Dr. Stephen Nichols, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Nichols
Dr. Stephen Nichols is an anesthesiology specialist in Redding, CA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Nichols performed 331 Medicare services across 324 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Nichols received a total of $190 from 3 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 4 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in anesthesiology. 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. Nichols 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anesthesia for forearm, wrist, and hand procedure This code covers the administration of anesthesia for surgical procedures involving the nerves, muscles, tendons, and tissues of the forearm, wrist, and hand. |
45 | $92 | $549 |
| Arterial line insertion A tube is inserted into an artery through the skin to allow for blood sampling or infusion. |
39 | $35 | $300 |
| Anesthesia for upper abdomen procedure Administration of anesthesia for surgical procedures performed on the upper abdomen. |
33 | $253 | $1,624 |
| Anesthesia for total knee replacement Administration of anesthesia during a total knee joint replacement procedure. |
26 | $240 | $1,600 |
| Insertion of non-tunneled central venous catheter A procedure to place a central venous catheter for infusion in patients aged 5 years or older. The catheter is inserted directly into a large vein without being tunneled under the skin. |
24 | $66 | $400 |
| 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. |
24 | $11 | $100 |
| Brachial plexus injection with anesthetic and/or steroid An injection of an anesthetic agent and/or steroid into the brachial plexus nerve bundle in the arm. |
20 | $55 | $800 |
| Lower back and sciatic nerve injection An injection of an anesthetic and/or steroid medication into the lower back and sciatic nerve. This procedure delivers medication directly to the nerve site. |
16 | $58 | $770 |
| Continuous infusion of anesthetic agent and/or steroid into thigh nerve (femoral nerve) through catheter | 16 | $42 | $1,131 |
| Anesthesia for heart and large blood vessel procedure Administration of anesthesia during surgical procedures involving the heart and major blood vessels. |
15 | $369 | $2,213 |
| Anesthesia for skin procedures on arms, legs, or front body This code covers anesthesia services provided for surgical procedures performed on the skin of the arms, legs, or anterior trunk. |
14 | $116 | $729 |
| Anesthesia for forearm, wrist, or hand bone procedure Administration of anesthesia during surgical procedures involving the bones of the forearm, wrist, or hand. |
13 | $130 | $808 |
| Anesthesia for lower leg, ankle, or foot bone procedure Administration of anesthesia during surgical procedures involving the bones of the lower leg, ankle, or foot. |
12 | $171 | $1,067 |
| Femoral nerve injection with anesthetic and/or steroid An injection of an anesthetic agent and/or steroid into the femoral nerve in the thigh. This procedure delivers medication directly to the nerve. |
12 | $32 | $700 |
| Anesthesia for top of arm bone and shoulder joint procedure Administration of anesthesia for surgical procedures involving the upper arm bone and shoulder joint. |
11 | $210 | $1,273 |
| Transesophageal echocardiogram An ultrasound of the heart performed using a probe inserted into the esophagus to obtain detailed images of heart structures and function. |
11 | $86 | $600 |
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)
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
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 reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Nichols is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 13% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, 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
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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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