Medicare Enrolled
Dr. James Howell, DO
Family Medicine · Defuniak Springs, FL
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
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. Howell 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 →
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What this data tells you about Dr. Howell
Dr. James Howell is a family medicine specialist in Defuniak Springs, FL, with 18 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Howell performed 5,960 Medicare services across 2,907 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Howell received a total of $7,638 from 48 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 472 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in family medicine. 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. Howell 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 5% volume in FL
$7,638 industry payments
Florida License Status
FL DOH · MQA1
Active license
None
Board action on record
0
Recent admin complaints
| Profession | License # | Status | Expires | Board Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osteopathic Physician | 7047 | Clear | March 31, 2028 | — |
Data from Florida Department of Health Medical Quality Assurance.
License records are public under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes.
Verify directly on FL DOH →
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗5,960
Medicare services
Top 5% in FL for family medicine
2,907
Unique beneficiaries
$44
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~331 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
1,934 | $79 | $135 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
762 | $8 | $20 |
| 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. |
616 | $67 | $90 |
| Dexamethasone injection (steroid) An injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a dose of 1 milligram. |
512 | $0 | $25 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
504 | $1 | $5 |
| 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. |
286 | $9 | $35 |
| Home visit, established patient, straightforward decision making A home visit for an established patient involving straightforward medical decision making. The visit lasts at least 15 minutes when time is used to determine the level of service. |
141 | $30 | $100 |
| Flu vaccine administration This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient. |
115 | $29 | $30 |
| Quadrivalent influenza vaccine, cell-culture derived A flu shot containing four strains of influenza virus, produced using cell culture technology rather than eggs. This formulation is free from preservatives and antibiotics. |
110 | $33 | $40 |
| Chest X-ray, 2 views An X-ray imaging test of the chest that captures two different angles to visualize the lungs, heart, and chest wall. |
104 | $14 | $53 |
| 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. |
87 | $100 | $200 |
| Automated urinalysis An automated laboratory test performed on a urine sample to analyze its chemical and physical properties. The procedure uses machinery to detect various substances and cells within the urine. |
86 | $2 | $10 |
| Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report. |
68 | $10 | $30 |
| Home health plan of care certification Certification by a physician or allowed practitioner for Medicare-covered home health services under a home health plan of care. This includes contacting the home health agency and reviewing reports of patient status required by physicians. |
65 | $40 | $100 |
| Home health plan of care re-certification A physician reviews the patient's status and contacts the home health agency to re-certify the plan of care without the patient being present. |
47 | $31 | $75 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
46 | $49 | $150 |
| Annual wellness visit, follow-up A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service. |
46 | $123 | $160 |
| Trigger point injection, 1-2 muscles A procedure involving the injection of medication into one or two specific muscles to treat trigger points. |
43 | $34 | $100 |
| Ceftriaxone antibiotic injection This code represents the administration of ceftriaxone sodium, an antibiotic medication. The charge is calculated for every 250 mg of the drug administered. |
41 | $0 | $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. |
40 | $68 | $150 |
| 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. |
33 | $44 | $150 |
| Knee X-ray, 3 views An X-ray imaging test of the knee joint that captures three different angles to evaluate the bones and surrounding structures. |
25 | $21 | $78 |
| Influenza virus detection test A laboratory test that uses an immunoassay technique to detect the presence of the influenza virus through direct visual observation. |
24 | $16 | $20 |
| Transitional care management, high complexity Coordination of care for a patient transitioning from a short-term hospital stay or other facility to home or another care setting. This service addresses a high-complexity medical problem. |
24 | $213 | $300 |
| 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. |
20 | $5 | $25 |
| Limited abdominal ultrasound A focused ultrasound examination of the abdomen to evaluate specific organs or areas. This procedure uses sound waves to create images of internal structures. |
20 | $36 | $129 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
18 | $77 | $278 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, minimum of 4 views An X-ray imaging test of the lower back and sacrum using at least four different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
17 | $21 | $94 |
| Shoulder X-ray, 2+ views An X-ray imaging test of the shoulder joint using at least two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
16 | $17 | $66 |
| Hip X-ray, 2-3 views An X-ray imaging test of the hip joint using two to three different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
16 | $21 | $81 |
| Ear wax removal A procedure to remove impacted ear wax from the ear canal. |
15 | $36 | $75 |
| Ultrasound of head and neck blood flow, bilateral An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow in the vessels of both the head and the neck. |
15 | $108 | $227 |
| 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. |
14 | $19 | $72 |
| Ultrasound of head and neck soft tissue This procedure uses sound waves to create images of the soft tissues in the head and neck area. It allows for the visualization of structures beneath the skin without using radiation. |
13 | $50 | $158 |
| Transitional care management services, moderate complexity Services provided to coordinate care during the transition from an inpatient or other facility setting back to the community. This includes follow-up and management of a health problem of at least moderate complexity. |
13 | $158 | $250 |
| 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. |
12 | $19 | $63 |
| COVID-19 immunoassay detection test A laboratory test that uses an immunoassay method to detect the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) through direct visual observation. |
12 | $41 | $100 |
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.
