Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Faisal Merchant, M.D.

Otolaryngology · Clearwater, FL
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
1330 S FORT HARRISON AVE, Clearwater, FL 33756
7272160700
In practice since 2007 (18 years)
NPI: 1427276849 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. Merchant 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. Merchant? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Merchant

Dr. Faisal Merchant is an otolaryngology in Clearwater, FL, with 18 years in practice. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Merchant performed 4,480 Medicare services across 2,418 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Merchant received a total of $995 from 9 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 20 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in otolaryngology. 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. Merchant is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. This is not a quality rating. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.

✓ 18 years in practice▲ Top 14% volume in FL$ $995 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
4,480
Medicare services
Top 14% in FL for otolaryngology
2,418
Unique beneficiaries
$49
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~249 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.

ProcedureVolumeAvg. paidAvg. submitted
Office visit, established patient (20-29 min)727$65$182
Allergy immunotherapy preparation710$10$30
Removal of impacted ear wax432$34$97
Office visit, established patient (30-39 min)406$93$256
Test for allergy using allergenic extract injected into skin395$6$17
Allergy skin test353$3$8
Diagnostic exam of nasal passages using an endoscope279$146$377
Comprehensive hearing and speech recognition test170$27$76
New patient office visit (30-44 min)159$74$226
New patient office visit (45-59 min)149$125$338
Allergy injection therapy, multiple injections117$8$22
Test to assess middle ear function92$12$33
Diagnostic exam of voice box using a flexible endoscope77$99$258
Test for eardrum and muscle function59$17$45
Placement of ear probe for computerized measurement of repeated sounds with interpretation and report56$26$67
Ct scan of face without contrast35$101$263
Evaluation and testing for balance with recording28$86$202
Use of electrodes during balance testing28$8$20
Test to assess electrical potentials generated in the inner ear as a result of sound stimulation28$89$227
Evaluation of brain response to sound for diagnosis of nervous system disorders with interpretation and report28$67$172
Test for abnormal eye movement using a rotating chair25$80$192
Test or measurement for functional capacity, each 15 minutes16$27$67
Office visit, established patient (10-19 min)14$15$113
Removal of impacted cerumen (one or both ears) by physician on same date of service as audiologic function testing14$41$106
Incision of eardrum with insertion of eardrum tube under local or topical anesthesia13$187$532
Test to assess balance during warm and cool irrigation in both ears13$32$74
Exam to assess movement of vocal cord flaps using an endoscope12$157$401
Test to assess balance during warm or cool irrigation in both ears12$18$42
Destruction of soft tissue of nasal passages11$87$442
Study of voice box function11$55$162
Analysis of voice and resonance production11$78$222
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 ↗
$995
Total received (2019-2024)
Avg $199/year across 5 years
Bottom 43% in FL for otolaryngology
9
Companies
20
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
$995 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$422
2023
$179
2022
$174
2020
$27
2019
$193

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Stryker Corporation
$228
Neurent Medical Limited
$169
GENZYME CORPORATION
$160
Aerin Medical Inc.
$114
Inspire Medical Systems, Inc.
$101
ALK-Abello, Inc
$94
AERIN MEDICAL INC.
$85
Cochlear Americas
$27
Optinose US, Inc.
$17
Top 3 companies account for 55.9% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
DUPIXENT · FIAGON NAVIGATION UNIT · INSPIRE · NEUROMARK Device · Nucleus · Odactra · SCOPIS ENT · VIVAER STYLUS · Vivaer RF Stylus · Xhance
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 (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Equivalent to $22 per 100 Medicare services performed
Looking for a otolaryngology in Clearwater?
Compare otolaryngologys in the Clearwater area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Otolaryngologys within 10 mi
80
Per 100K population
8.3
County median income
$70,293
Nearest hospital
MORTON PLANT HOSPITAL
0.0 mi

Data Sources

Provider Registry NPPESWeekly updates
Medicare Enrollment PECOSMonthly updates
Practice Data Medicare Util.Annual (CY lag)
Industry Payments Open PaymentsCY 2024
Disciplinary History— Not publicN/A

This provider has data in 4 of 4 available federal datasets, with a Data Coverage level of Very High. This measures how much public data is available about a provider — not how good they are. How we calculate this →

Summary

Dr. Merchant is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 14% in FL), and low-engagement industry engagement, with 18 years of practice experience.

This summary is auto-generated from federal data. It describes data availability and patterns — not clinical quality. Read our methodology →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dr. Merchant experienced with office visit, established patient (20-29 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Merchant performed 727 office visit, established patient (20-29 min) 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. Merchant receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Merchant received a total of $995 from 9 companies across 20 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. Merchant's costs compare to other otolaryngologys in Clearwater?
Dr. Merchant's average Medicare payment per service is $49. 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. Merchant) 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. The Transparency Score measures 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 →