Medicare Enrolled
Dr. William Ashford, MD
Orthopedic Surgery · Athens, GA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Speaking/Promotional
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. Ashford 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. Ashford
Dr. William Ashford is an orthopedic surgery specialist in Athens, GA, with 12 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Ashford performed 22,556 Medicare services across 2,010 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Ashford received a total of $7,352 from 28 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 75 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in orthopedic surgery. The majority of payments are for speaking programs and promotional activities, reflecting participation in industry-sponsored events. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Ashford 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.
✓ 12 years in practice
▲ Top 1% volume in GA
$7,352 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗22,556
Medicare services
Top 1% in GA for orthopedic surgery
2,010
Unique beneficiaries
$12
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~1,880 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triamcinolone acetonide injection, 1 mg An injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a 1 mg dose without preservatives. |
17,760 | $3 | $7 |
| 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. |
746 | $62 | $171 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
708 | $45 | $103 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
696 | $1 | $4 |
| 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. |
351 | $28 | $53 |
| Contrast dye for imaging, lower concentration | 309 | $0 | $25 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement Use of real-time X-ray imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
261 | $83 | $150 |
| 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. |
223 | $23 | $105 |
| Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
214 | $41 | $127 |
| Viscosupplementation injection for joint An injection of hyaluronic acid or a derivative into a joint to provide lubrication and cushioning. |
209 | $58 | $500 |
| 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. |
171 | $87 | $193 |
| 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. |
131 | $74 | $139 |
| Knee X-ray, 1-2 views An X-ray imaging test of the knee joint using one to two different angles to visualize the bones and surrounding structures. |
120 | $23 | $80 |
| 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. |
101 | $106 | $265 |
| Orthopedic device training, 15 minutes Training on how to use an orthopedic device for the arm, leg, or trunk. The session lasts for 15 minutes. |
87 | $34 | $82 |
| Radiologist review of knee joint image A radiologist examines and interprets images of the knee joint to assess its condition. |
81 | $91 | $346 |
| Knee joint contrast injection for imaging A contrast dye is injected into the knee joint to enhance visibility during medical imaging procedures. |
80 | $132 | $412 |
| X-ray of hand, minimum of 3 views An X-ray imaging test of the hand that captures at least three different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
63 | $24 | $49 |
| X-ray of both hips, minimum of 5 views An X-ray imaging test that captures at least five different views of both hip joints to evaluate bone structure and alignment. |
38 | $41 | $87 |
| 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. |
38 | $26 | $119 |
| 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. |
28 | $33 | $58 |
| Wrist X-ray, 2 views An X-ray imaging test of the wrist using two different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
27 | $22 | $53 |
| 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. |
26 | $23 | $36 |
| Tendon or ligament injection A procedure involving the injection of medication into a tendon or ligament. |
25 | $37 | $64 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, 2-3 views An X-ray imaging test that captures 2 to 3 views of the lower back and sacral spine to visualize the bones and joints in this area. |
24 | $28 | $49 |
| Joint fluid aspiration or injection, small joint Removal of fluid from a small joint or injection of medication into a small joint. |
23 | $38 | $70 |
| Trigger point injection, 1-2 muscles A procedure involving the injection of medication into one or two specific muscles to treat trigger points. |
16 | $33 | $137 |
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 ↗$7,352
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,050/year across 7 years
Top 34% in GA for orthopedic surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
28
Companies
75
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.
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$4,429 (60.2%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$2,923 (39.8%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$496
2023
$374
2022
$830
2021
$3,533
2020
$854
2019
$194
2018
$1,070
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$196
Sonex Health, Inc.
$76
Stryker Corporation
$75
Shoulder Innovations, Inc.
$60
Amgen Inc.
$32
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$22
Radius Health, Inc.
$22
ERMI Inc.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 70.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Arthrex, Inc.
$2,177
UNITED ORTHOPEDICS LLC
$1,200
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$1,199
Peerless Surgical Inc.
$1,052
Cumberland Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$738
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$179
Stryker Corporation
$151
Sonex Health, Inc.
$76
EXACTECH, INC.
$73
Shoulder Innovations, Inc.
$60
United Orthopedics LLC
$58
Wright Medical Technology, Inc.
$49
Stratus Medical, LLC
$34
Amgen Inc.
$32
Bioventus LLC
$28
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$27
Vericel Corporation
$25
Orthogenrx Inc.
$23
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$22
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$22
Radius Health, Inc.
$22
Medacta USA, Inc.
$18
Medical Device Business Services, Inc.
$18
BAUDAX BIO INC.
$16
MEDACTA USA, INC.
$15
ERMI Inc.
$13
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
$12
Trevena, Inc.
$12
Top 3 companies account for 62.2% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
1588 · AEQUALIS PERFORM · AMISTEM · ANJESO · AUGMENT · Bioinductive Implant with Arthroscopic Delivery System - Medium · Bone Anchors with Arthroscopic Delivery System · CALDOLOR · CORI · Caldolor · DUEXIS · Durolane · EVENITY · Exogen Ultrasound Bone Healing System · Exparel · FIBERGRAFT BG MORSELS · INSIGNIA · InSet System · JOURNEY II · KRYSTEXXA · LENS 4K · MACI · MAKO · NA · NOVATION HIP · Nimbus · Olinvyk · PENNSAID · PRIMARY SHOULDER · REGENETEN Shoulder · RIGIDLOOP · SX-ONE MICROKNIFE · SYNVISC-ONE · TFN ADVANCED · TORNIER PERFORM REVERSED AUGMENTED GLENOID · TRUESPAN · TriVisc sodium hyaluronate · Tymlos · VA-LCP · VA-LCP PLATES & SCREWS · VIBATIV
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 →
The majority of payments (60%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in orthopedic surgery and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware.
Geographic Context
Orthopedic surgeons within 10 mi
33
Per 100K population
25.5
County median income
$52,267
Nearest hospital
ST MARY'S 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 reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Ashford is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 1% in GA), with speaking/promotional industry engagement.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Ashford experienced with triamcinolone acetonide injection, 1 mg?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Ashford performed 17,760 triamcinolone acetonide injection, 1 mg 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. Ashford receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Ashford received a total of $7,352 from 28 companies across 75 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. Ashford's costs compare to other orthopedic surgeons in Athens?
Dr. Ashford's average Medicare payment per service is $12. 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. Ashford) 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. 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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