0.3% high complexity
24.8% medium
74.9% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$7,638
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,091/year across 7 years
Top 6% in FL for family medicine
48
Companies
472
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
$7,638 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$999
2023
$1,084
2022
$1,119
2021
$1,521
2020
$1,185
2019
$927
2018
$803
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$953
Novo Nordisk Inc
$771
ABBVIE INC.
$685
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$628
Lilly USA, LLC
$362
PFIZER INC.
$343
AbbVie Inc.
$298
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$265
Amgen Inc.
$256
Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$240
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$194
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$193
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$186
Dexcom, Inc.
$186
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$155
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$141
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$125
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$119
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$113
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$107
AbbVie, Inc.
$99
Nestle HealthCare Nutrition Inc.
$95
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$93
Allergan, Inc.
$86
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$85
Grifols USA, LLC
$81
Corcept Therapeutics
$74
KLS-Martin L.P.
$72
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$66
Braemar Manufacturing, LLC
$61
Eisai Inc.
$52
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$48
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$48
JAZZ PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$41
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
$35
DEXCOM, INC.
$35
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$34
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$28
Biogen, Inc.
$27
Abbott Laboratories
$26
Allergan Inc.
$25
Insmed, Inc.
$21
Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
$20
Exact Sciences Corporation
$16
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
$15
Melinta Therapeutics, Inc.
$14
Purdue Pharma L.P.
$14
ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc
$12
Top 3 companies account for 31.5% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ADVAIR · AIRSUPRA · AJOVY · ANORO · ANORO ELLIPTA · AUSTEDO · Aimovig · Arikayce · BAQSIMI · BASAGLAR · BELSOMRA · BREO · BREZTRI · BREZTRI AEROSPHERE · Baxdela · CALQUENCE · CHANTIX · COMIRNATY · CREON · Cardiac Monitoring Suite · Cologuard Collection Kit · Creon · DEXCOM G6 TRANSMITTER · Da Vinci Surgical System · Dayvigo · Dexcom G6 Transmitter · ELIQUIS · EMGALITY · ENTRESTO · EVENITY · FARXIGA · FREESTYLE LIBRE 2 · HUMALOG · INVOKANA · JANUVIA · JARDIANCE · Kerendia · Korlym · LEQVIO · LINZESS · LOKELMA · LYRICA · MOUNJARO · MYRBETRIQ · Myrbetriq · NUEDEXTA · NUPLAZID · NURTEC ODT · Nuedexta · Otezla · Ozempic · Prolastin-C Liquid · QULIPTA · REXULTI · RYBELSUS · Rybelsus · SHINGRIX · SOLIQUA 100/33 · STEGLATRO · SUNOSI · SYMBICORT · SYMPROIC · Synthroid · TOUJEO · TRELEGY ELLIPTA · TRULICITY · Tresiba · Trilogy 100 · UBRELVY · VIBERZI · VOQUEZNA · VPRIV · VRAYLAR · Vascepa · Veozah · Victoza · Wegovy · XARELTO · XIFAXAN · ZENPEP
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. Total industry engagement is in the top 6% for family medicine in FL.
Equivalent to $128 per 100 Medicare services performed
Geographic Context
Family medicine physicians within 10 mi
50
Per 100K population
62.6
County median income
$79,281
Nearest hospital
NORTH WALTON DOCTORS HOSPITAL
0.0 mi
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 measures how much public data is available about a provider — not how good they are. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Howell is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 5% in FL), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 6% of FL peers, with 18 years of NPI registration.
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. Howell experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Howell performed 1,934 office visit, established patient (30-39 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. Howell receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Howell received a total of $7,638 from 48 companies across 472 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. Howell's costs compare to other family medicine physicians in Defuniak Springs?
Dr. Howell's average Medicare payment per service is $44. 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. Howell) 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 →
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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.
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