Dr. Valerie Starnes, APRN-C
What this data tells you about Dr. Starnes
Dr. Valerie Starnes is a physician assistant in Fort Myers, FL, with 9 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Starnes performed 88,901 Medicare services across 4,607 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Starnes received a total of $2,001 from 21 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 82 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in physician assistant. 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. Starnes 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.
Florida License Status
FL DOH · MQA| Profession | License # | Status | Expires | Board Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Practice Registered Nurse | 1561462 | Clear | April 30, 2027 | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joint lubricant injection (TriVisc) An injection of hyaluronan or a derivative into a joint space. The dose specified is 1 milligram. |
44,111 | $7 | $39 |
| Extended-release steroid injection (Zilretta) An injection of triamcinolone acetonide using a preservative-free, extended-release microsphere formulation. The dosage is measured in milligrams. |
23,811 | $13 | $36 |
| Hyaluronan intra-articular injection, 1 mg An injection of hyaluronan or its derivative into a joint space. This procedure delivers 1 mg of the substance directly into the affected joint. |
7,782 | $8 | $48 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
3,503 | $45 | $146 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement Use of real-time X-ray imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
3,420 | $79 | $245 |
| Dexamethasone injection (steroid) An injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a dose of 1 milligram. |
2,475 | $0 | $1 |
| Contrast dye for imaging (iodine-based) A contrast agent containing 300-399 mg/ml of iodine used to enhance imaging studies. It is administered per milliliter to improve the visibility of internal structures. |
2,352 | $0 | $1 |
| Low osmolar contrast material, 100-199 mg/ml iodine concentration, per ml | 872 | $1 | $1 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
432 | $1 | $3 |
| Injection of anesthetic or steroid into sacroiliac joint with imaging guidance This procedure involves injecting an anesthetic or steroid medication into the joint connecting the lower spine and hip bone. Imaging guidance is used to ensure accurate placement of the injection. |
126 | $109 | $347 |
| Joint fluid aspiration or injection, small joint Removal of fluid from a small joint or injection of medication into a small joint. |
17 | $36 | $115 |
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)
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 measures how much public data is available about a provider — not how good they are. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Starnes is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 0% in FL), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 19% of FL peers.
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. Starnes experienced with joint lubricant injection (trivisc)?
Does Dr. Starnes receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Starnes's costs compare to other physician assistants in Fort Myers?
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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. 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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