Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Michael Wheeler, D.P.M.

Foot & Ankle Surgery Podiatrist · Van Nuys, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
15216 VANOWEN ST # 1A, Van Nuys, CA 91405
8187857875
In practice since 2013 (12 years)
NPI: 1487090973 verify on NPPES ↗
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. Wheeler 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. Wheeler? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Wheeler

Dr. Michael Wheeler is a foot & ankle surgery podiatrist in Van Nuys, CA, with 12 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Wheeler performed 1,551 Medicare services across 684 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Wheeler received a total of $15,150 from 43 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 171 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in foot & ankle surgery podiatrist. 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. Wheeler 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.

✓ 12 years in practice ▲ Top 44% volume in CA $15,150 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
1,551
Medicare services
Top 44% in CA for foot & ankle surgery podiatrist
684
Unique beneficiaries
$71
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~129 Medicare services per year of practice

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
Removal of thickened skin growths, 2-4
This procedure involves the removal of two to four benign, thickened skin growths. It is a minor surgical intervention to eliminate non-cancerous skin lesions.
325 $70 $120
Toenail/fingernail removal, 6+ nails
Surgical removal of six or more fingernails or toenails. This procedure involves the excision of multiple nails during a single session.
318 $36 $120
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.
265 $72 $120
Wound tissue removal, 20 sq cm or less
This procedure involves the removal of tissue from a wound area measuring 20 square centimeters or less.
150 $84 $200
Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity
Subsequent hospital inpatient or observation care for an existing patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 50 minutes total time on the date of the encounter.
139 $94 $200
Skin and tissue removal, 20 sq cm or less
This procedure involves the surgical excision of skin and underlying tissue from an area measuring 20 square centimeters or smaller.
83 $110 $175
Initial hospital admission, high complexity
Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 75 minutes total time on the date of the encounter.
64 $137 $400
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.
62 $85 $175
Foot X-ray, 3+ views
An X-ray imaging test of the foot that captures at least three different views to evaluate the bones and joints.
58 $28 $75
Toenail/fingernail removal, 1-5 nails
This procedure involves the removal of one to five fingernails or toenails.
36 $27 $100
Muscle or tissue removal, 20 sq cm or less
This procedure involves the surgical removal of muscle or other tissue from the body. The total area of the removed tissue is 20.0 square centimeters or less.
33 $119 $350
Ankle X-ray, minimum 3 views
An X-ray imaging test of the ankle that captures at least three different angles to evaluate the bones and joints.
18 $32 $75
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. A higher procedure volume generally indicates more experience with that procedure.

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$15,150
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $2,164/year across 7 years
Top 8% in CA for foot & ankle surgery podiatrist
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
43
Companies
171
Individual payments
All payments are legal and publicly reported · Not evidence of wrongdoing · How to interpret →

Payment profile

Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.

Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$9,171 (60.5%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$5,247 (34.6%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$731 (4.8%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$592
2023
$589
2022
$4,917
2021
$1,246
2020
$328
2019
$6,913
2018
$565

