Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Derek Lafont, PA-C
Medical Physician Assistant · Augusta, GA
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. Lafont 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. Lafont
Dr. Derek Lafont is a medical physician assistant in Augusta, GA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Lafont performed 747 Medicare services across 657 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Lafont received a total of $18,896 from 79 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 737 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in medical 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. Lafont 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 in practice
▲ Top 22% volume in GA
$18,896 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗747
Medicare services
Top 22% in GA for medical physician assistant
657
Unique beneficiaries
$22
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~37 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
115 | $8 | $13 |
| Complete blood count (CBC) with differential An automated laboratory test that measures the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood, including a breakdown of the different types of white blood cells. |
109 | $8 | $69 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
97 | $10 | $68 |
| Ferritin level test (iron stores) A blood test that measures the level of ferritin, a protein that stores iron in the body. |
65 | $13 | $50 |
| 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. |
54 | $81 | $266 |
| 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. |
53 | $52 | $162 |
| Iron level test | 51 | $6 | $40 |
| Vitamin B-12 level test A blood test that measures the amount of vitamin B-12 in your body. |
39 | $15 | $56 |
| Transferrin level test A blood test that measures the amount of transferrin, a protein that binds to and transports iron in the body. |
39 | $12 | $50 |
| Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level test A blood test that measures the amount of lactate dehydrogenase, an enzyme found in many body tissues. It helps assess tissue damage or disease. |
34 | $6 | $35 |
| 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. |
32 | $90 | $400 |
| Red blood cell folate level test A blood test that measures the amount of folic acid stored inside red blood cells to assess long-term folate status. |
25 | $17 | $50 |
| Beta-2 microglobulin level test A blood test that measures the level of beta-2 microglobulin, a protein produced by cells in the body. |
20 | $16 | $60 |
| Folic acid level test A blood test that measures the amount of folic acid in the serum. |
14 | $14 | $50 |
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 ↗$18,896
Total received (2021-2024)
Avg $4,724/year across 4 years
Top 2% in GA for medical physician assistant
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
79
Companies
737
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
$12,249 (64.8%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$3,388 (17.9%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$1,804 (9.5%)
Other
Charitable contributions, space rental, and other categories
$1,455 (7.7%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$6,640
2023
$6,355
2022
$4,400
2021
$1,501
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
PFIZER INC.
$1,804
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$1,455
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$310
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$206
Stemline Therapeutics Inc.
$198
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$192
ABBVIE INC.
$165
Celgene Corporation
$158
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$156
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$155
Incyte Corporation
$132
Eisai Inc.
$87
BeiGene USA, Inc.
$85
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$82
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$80
ARRAY BIOPHARMA INC
$80
Kite Pharma, Inc.
$79
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$76
GENZYME CORPORATION
$73
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$72
TAIHO ONCOLOGY, INC.
$72
Lilly USA, LLC
$64
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$57
Genentech USA, Inc.
$55
Fennec Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$54
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$52
Exelixis Inc.
$43
SOBI, INC
$41
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC
$40
Acrotech Biopharma Inc.
$38
Mirati Therapeutics, Inc.
$36
Aveo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$35
Deciphera Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$32
Genmab U.S., Inc.
$31
Coherus Biosciences Inc.
$30
EMD Serono, Inc.
$26
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$23
Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$22
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$22
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$22
Pharmacosmos Therapeutics Inc.
$20
Blueprint Medicines Corporation
$20
PUMA BIOTECHNOLOGY, INC.
$20
Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC
$19
Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc.
$19
Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$18
Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$18
ADC Therapeutics America, Inc.
$18
JAZZ PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$17
SERVIER PHARMACEUTICALS LLC
$16
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc
$15
Top 3 companies account for 53.8% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2021-2024) ›
Seagen Inc.
$3,060
PFIZER INC.
$2,332
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$2,277
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$749
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$601
Incyte Corporation
$574
GENZYME CORPORATION
$531
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$522
Genentech USA, Inc.
$506
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$496
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$465
Celgene Corporation
$407
Exelixis Inc.
$351
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$328
Lilly USA, LLC
$325
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$282
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$272
ABBVIE INC.
$243
Stemline Therapeutics Inc.
$243
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$189
ARRAY BIOPHARMA INC
$164
Kite Pharma, Inc.
$156
Eisai Inc.
$155
PUMA BIOTECHNOLOGY, INC.
$152
Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company
$147
Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc.
$144
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$139
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$137
JAZZ PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$133
TAIHO ONCOLOGY, INC.
