Dr. Greg Nelson, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Nelson
Dr. Greg Nelson is an optician specialist in Van Nuys, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Nelson performed 3,552 Medicare services across 1,607 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Nelson received a total of $557 from 14 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 21 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in optician. 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. Nelson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tissue pathology examination, moderate complexity A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope to analyze cellular details. This intermediate complexity procedure involves specialized techniques to identify abnormalities in the tissue. |
914 | $19 | $30 |
| Destruction of precancerous skin growths, 2-14 This procedure involves the removal or destruction of two to fourteen precancerous skin lesions. It is performed to eliminate abnormal skin cells that have the potential to develop into cancer. |
635 | $6 | $15 |
| 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. |
531 | $74 | $125 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
393 | $1 | $10 |
| Skin biopsy, tangential A procedure to remove a sample of the first identified skin growth for laboratory examination. |
273 | $88 | $145 |
| Destruction of precancerous skin growth, 1 Removal of a single precancerous skin growth. This procedure destroys abnormal skin cells to prevent them from developing into cancer. |
224 | $46 | $100 |
| 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. |
139 | $90 | $140 |
| Additional skin growth biopsy Removal of a sample of an additional skin growth for laboratory examination. This code is used for each extra lesion biopsied during the same session. |
129 | $46 | $90 |
| Drug injection, under skin or into muscle A procedure involving the administration of a medication or substance via injection into the subcutaneous tissue or muscle. |
61 | $12 | $30 |
| 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. |
60 | $109 | $160 |
| Destruction of skin growths (warts/lesions), 1-14 This procedure involves the removal or destruction of one to fourteen skin growths. It is a minor surgical intervention performed on the skin surface. |
47 | $103 | $150 |
| Destruction of 15 or more precancerous skin growths This procedure involves the removal or destruction of fifteen or more precancerous skin lesions. It is performed to treat abnormal skin cells that have the potential to develop into cancer. |
35 | $148 | $250 |
| Tissue fungi or parasites test A laboratory test to detect the presence of fungi or parasites in a tissue sample. |
25 | $4 | $36 |
| 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. |
19 | $143 | $200 |
| Fungal culture of skin, hair, or nail A laboratory test that grows and identifies fungal organisms, such as mold or yeast, from a sample of skin, hair, or nail. |
16 | $8 | $45 |
| Infectious agent smear test A laboratory test that involves examining a sample under a microscope to identify infectious agents. |
15 | $6 | $42 |
| Simple drainage of skin abscess A minor procedure to drain a localized collection of pus from the skin. The abscess is opened to allow the fluid to escape and promote healing. |
13 | $110 | $175 |
| Punch biopsy of first skin growth A small, circular piece of skin is removed from a skin growth using a circular blade. The sample is then sent to a laboratory for examination. |
12 | $105 | $175 |
| Complex or multiple skin abscess drainage A procedure to drain one or more skin abscesses that are complex in nature. This involves opening and cleaning the infected pockets under the skin. |
11 | $187 | $245 |
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 (83%) 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. Nelson is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 24% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 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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