Dr. Merlin Hamer, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Hamer
Dr. Merlin Hamer is an orthopedic surgery specialist in La Jolla, CA, with 18 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Hamer performed 2,570 Medicare services across 1,719 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Hamer received a total of $768 from 10 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 16 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in orthopedic surgery. 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. Hamer 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Betamethasone steroid injection An injection containing a combination of betamethasone acetate and betamethasone sodium phosphate. |
916 | $5 | $12 |
| Tendon or ligament injection A procedure involving the injection of medication into a tendon or ligament. |
314 | $43 | $227 |
| 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. |
287 | $125 | $453 |
| 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. |
286 | $99 | $350 |
| 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. |
155 | $84 | $305 |
| 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. |
146 | $71 | $248 |
| Routine 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) A test that records the electrical activity of the heart using at least 12 leads to produce a tracing. |
91 | $5 | $25 |
| Joint fluid aspiration or injection, small joint Removal of fluid from a small joint or injection of medication into a small joint. |
77 | $46 | $245 |
| Endoscopic release of wrist ligament A minimally invasive procedure using a small camera to cut and release ligaments in the wrist. |
67 | $434 | $1,962 |
| Incision of finger tendon sheath A surgical procedure to cut open the protective covering of a finger tendon. |
64 | $223 | $2,436 |
| Joint fluid aspiration or injection, medium joint Removal of fluid from a medium-sized joint or injection of medication into the joint space. |
40 | $48 | $222 |
| Injection of carpal tunnel | 29 | $68 | $372 |
| Elbow to finger cast application Application of a cast extending from the elbow to the fingers to immobilize the arm. |
23 | $77 | $336 |
| Nonremovable forearm to hand splint application A healthcare provider applies a rigid splint that extends from the forearm to the hand to immobilize and support the area. |
14 | $57 | $256 |
| Wrist tendon sheath incision A surgical procedure to cut open the covering of the tendons on the top of the wrist. |
13 | $176 | $1,351 |
| Imaging guidance for procedure, 60 minutes or less Use of imaging technology to guide a medical procedure. This service lasts 60 minutes or less. |
13 | $13 | $80 |
| Adult short arm fiberglass cast supplies Materials used to apply a short arm cast made of fiberglass for patients aged 11 and older. |
13 | $18 | $48 |
| Wrist to finger joint removal Surgical removal of the bones forming the joints between the wrist and the fingers. |
11 | $709 | $3,167 |
| Tendon transfer to back of hand A surgical procedure where a tendon is moved to a new location on the back of the hand to restore function. |
11 | $351 | $3,161 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2021 ↗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 (2021)
All-time payments by company (2018-2021) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (82%) 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 2021 |
| 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 reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Hamer is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 24% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 18 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. 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. 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.
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