Medicare Enrolled
John Blankenship
Optician · Athens, GA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
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 Blankenship 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 Blankenship
John Blankenship is an optician specialist in Athens, GA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Blankenship performed 15,216 Medicare services in 2023. These records do not provide a deduplicated patient total.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Blankenship received a total of $8,552 from 59 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 395 payment records. A record can group multiple payments. These transfers are publicly reported through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their effect on care. A reliable breakdown by payment category is not available in this snapshot. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Blankenship 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.
✓ 20 years of NPI registration
▲ Top 3% volume in GA
$8,552 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary — 2023
Medicare Utilization ↗15,216
Medicare services
Top 3% in GA for optician
Not available
Unique patients (not deduplicated)
$28
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Injection, propofol, 10 mg | 4,958 | $0 | $1 |
| Botox injection, per unit An injection of onabotulinumtoxinA, a medication used to temporarily relax muscles or reduce gland activity. The dose is measured in units, with this code representing a single unit administered. |
3,200 | $5 | $16 |
| 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. |
1,742 | $2 | $20 |
| 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. |
804 | $85 | $300 |
| 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. |
690 | $59 | $200 |
| Bladder ultrasound after voiding An ultrasound scan performed after urination to measure the amount of urine remaining in the bladder. |
672 | $7 | $60 |
| Midazolam injection, per 1 mg Administration of midazolam hydrochloride, a sedative medication, measured in 1 mg increments. |
413 | $0 | $1 |
| 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. |
308 | $0 | $3 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 11-20 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 11 and 20 minutes. |
231 | $62 | $200 |
| 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. |
214 | $108 | $450 |
| Cystourethroscopy A diagnostic exam of the bladder and urethra using an endoscope to visually inspect the urinary tract. |
213 | $157 | $776 |
| Leuprolide acetate (for depot suspension), 7.5 mg | 195 | $134 | $850 |
| Injection, fentanyl citrate, 0.1 mg | 171 | $1 | $5 |
| Abdominal X-ray, 1 view An X-ray image of the abdomen taken from a single angle to visualize internal structures. |
158 | $20 | $100 |
| Sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes Administration of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by the physician performing a procedure. This code covers the initial 15 minutes of sedation for patients aged 5 years or older. |
107 | $37 | $156 |
| Imaging of urinary tract with contrast An imaging test of the urinary tract performed after a contrast agent is injected to enhance visibility of the structures. |
105 | $36 | $1,200 |
| Additional sedation, per 15 minutes Administration of a drug to deepen sedation during a procedure. This code covers each additional 15-minute increment of sedation beyond the initial period. |
104 | $8 | $50 |
| Additional urethral implant in prostate Placement of an additional implant into the urethra within the prostate gland using an endoscope. |
78 | $629 | $3,000 |
| Simple insertion of temporary bladder tube A procedure to place a temporary tube into the bladder. This allows for the drainage of urine from the bladder. |
73 | $43 | $200 |
| Transrectal ultrasound of the pelvis An ultrasound imaging procedure where a probe is inserted into the rectum to visualize pelvic structures. |
66 | $99 | $450 |
| Subcutaneous or intramuscular chemotherapy injection This procedure involves administering anti-cancer hormonal medication through an injection into the tissue under the skin or into a muscle. |
63 | $24 | $120 |
| Endoscopic removal of foreign body, stone, or stent from urethra or bladder A procedure to remove a foreign object, stone, or stent from the urethra or bladder using an endoscope. The endoscope is a thin tube with a camera inserted into the urinary tract to locate and extract the item. |
43 | $235 | $1,047 |
| 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. |
42 | $10 | $95 |
| Complex urodynamic pressure flow study A test that measures the pressure of urine flow in the bladder during voiding to evaluate how well the bladder and urethra are functioning. |
37 | $259 | $1,000 |
| Electronic assessment of bladder emptying A test that uses electronic monitoring to evaluate how well the bladder empties urine. |
37 | $5 | $175 |
| Non-needle muscle activity measurement of bladder and bowel openings This procedure measures and records the electrical activity of muscles at the bladder and bowel openings without using needles. |
37 | $24 | $550 |
| Abdominal device insertion with pressure and urine flow study A procedure involving the placement of a device into the abdomen, accompanied by a study to measure pressure and urine flow rate. |
37 | $141 | $545 |
| Ureteral stent insertion via endoscope A flexible tube is inserted into the ureter using an endoscope to keep the passage open and allow urine to flow from the kidney to the bladder. |
33 | $221 | $2,000 |
| 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. |
31 | $128 | $450 |
