Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Gordon Waters, M.D.
Family Medicine · Blackshear, 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. Waters 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. Waters
Dr. Gordon Waters is a family medicine specialist in Blackshear, GA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Waters performed 2,615 Medicare services across 1,668 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Waters received a total of $3,767 from 40 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 264 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in family medicine. 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. Waters 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.
✓ 19 years in practice
▲ Top 13% volume in GA
$3,767 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗2,615
Medicare services
Top 13% in GA for family medicine
1,668
Unique beneficiaries
$43
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~138 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 (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. |
377 | $75 | $323 |
| 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. |
349 | $55 | $220 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
317 | $8 | $17 |
| Nursing facility visit, established patient, straightforward A follow-up visit by a healthcare provider at a nursing facility for an established patient. The visit involves straightforward medical decision making and lasts at least 10 minutes. |
287 | $25 | $135 |
| Annual wellness visit, follow-up A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service. |
163 | $118 | $463 |
| Drug test with direct observation A drug screening test performed under direct observation to ensure the sample is provided correctly. This method is used to verify the integrity of the specimen collection process. |
135 | $11 | $38 |
| Annual depression screening | 110 | $17 | $54 |
| 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. |
99 | $8 | $75 |
| Flu vaccine administration This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient. |
78 | $28 | $50 |
| Advance care planning consultation, first 30 min A session focused on discussing and documenting future healthcare preferences and goals. This service covers the initial 30 minutes of the planning discussion. |
64 | $73 | $249 |
| Flu vaccine, high-dose High-dose seasonal influenza vaccine for adults aged 65 and older. Contains four times the antigen of standard-dose flu vaccines (60 mcg per strain), split-virus formulation, preservative-free, single-dose syringe. |
62 | $69 | $210 |
| Ketorolac injection, per 15 mg An injection of ketorolac tromethamine, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, administered in doses measured per 15 mg. |
61 | $0 | $7 |
| 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. |
60 | $2 | $9 |
| Methylprednisolone acetate injection, 80 mg An injection of 80 mg of methylprednisolone acetate, a corticosteroid medication. |
59 | $7 | $39 |
| Home health plan of care certification Certification by a physician or allowed practitioner for Medicare-covered home health services under a home health plan of care. This includes contacting the home health agency and reviewing reports of patient status required by physicians. |
45 | $38 | $162 |
| Pneumonia vaccine administration This procedure involves the injection of a vaccine to protect against pneumococcal disease. It is administered by a healthcare provider. |
33 | $28 | $50 |
| Joint fluid aspiration or injection, small joint Removal of fluid from a small joint or injection of medication into a small joint. |
31 | $27 | $115 |
| Chest X-ray, 2 views An X-ray imaging test of the chest that captures two different angles to visualize the lungs, heart, and chest wall. |
31 | $19 | $90 |
| Home health plan of care re-certification A physician reviews the patient's status and contacts the home health agency to re-certify the plan of care without the patient being present. |
31 | $29 | $124 |
| Vitamin B-12 injection An injection of vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin) with a dose of up to 1000 mcg. |
31 | $1 | $10 |
| Hemoglobin A1c test (diabetes monitoring) A blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. |
30 | $9 | $40 |
| Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) An intramuscular injection of the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. It is used to protect against diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. |
26 | $271 | $839 |
| 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. |
23 | $30 | $132 |
| Influenza virus detection test A laboratory test that uses an immunoassay technique to detect the presence of the influenza virus through direct visual observation. |
21 | $16 | $50 |
| Initial nursing facility care, moderate complexity Initial care provided to a patient in a nursing facility with moderate medical decision making, taking at least 35 minutes. |
17 | $97 | $396 |
| COVID-19 immunoassay detection test A laboratory test that uses an immunoassay method to detect the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) through direct visual observation. |
15 | $41 | $124 |
| COVID-19 amplified DNA/RNA probe detection A laboratory test that uses amplified DNA or RNA probes to detect the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) antigen. |
13 | $50 | $154 |
| Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report. |
13 | $11 | $51 |
| Quadrivalent influenza vaccine, preservative-free A flu shot containing four strains of the influenza virus, formulated without preservatives, administered in a 0.5 ml dose. |
12 | $20 | $65 |
| 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 | $82 | $497 |
| Initial preventive physical examination, new Medicare beneficiary A comprehensive preventive health visit for new Medicare beneficiaries during their first 12 months of enrollment. The service is conducted as a face-to-face visit and is limited to preventive care. |
11 | $155 | $501 |
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 ↗$3,767
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $628/year across 6 years
Top 19% in GA for family medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
40
Companies
264
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
$3,732 (99.1%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$35 (0.9%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$909
2022
$35
2021
$930
2020
$690
2019
$639
2018
$563
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
PFIZER INC.
