https://doctransparency.com/doctor/fl/winter-haven/robert-merritt-1528086717
Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Robert Merritt, M.D.

Otolaryngic Allergy Physician · Winter Haven, FL
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
160 E LAKE HOWARD DR, Winter Haven, FL 33881
8632991251
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1528086717 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. Merritt 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. Merritt? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Merritt

Dr. Robert Merritt is an otolaryngic allergy physician in Winter Haven, FL, with 19 years in practice. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Merritt performed 11,034 Medicare services across 3,562 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Merritt received a total of $1,380 from 19 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 49 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in otolaryngic allergy physician. 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. Merritt 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.

✓ 19 years in practice▲ Top 29% volume in FL$ $1,380 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
11,034
Medicare services
Top 29% in FL for otolaryngic allergy physician
3,562
Unique beneficiaries
$30
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · Not a quality rating · How to read this →
~581 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
Allergy immunotherapy preparation3,241$11$36
Allergy skin test1,658$3$15
Test for allergy using allergenic extract injected into skin1,658$6$20
Professional service for single injection of allergen661$7$23
Office visit, established patient (20-29 min)547$68$362
Removal of impacted ear wax521$33$116
Office visit, established patient (30-39 min)481$94$302
New patient office visit (45-59 min)342$118$397
Diagnostic exam of nasal passages using an endoscope262$146$461
New patient office visit (30-44 min)256$82$266
Allergy injection therapy, multiple injections215$9$27
Diagnostic exam of voice box using a flexible endoscope204$101$303
Comprehensive hearing and speech recognition test197$27$203
Test to assess middle ear function189$12$38
Removal of impacted cerumen (one or both ears) by physician on same date of service as audiologic function testing172$37$124
Control of bleeding of nose using an endoscope51$198$643
Evaluation of brain response to sound for diagnosis of nervous system disorders with interpretation and report42$64$197
Evaluation and testing for balance with recording40$86$250
X-ray of paranasal sinus, minimum of 3 views38$30$125
Test to assess balance during warm and cool irrigation in both ears36$32$95
Exam of the nose and throat using an endoscope28$90$269
Monitoring and recording of esophageal function through nasal tube19$140$455
X-ray of paranasal sinus, 1-2 views18$24$80
Ct scan of face without contrast18$104$400
Removal of cancer skin growth of face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, or mouth, 1.1-2.0 cm16$107$643
Office visit, established patient (10-19 min)16$36$130
Complicated repair of wound of eyelids, nose, ears, or lip, 1.1-2.5 cm14$327$1,016
Biopsy or removal of nasal polyp or tissue using an endoscope14$281$1,056
Exam to assess movement of vocal cord flaps using an endoscope14$159$470
Test for abnormal eye movement using a rotating chair14$98$285
Use of electrodes during balance testing14$8$24
Test to assess electrical potentials generated in the inner ear as a result of sound stimulation14$89$271
Removal of foreign body in ear canal13$64$195
Blood draw (venipuncture)11$8$10
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 ↗
$1,380
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $197/year across 7 years
Top 50% in FL for otolaryngic allergy physician
19
Companies
49
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
$1,330 (96.4%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$50 (3.6%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$217
2023
$174
2022
$299
2021
$216
2020
$206
2019
$140
2018
$129

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
GENZYME CORPORATION
$357
Stryker Corporation
$152
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$147
Acclarent, Inc
$140
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$120
Ethicon US, LLC
$48
Phadia US Inc.
$46
Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA
$44
Minaris Medical America, Inc.
$44
ALK-Abello, Inc
$41
BIOTRONIK INC.
$37
Medtronic, Inc.
$33
Olympus America Inc.
$30
Checkpoint Surgical, Inc
$27
Mylan Specialty L.P.
$24
OptiNose US, Inc.
$24
Pharming Healthcare, Inc.
$23
Kaleo, Inc.
$21
Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
$21
Top 3 companies account for 47.5% of total payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACCLARENT AERA EUSTACHIAN TUBE BALLOON DILATION SYSTEM · Auvi-Q · Checkpoint Stimulators · DUPIXENT · Dymista · ENTELLUS - ENTELLUS MEDICAL REINFORCED ANESTHESIA NEEDLE · ENTELLUS - XPRESS ENT DILATION SYSTEM · INC. · ImmunoCAP · MEDLINE INDUSTRIES · NUCALA · Olympus ENT Fiber Scopes · Otiprio · PRE-PEN · RUCONEST · Ryaltris · SOMATOM GO · STEALTHSTATION S8 PLATFORM · TruDi NAV Cable · TruDi Navigation System · XPRESS ENT DILATION SYSTEM · 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 (96%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Equivalent to $12 per 100 Medicare services performed
Looking for a otolaryngic allergy physician in Winter Haven?
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Geographic Context

Otolaryngic Allergy Physicians within 10 mi
5
Per 100K population
0.7
County median income
$63,644
Nearest hospital
WINTER HAVEN 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. Merritt is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 29% in FL), and low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 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. Merritt experienced with allergy immunotherapy preparation?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Merritt performed 3,241 allergy immunotherapy preparation 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. Merritt receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Merritt received a total of $1,380 from 19 companies across 49 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. Merritt's costs compare to other otolaryngic allergy physicians in Winter Haven?
Dr. Merritt's average Medicare payment per service is $30. 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. Merritt) 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 →