| Ureteral stone crushing with stent insertion An endoscope is used to break up a stone in the ureter, followed by the placement of a stent to keep the ureter open. |
30 | $294 | $1,600 |
| Cystoscopy with chemical ablation of bladder A procedure where a camera is used to examine the bladder and a chemical agent is applied to destroy abnormal tissue. |
29 | $274 | $1,200 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 21-30 minutes A telephone conversation with a physician lasting between 21 and 30 minutes. This code covers the time spent discussing medical matters over the phone. |
29 | $91 | $300 |
| Ureteral stent insertion via cystoscopy A tube is placed into the ureter using an endoscope inserted through the bladder. |
28 | $136 | $900 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving moderate-level medical decision making, with at least 55 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
27 | $94 | $300 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an existing patient involving moderate medical decision making. The visit requires at least 35 minutes of time spent on the date of service. |
27 | $59 | $160 |
| 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. |
25 | $66 | $300 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, low complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an established patient with straightforward or low-level medical decision making. The visit requires at least 25 minutes of time spent on the day of service. |
24 | $39 | $90 |
| Transurethral prostate removal with electrocautery This procedure involves removing the prostate gland through the urethra using an endoscope and an electrocautery knife to control bleeding. |
23 | $560 | $2,500 |
| Urethral implant insertion in prostate A single implant is placed into the urethra within the prostate gland using an endoscope. |
22 | $924 | $4,000 |
| Prostate gland biopsy A procedure to remove small samples of tissue from the prostate gland for laboratory examination. |
20 | $163 | $800 |
| Shock wave crushing of kidney stones A procedure that uses shock waves to break kidney stones into smaller pieces so they can pass more easily from the body. |
19 | $416 | $2,200 |
| Urethral dilation using endoscope A procedure to widen the urethra using a thin, lighted tube called an endoscope. This helps to open a narrowed urethral passage. |
14 | $230 | $1,500 |
| Aspiration of fluid collection in testicle and sperm reservoir A procedure to remove fluid from a collection in the testicle or sperm reservoir using a needle. |
14 | $78 | $379 |
| Bladder biopsy using endoscope A procedure to remove a small tissue sample from the bladder using a thin, flexible tube with a camera. The sample is then examined to check for abnormalities. |
12 | $281 | $1,500 |
| Prostate radiation therapy needle insertion A needle or tube is inserted into the prostate to deliver radiation therapy. |
11 | $584 | $3,000 |
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. These counts do not measure clinical quality or years of experience.
1.1% high complexity
66.0% medium
32.9% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$8,552
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,222/year across 7 years
Top 15% in GA for optician
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
59
Companies
395
Payment records
Payments are publicly reported; disclosure does not establish legality · Not evidence of wrongdoing · How to interpret →
Payment categories are unavailable while the source breakdown is being rebuilt. Company and year totals do not identify how much belongs to each category.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,070
2023
$1,533
2022
$1,421
2021
$1,272
2020
$630
2019
$965
2018
$662
Payments by company (2024)
Axonics, Inc.
$383
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$278
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$234
ABBVIE INC.
$231
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$178
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$167
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$87
Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc.
$63
Dendreon Pharmaceuticals LLC
$63
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$60
PROGENICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$48
Tolmar, Inc.
$43
Ambu Inc.
$36
Boston Scientific Corporation
$35
Teleflex LLC
$33
PFIZER INC.
$31
Blue Earth Diagnostics Limited
$30
Calyxo, Inc.
$20
COLOPLAST CORP
$17
Verity Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$17
Olympus America Inc.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 43.2% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$977
Axonics, Inc.
$617
PFIZER INC.
$607
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$585
Teleflex LLC
$573
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$382
Dendreon Pharmaceuticals LLC
$355
ABBVIE INC.
$298
Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$294
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$278
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$274
Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc.
$265
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$232
Blue Earth Diagnostics Limited
$219
Myovant Sciences Inc.
$195
Medtronic, Inc.
$176
Amgen Inc.
$149
Boston Scientific Corporation
$145
Coloplast Corp
$141
Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$134
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$114
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$87
Ethicon US, LLC
$82
Abbott Laboratories
$81
Travere Therapeutics, Inc.
$79
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$77
MEDIVATION FIELD SOLUTIONS LLC
$76
Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$72
Allergan, Inc.
