Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Uzondu Agochukwu, M.D.

Orthopedic Surgery · Augusta, GA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Speaking/Promotional
AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CTR, Augusta, GA 30912
7067218623
In practice since 2007 (18 years)
NPI: 1548455124 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. Agochukwu 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. Agochukwu

Dr. Uzondu Agochukwu is an orthopedic surgery specialist in Augusta, GA, with 18 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Agochukwu performed 87 Medicare services across 62 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Agochukwu received a total of $171,887 from 52 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 302 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. Agochukwu 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.

✓ 18 years in practice ▲ 87 Medicare services $171,887 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
87
Medicare services
Bottom 6% in GA for orthopedic surgery
Lower Medicare volume may reflect subspecialty focus, hospital-based work, or a higher share of non-Medicare patients.
62
Unique beneficiaries
$84
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~5 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
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.
38 $69 $155
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.
38 $93 $230
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.
11 $108 $352
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 ↗
$171,887
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $24,555/year across 7 years
Top 4% in GA for orthopedic surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
52
Companies
302
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
$72,508 (42.2%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$60,488 (35.2%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$38,890 (22.6%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$25,564
2023
$56,050
2022
$43,484
2021
$16,407
2020
$18,002
2019
$6,487
2018
$5,893

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Alphatec Spine, Inc
$13,693
Globus Medical, Inc.
$6,253
Synthes GmbH
$1,928
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$843
Intrinsic Therapeutics
$737
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$577
Abbott Laboratories
$218
Bone Support Inc.
$136
SPINAL ELEMENTS, INC.
$136
Spine Wave, Inc.
$132
XTANT MEDICAL INC
$130
Cerapedics Inc.
$129
Solventum Corporation
$128
Integrity Implants Inc. dba Accelus
$125
Heron Therapeutics, Inc.
$120
Stryker Corporation
$100
Team 1, Llc
$57
Boston Scientific Corporation
$54
Spinal Simplicity, LLC
$35
Baxter Healthcare
$32
Top 3 companies account for 85.6% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Globus Medical, Inc.
$79,027
Alphatec Spine, Inc
$45,352
Synthes GmbH
$24,037
Arteriocyte Medical Systems, Inc.
$6,119
SPINAL ELEMENTS, INC.
$2,071
CoreLink, LLC
$1,896
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$1,665
NuVasive, Inc.
$1,314
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$1,236
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$909
Stryker Corporation
$841
SI-BONE, Inc.
$817
Nuvectra Corporation
$775
Intrinsic Therapeutics
$737
Abbott Laboratories
$597
Cerapedics Inc.
$386
Kuros Biosciences USA, Inc
$303
Medtronic, Inc.
$258
4WEB, INC.
$255
SI-BONE, INC.
$249
Spine Wave, Inc.
$223
Team 1, Llc
$197
ulrich medical USA, Inc.
$184
Nevro Corp.
$174
Bone Support Inc.
$136
RTI Surgical, Inc.
$130
XTANT MEDICAL INC
$130
Solventum Corporation
$128
Integrity Implants Inc. dba Accelus
$125
Aegis Spine, Inc.
$124
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
$122
Heron Therapeutics, Inc.
$120
Cerapedics, Inc.
$119
Boston Scientific Corporation
$110
Surgalign Spine Technologies, Inc.
$108
Integra LifeSciences Corporation
$107
Allergan Inc.
$105
MEDACTA USA, INC.
$100
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
$99
Life Spine, Inc.
$96
Heraeus Medical, LLC.
$78
PolarityTE, Inc.
$71
Arthrosurface Incorporated
$67
Baxter Healthcare
$45
Spinal Simplicity, LLC
$35
Pacira Therapeutics, Inc.
$23
ConvaTec Inc.
$18
Horizon Pharma plc
$17
Spineology Inc.
$13
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$13
Avanos Medical
$13
Smith & Nephew, Inc.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 86.3% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
10MM · 3M Cavilon · AERO-LL · ALTERA · ANCHOR L · APONVIE · AQUACEL AG+ EXTRA · AVS NAVIGATOR · AXSOS · Algovita · Allograft · BARRICAID ACD (ANNULAR CLOSURE DEVICE) · BIOFIX · CALIBER · CERAMENTBONE VOID FILLER · CLYDESDALE · COALITION · COFLEX INTERLAMINAR TECHNOLOGY · CONQUEST FN · CREO · CREO 5.5 · DALVANCE · Da Vinci Surgical System · ELSA · ELSA ATP · ETERNA · EVOS · EVOS SMALL · EXCELSIUS GPS · ExcelsiusGPS Robotic Navigation System · FIBERGRAFT Aeridyan Matrix · FLOSEAL · FORTIFY · HA MINUTEMAN G3-R · HEALICOIL · HemiCAP Shoulder · HemiCAP Wrist · I-FACTOR PEPTIDE ENHANCED BONE GRAFT · IFUSE IMPLANT · INDEPENDENCE · INTELLIS ADAPTIVESTIM · Influx · Invictus MIS · Invictus OPEN · Jet-X · Karma · LIF · MAGEC · MARS 3VL Retractor · MARS Anterior Retractor · MAZOR X SYSTEM · MIDAS REX · MIS Lumbar Discectomy Instruments · MONUMENT · MULTIPLE · MYSPINE · Magellan · Medical Device · Medical Devices · N/A · NA · NAVIGATOR · NO_PRODUCT · ON-Q* PUMP AND ACCESSORIES · Omnia · Other - Miscellaneous · PALACOS · PENNSAID · PICO · PIVOT PORTAL ENTRY KIT · PIVOX Oblique Lateral Spinal System · PROCLAIM · Palisade Pedicle Screw System · Persona · Precision TLIF · Preserve TLIF · ProLift · REGENETEN Shoulder · RELINE · REUNION · RISE · RISE-L · SPINAL IMPLANT · SPINE TRUSS SYSTEM · SafeOp · Senza Spinal Cord Stimulation System · SkinTE · Spine · TFN-ADVANCE · TLIF · TRESTLE · TRIGEN · TRIGEN INTERTAN · Trigen · VITOSS · XLIF · Zilretta · iFuse Implant
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 (42%) 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. Total industry engagement is in the top 4% for orthopedic surgery in GA.

Looking for an orthopedic surgery specialist in Augusta?
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Geographic Context

Orthopedic surgeons within 10 mi
81
Per 100K population
39.3
County median income
$53,197
Nearest hospital
WELLSTAR MCG HEALTH, AFFILIATED WITH MED COL
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. Agochukwu is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 4% of GA peers, with 18 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. Agochukwu experienced with office visit, established patient (20-29 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Agochukwu performed 38 office visit, established patient (20-29 min) 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. Agochukwu receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Agochukwu received a total of $171,887 from 52 companies across 302 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. Agochukwu's costs compare to other orthopedic surgeons in Augusta?
Dr. Agochukwu's average Medicare payment per service is $84. 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. Agochukwu) 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. 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.

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 →