$109
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$78
Novo Nordisk Inc
$72
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$70
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$67
Amgen Inc.
$62
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$51
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$47
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$39
Corcept Therapeutics
$39
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$36
ABBVIE INC.
$34
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$34
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$30
Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$26
Organogenesis Inc.
$26
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$22
Noven Therapeutics, LLC
$22
Indivior Inc.
$16
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$15
Lilly USA, LLC
$14
Top 3 companies account for 28.6% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Novo Nordisk Inc
$540
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$492
Amgen Inc.
$372
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$221
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$190
PFIZER INC.
$186
AbbVie Inc.
$181
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$161
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$139
Genentech USA, Inc.
$108
Lilly USA, LLC
$105
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$98
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$98
Indivior Inc.
$69
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$58
Shire North American Group Inc
$57
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$55
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$52
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$48
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$41
Corcept Therapeutics
$39
Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA
$35
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$34
ABBVIE INC.
$34
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$34
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$30
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$30
Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$26
Organogenesis Inc.
$26
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
$25
Allergan Inc.
$25
Noven Therapeutics, LLC
$22
Eisai Inc.
$22
DEXCOM, INC.
$21
Ironshore Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$21
Almatica Pharma LLC
$19
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$15
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$15
Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$13
Allergan, Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 37.3% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
(7999) SRC Undivided · AIMOVIG · AIRSUPRA · AJOVY · ANORO · Aimovig · BELSOMRA · BYDUREON · CAMZYOS · COLOGUARD DNA CAPTURE REAGENTS · DEXCOM G6 TRANSMITTER · Dayvigo · ELIQUIS · EMGALITY · ENTRESTO · EVENITY · FARXIGA · GRALISE · INVOKANA · JARDIANCE · Jornay PM 20mg capsules (Bottle of 100) · KEVEYIS · Kerendia · Kloxxado · Korlym · LINZESS · LYRICA · MYDAYIS · MYRBETRIQ · NURTEC ODT · NUZYRA · OTREXUP · Otezla · Ozempic · PREMARIN · PREVNAR - 13 · PURAPLY AM · Prolia · QULIPTA · QUVIVIQ · RYBELSUS · Repatha · Rybelsus · SPIRIVA RESPIMAT · SUBLOCADE · SYMBICORT · SYNJARDY · Saxenda · TOUJEO · TRADJENTA · TRELEGY ELLIPTA · TRINTELLIX · TRULANCE · TRULICITY · Tresiba · Trintellix · UBRELVY · VOQUEZNA · VRAYLAR · VYVANSE · Vascepa · Veozah · Victoza · Wegovy · XARELTO · XIFAXAN · XYOSTED · Xelstrym · Xofluza
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 (99%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Family medicine physicians within 10 mi
29
Per 100K population
145.0
County median income
$56,691
Nearest hospital
Memorial Satilla Health
7.9 mi
7.9 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. Waters is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 13% in GA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 19% of GA peers, with 19 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. Waters experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Waters performed 377 office visit, established patient (30-39 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. Waters receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Waters received a total of $3,767 from 40 companies across 264 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. Waters's costs compare to other family medicine physicians in Blackshear?
Dr. Waters's average Medicare payment per service is $43. 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. Waters) 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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