$64
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$64
Allergan Inc.
$59
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$58
C. R. Bard, Inc. & Subsidiaries
$53
COLOPLAST CORP
$52
AbbVie, Inc.
$49
AbbVie Inc.
$48
PROCEPT BioRobotics Corporation
$48
PROGENICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$48
Tolmar, Inc.
$43
Rochester Medical Corporation
$43
Acerus Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$38
Ambu Inc.
$36
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$27
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$22
Palette Life Sciences, Inc.
$22
Axonics Modulation Technologies, Inc.
$21
Calyxo, Inc.
$20
Telix Pharmaceuticals
$20
UROVANT SCIENCES INC
$19
Verity Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$17
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$17
Olympus America Inc.
$15
STERIS CORPORATION
$15
Hollister Incorporated
$14
Cardinal Health 414 LLC
$14
Metuchen Pharmaceuticals
$13
UROGEN PHARMA, INC.
$13
KARL STORZ Endoscopy-America
$13
Retrophin, Inc.
$5
Top 3 companies account for 25.7% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
(815) Thiola · 09 PROMO FLEX-X FLEX URETEROSCOPE · 7.5F · ADSTILADRIN · AMS · AMS 700 · AQUABEAM ROBOTIC SYSTEM · Advantage System · Androgel · Axonics · Axonics r-SNM System · Axumin · BEXSERO · BOTOX · BRACANALYSIS CDX · Bulkamid · CERTUS 140 MICROWAVE ABLATION SYSTEM · CVAC ASPIRATION SYSTEM · EDEX · ELIGARD · ERLEADA · Erleada · GEMTESA · General - Erectile Dysfunction · ILLUCCIX · INTERSTIM · JELMYTO · KEYTRUDA · LUPRON DEPOT · LYNPARZA · Lupron · Lupron Depot · MYRBETRIQ · Myrbetriq · Natesto · Nubeqa · ORGOVYX · POSLUMA · PROCLAIM · PROLARIS · PROVENGE · PYLARIFY · Porges Coloplast · Proclaim Family of SCS IPGs · Prolaris · ReTrace · SEGLENTIS · SPACEOAR · SPACEOAR VUE · STERIS · Seglentis · Solyx SIS System · SpeediCath · Stendra · TITAN · TOVIAZ · Thiola · Titan · Trelstar · UROLIFT · Upsylon · UroLift System · VESICARE · VaPro Pocket · XGEVA · XIAFLEX · XTANDI · XYOSTED · Xofigo · Xtandi · YONSA · iTIND System
Should you be concerned? Industry payments are disclosed through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their purpose, legality, or effect on care. 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 →
Geographic Context
Opticians in nearby ZIP areas
35
County median income
$52,267
Nearest hospital to ZIP centroid (approximate)
ST MARY'S HOSPITAL
0.0 mi
0.0 mi
Data Sources
| Provider Registry | ✓ NPPES | NPPES snapshot; verify current record |
| Medicare Enrollment | ✓ PECOS | PECOS snapshot |
| Practice Data | ✓ Medicare Util. | Annual (CY lag) |
| Industry Payments | ✓ Open Payments | CY 2024 |
| Disciplinary History | — Not included | 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
Blankenship is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 3% in GA), with 20 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blankenship experienced with injection, propofol, 10 mg?
Based on Medicare claims data, Blankenship performed 4,958 injection, propofol, 10 mg services. These records cover Medicare fee-for-service activity, including eligible younger beneficiaries; they do not measure total practice volume or clinical quality.
Does Blankenship receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Blankenship received a total of $8,552 from 59 companies across 395 payment records. A record can group multiple payments. These transfers are publicly disclosed through CMS Open Payments. Disclosure alone does not establish their legality or effect on care. Patients may wish to ask their doctor about these relationships, especially if a recommended drug or device appears in the payment records.
How do Blankenship's costs compare to other opticians in Athens?
Blankenship's average Medicare payment per service is $28. 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 Blankenship) 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 the presence of registry, enrollment, activity or payment records, not verified experience or clinical quality. 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?
Source publication dates and the snapshots loaded on this site can differ. Rebuilding a page does not refresh its source records. Check the Medicare reporting year and the payment interval shown above; consult the linked official sources for newer releases and current registry details. See our data freshness policy →
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About this page
This page combines public CMS records with calculated summaries and explanatory procedure labels. These transformations are not verbatim federal records. Sources: 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.
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