$133
Pharmacyclics LLC, An AbbVie Company
$123
Deciphera Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$115
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$113
Blueprint Medicines Corporation
$108
G1 Therapeutics, Inc.
$107
TerSera Therapeutics LLC
$105
BeiGene USA, Inc.
$99
Taiho Oncology, Inc.
$97
Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$94
Mirati Therapeutics, Inc.
$86
SERVIER PHARMACEUTICALS LLC
$76
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc
$70
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$69
ADC Therapeutics America, Inc.
$68
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$67
Coherus Biosciences Inc.
$67
Puma Biotechnology, Inc.
$66
Genmab U.S., Inc.
$62
TG THERAPEUTICS, INC.
$58
Epizyme, Inc.,
$58
Acrotech Biopharma LLC
$57
Acrotech Biopharma Inc.
$57
Pharmacosmos Therapeutics Inc.
$56
Fennec Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$54
Aveo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$51
AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$49
Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$45
EMD Serono, Inc.
$45
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$41
SOBI, INC
$41
Heron Therapeutics, Inc.
$40
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC
$40
Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation
$40
MorphoSys, US Inc.
$38
CTI BioPharma Corp.
$37
Amgen Inc.
$34
Servier Pharmaceuticals LLC
$32
EUSA Pharma (US) LLC
$29
TG Therapeutics, Inc.
$23
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$23
Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$22
AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$20
Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc.
$20
Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC
$19
Secura Bio, Inc.
$15
EISAI INC.
$13
PharmaEssentia USA Corporation
$13
Myovant Sciences Inc.
$12
AbbVie Inc.
$12
Top 3 companies account for 40.6% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ABECMA · ADCETRIS · AVASTIN · AYVAKIT · Alecensa · Avastin · BAVENCIO · BELEODAQ · BESREMI · BLENREP · BOSULIF · BRAFTOVI · BRIUMVI · BRUKINSA · Blincyto · CABOMETYX · CALQUENCE · CINVANTI · COPIKTRA · COSELA · CYRAMZA · Cabometyx · Columvi · DARZALEX · DOPTELET · ELITEK · ELREXFIO · ELZONRIS · ENHERTU · EPKINLY · ERBITUX · ERLEADA · EXKIVITY · Enhertu · Epkinly · FERAHEME · FOTIVDA · FRUZAQLA · Fabhalta · GAVRETO · GILOTRIF · Gazyva · Halaven · Herceptin · IBRANCE · ICLUSIG · IDHIFA · IMBRUVICA · INJECTAFER · INLYTA · JAKAFI · JEMPERLI · JEVTANA · KEYTRUDA · KISQALI · KRAZATI · Kadcyla · LIBTAYO · LONSURF · LORBRENA · LUMAKRAS · LUTATHERA · LYNPARZA · Lenvima · Lunsumio · MEKINIST · MONJUVI · MONOFERRIC · NERLYNX · Nubeqa · OJJAARA · ONUREG · OPDIVO · OPDUALAG · ORGOVYX · Onivyde · Orserdu · PADCEV · PEMAZYRE · PIQRAY · PRECISETUMOR · PROMACTA · Padcev · Pedmark · Perjeta · Phesgo · Pomalyst · QINLOCK · Quzyttir · REBLOZYL · RETEVMO · ROLVEDON · Revlimid · Rezlidhia · SARCLISA · SCEMBLIX · SHINGRIX · SOMATULINE DEPOT · SYNAGIS · Stimufend · Sylvant · TABRECTA · TAGRISSO · TASIGNA · TAZVERIK · TECVAYLI · TIBSOVO · TIVDAK · TUKYSA · Tavalisse · Tibsovo · Trodelvy · UKONIQ · ULTOMIRIS · Udenyca · VENCLEXTA · VERZENIO · VIVIMUSTA · Vanflyta · Vonjo · XALKORI · XPOVIO · XTANDI · Xermelo · Xospata · Xtandi · Yescarta · ZEPZELCA · clonoSEQ
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 (65%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians. Total industry engagement is in the top 2% for medical physician assistant in GA.
Geographic Context
Medical physician assistants within 10 mi
92
Per 100K population
44.7
County median income
$53,197
Nearest hospital
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 reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Lafont is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 22% in GA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 2% of GA peers, 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 Dr. Lafont experienced with blood draw (venipuncture)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Lafont performed 115 blood draw (venipuncture) 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. Lafont receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Lafont received a total of $18,896 from 79 companies across 737 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. Lafont's costs compare to other medical physician assistants in Augusta?
Dr. Lafont's average Medicare payment per service is $22. 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. Lafont) 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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