machinery to detect various substances and cells within the urine. |
28 | $2 | $6 |
| PSA test (prostate cancer screening) | 26 | $18 | $28 |
| 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. |
17 | $10 | $41 |
| Annual wellness visit, initial visit A yearly appointment to review your health and create a personalized prevention plan. This initial visit focuses on preventive care and health assessment. |
17 | $160 | $420 |
| Vaccine administration The process of giving a vaccine to a patient. This code covers the administration service only and does not include the cost of the vaccine itself. |
14 | $12 | $49 |
| Uric acid level test A blood test that measures the level of uric acid in your body. Uric acid is a waste product formed when the body breaks down purines. |
13 | $4 | $7 |
| Routine 12-lead ECG screening A standard 12-lead electrocardiogram performed as part of an initial preventive physical examination. The service includes both the performance of the test and the physician's interpretation and report. |
13 | $6 | $41 |
| Ear wax removal by washing This procedure involves the removal of impacted ear wax using a washing technique. |
12 | $13 | $33 |
| Initial preventive physical examination, new Medicare beneficiary A comprehensive preventive health visit for new Medicare beneficiaries during their first 12 months of enrollment. The service is conducted as a face-to-face visit and is limited to preventive care. |
12 | $160 | $407 |
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. These counts do not measure clinical quality or years of experience.
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$4,634
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $662/year across 7 years
Top 18% in NC for internal medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
44
Companies
285
Payment records
Payments are publicly reported; disclosure does not establish legality · Not evidence of wrongdoing · How to interpret →
Payment categories are unavailable while the source breakdown is being rebuilt. Company and year totals do not identify how much belongs to each category.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$987
2023
$817
2022
$547
2021
$391
2020
$324
2019
$1,550
2018
$18
Payments by company (2024)
ABBVIE INC.
$150
Novo Nordisk Inc
$147
Lilly USA, LLC
$101
Amgen Inc.
$94
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$71
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$56
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$56
PFIZER INC.
$54
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$33
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$33
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$29
Eisai Inc.
$26
Abbott Laboratories
$22
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$22
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$22
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$19
Exact Sciences Corporation
$18
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$18
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$14
Top 3 companies account for 40.3% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Novo Nordisk Inc
$590
Amgen Inc.
$494
ABBVIE INC.
$325
PFIZER INC.
$282
Lilly USA, LLC
$249
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$221
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$211
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$192
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$185
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$183
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$156
Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC
$116
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$110
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$101
IBSA Pharma Inc.
$101
Abbott Laboratories
$95
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$94
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$76
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$72
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$66
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$56
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$49
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$44
Genentech USA, Inc.
$44
Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
$43
EISAI INC.
$42
SANOFI PASTEUR INC.
$40
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$38
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$38
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$37
AbbVie Inc.
$33
AbbVie, Inc.
$33
Shire North American Group Inc
$30
Eisai Inc.
$26
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$24
Exact Sciences Corporation
$18
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$17
Shield Therapeutics Inc
$16
AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$16
OptiNose US, Inc.
$15
Medicure Pharma Inc.
$14
ViiV Healthcare Company
$14
Aerin Medical Inc.
$14
Currax Pharmaceuticals LLC
$12
Top 3 companies account for 30.4% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACCRUFER · ADACEL · AJOVY · ANORO ELLIPTA · APRETUDE · AREXVY · Aimovig · Amitiza · BASAGLAR · BREZTRI · Belviq · CHANTIX · COLOGUARD · CONTRAVE · Cologuard Collection Kit · ELIQUIS · EMGALITY · ENTRESTO · EUCRISA · EVENITY · Edarbyclor · FARXIGA · FIASP · FLUBLOK QUADRIVALENT NORTHERN HEMISPHERE · FLUZONE HIGH-DOSE · FREESTYLE LIBRE 3 · GARDASIL · INTRAROSA · JANUVIA · JARDIANCE · Kerendia · LEQVIO · LINZESS · Leqembi · Livalo · MOUNJARO · MYRBETRIQ · NEXLETOL · NURTEC ODT · Otezla · Ozempic · PNEUMOVAX 23 · PREVNAR - 13 · PREVNAR 13 · PREVNAR 20 · PROCLAIM · QULIPTA · QUVIVIQ · Rybelsus · SHINGRIX · SOLIQUA 100/33 · SPIRIVA RESPIMAT · SPRAVATO · SYMBICORT · SYNJARDY · SYNTHROID · Synthroid · TOUJEO · TRADJENTA · TRELEGY ELLIPTA · TRINTELLIX · TRULICITY · TRUMENBA · Tirosint · Tresiba · UBRELVY · UNITHROID · Uloric · VIBERZI · VYVANSE · Vascepa · VivAer · Wegovy · XARELTO · XIFAXAN · XTANDI · Xhance · Xofluza · ZYPITAMAG
Should you be concerned? Industry payments are disclosed through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their purpose, legality, or effect on care. 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 →
Geographic Context
Internal medicine physicians in nearby ZIP areas
988
County median income
$83,765
Nearest hospital to ZIP centroid (approximate)
ATRIUM HEALTH PINEVILLE
0.0 mi
0.0 mi
Data Sources
| Provider Registry | ✓ NPPES | NPPES snapshot; verify current record |
| Medicare Enrollment | ✓ PECOS | PECOS snapshot |
| Practice Data | ✓ Medicare Util. | Annual (CY lag) |
| Industry Payments | ✓ Open Payments | CY 2024 |
| Disciplinary History | — Not included | N/A |
This provider has data in 4 of 4 available federal datasets, with a Data Coverage level of Very High. This reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Hughes is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 12% in NC), with 20 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Hughes experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Hughes performed 593 office visit, established patient (30-39 min) services. These records cover Medicare fee-for-service activity, including eligible younger beneficiaries; they do not measure total practice volume or clinical quality.
Does Dr. Hughes receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Hughes received a total of $4,634 from 44 companies across 285 payment records. A record can group multiple payments. These transfers are publicly disclosed through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their legality or effect on care. 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. Hughes's costs compare to other internal medicine physicians in Charlotte?
Dr. Hughes's average Medicare payment per service is $39. 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. Hughes) 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 the presence of registry, enrollment, activity or payment records, not verified experience or clinical quality. 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?
Source publication dates and the snapshots loaded on this site can differ. Rebuilding a page does not refresh its source records. Check the Medicare reporting year and the payment interval shown above; consult the linked official sources for newer releases and current registry details. See our data freshness policy →
Explore related providers
Same specialty & city
Internal Medicine Physicians in Charlotte
Browse internal medicine physicians in Charlotte ranked by procedure volume and transparency data.
Highest volume
Top Internal Medicine Physicians in NC
Internal medicine physicians ranked by total Medicare services performed statewide.
Industry payments
Pharma Payments to Internal Medicine Physicians in NC
Which NC internal medicine physicians receive the most from drug and device companies.
By company
Novo Nordisk Inc Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from Novo Nordisk Inc.
By company
Amgen Inc. Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from Amgen Inc.
By company
ABBVIE INC. Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from ABBVIE INC.
About this page
This page combines public CMS records with calculated summaries and explanatory procedure labels. These transformations are not verbatim federal records. Sources: 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. Data Coverage reflects 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