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Paragon 28, Inc.
$162
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS INC.
$144
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$133
Solventum Corporation
$35
Saxum Surgical, Inc.
$35
Bioventus LLC
$29
Orthofix Medical, Inc.
$25
Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$15
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$14
Top 3 companies account for 74.1% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Micromed Inc
$5,348
Vilex LLC
$2,480
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$1,945
BioTissue Holdings, Inc.
$1,432
KCI USA, Inc
$731
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
$399
Paragon 28, Inc.
$329
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS, INC.
$317
Organogenesis Inc.
$273
Advanced Orthopaedic Solutions, Inc.
$236
Integra LifeSciences Corporation
$195
BIOTISSUE HOLDINGS INC.
$144
Smith & Nephew, Inc.
$109
CROSSROADS EXTREMITY SYSTEMS, LLC
$108
Melinta Therapeutics, Inc.
$107
KCI USA, Inc.
$102
Medline Industries, Inc.
$97
ZIMVIE INC.
$93
ACELL, INC.
$67
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$55
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$48
Next Science LLC
$45
Orthofix Medical, Inc.
$44
Tactile Systems Technology Inc
$43
ORGANOGENESIS INC.
$36
Solventum Corporation
$35
Saxum Surgical, Inc.
$35
ERMI Inc.
$34
Bioventus LLC
$29
Osiris Therapeutics Inc.
$24
AXOGEN
$21
GRT US Holding, Inc.
$20
Melinta Therapeutics, LLC
$18
Zyla Life Sciences
$18
Arthrosurface Incorporated
$18
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$18
Linvatec Corporation
$16
Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$15
HARTMANN USA, INC.
$15
MEDLINE INDUSTRIES LP
$14
TISSUETECH, INC.
$13
Globus Medical, Inc.
$11
Wright Medical Technology, Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 64.5% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTIV.A.C. · ANKLE FX · AOS PRODUCTS · AccelStim · Alps Plates and Instruments · Apex 3D · Apligraf · AxoGuard Nerve Connector · Baxdela · Biomet Orthopak · COLLAGENASE SANTYL · Cannulated screws · EBI OsteoGen Implantable Bone Growth Stimulator · EXCELSIUS GPS · EXOGEN ULTRASOUND BONE HEALING SYSTEM · FLEXITOUCH · GRAFIX PL · GRAFIX/GRAFIXPL/STRAVIX · Gorilla Plating System · HINTERMANN · HemiCAP MTP Resurfacing · Hyalomatrix Wound Device · INC. · Integra · LINVATEC EXTREMITIES · MEDLINE INDUSTRIES · MOTOBAND · Monkey Rings · NEOX · NUZYRA · Orbactiv · Phantom Hindfoot · Phoenix TTC Instruments and Nail · Physio-Stim · Puraply · Puraply Antimicrobial · Qutenza · REGRANEX · SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS · SALVATION · SIVEXTRO · SNAP · SPEED · SPRIX · STRAVIX · STRAVIX PL · Santyl · Seglentis · Stravix · SurgX · V.A.C. DERMATAC · V.A.C. VERAFLO · V.A.C.ULTA · VAC VERAFLO · Zetuvit Plus
Should you be concerned? Payments from pharmaceutical and device companies are legal and common — 57% of U.S. physicians receive at least one. They often reflect legitimate consulting, research, or education. 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 →

Most payments (60%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians. Total industry engagement is in the top 8% for foot & ankle surgery podiatrist in CA.

Looking for a foot & ankle surgery podiatrist in Van Nuys?
Compare foot & ankle surgery podiatrists in the Van Nuys area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Foot & ankle surgery podiatrists within 10 mi
217
Per 100K population
2.2
County median income
$87,760
Nearest hospital
VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL
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. Wheeler is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 8% of CA peers.

This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dr. Wheeler experienced with removal of thickened skin growths, 2-4?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Wheeler performed 325 removal of thickened skin growths, 2-4 services. Research suggests that higher procedure volume is often associated with better outcomes, particularly for complex procedures. Note that Medicare data only captures patients aged 65 and older, so the total practice volume across all patients is likely higher.
Does Dr. Wheeler receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Wheeler received a total of $15,150 from 43 companies across 171 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common among physicians — 57% of all U.S. physicians receive at least one industry payment. 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. Wheeler's costs compare to other foot & ankle surgery podiatrists in Van Nuys?
Dr. Wheeler's average Medicare payment per service is $71. 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. Wheeler) 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 a long track record of practice, Medicare participation, and industry disclosure. 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?
Each data source has its own update cycle. Provider registry data (NPPES) is updated weekly. Medicare enrollment (PECOS) is updated monthly. Medicare practice data has a ~2 year lag — the most recent available is typically 2 years prior. Industry payment data (Open Payments) is published annually, usually in June, covering the prior calendar year. We display the data date prominently on each section so you always know how current it is. See our data freshness policy →
About this page

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.

Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology

Data Disclaimer — Data sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), Open Payments program, Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, and Provider Enrollment & Certification data (PECOS). Published under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Data may contain errors as reported to CMS by providers and reporting entities. Payments from industry are legal and do not indicate wrongdoing. Medicare data reflects only patients aged 65+ or those with qualifying disabilities. For corrections, contact CMS directly. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a healthcare provider. Procedure descriptions use plain language and do not reference CPT® codes, which are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Full methodology → · Report a data error → · Privacy policy →