Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Nicolas Chronos, MD
Internal Medicine · Eatonton, GA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Mixed 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. Chronos 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. Chronos
Dr. Nicolas Chronos is an internal medicine specialist in Eatonton, GA, with 21 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Chronos performed 27,226 Medicare services across 9,772 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Chronos received a total of $894,478 from 31 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 218 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in internal medicine. Payments are distributed across multiple categories and often reflect legitimate professional engagement with the medical industry. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Chronos 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.
✓ 21 years in practice
▲ Top 1% volume in GA
$894,478 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗27,226
Medicare services
Top 1% in GA for internal medicine
9,772
Unique beneficiaries
$58
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~1,296 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic care management, first 20 min/month This service covers the first 20 minutes of clinical staff time directed by a healthcare professional each calendar month to manage chronic conditions. |
8,487 | $46 | $60 |
| Chronic care management, additional 20 min/month This service covers an extra 20 minutes of clinical staff time directed by a healthcare professional for managing two or more chronic conditions each calendar month. |
3,676 | $35 | $89 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 11-20 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 11 and 20 minutes. |
2,494 | $50 | $173 |
| Additional chronic care management time, 60 minutes This service covers an additional 60 minutes of clinical staff time directed by a healthcare professional for managing two or more chronic conditions, billed per calendar month. |
1,894 | $52 | $133 |
| Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) An office or outpatient visit for an existing patient lasting between 40 and 54 minutes. This level of service is determined by the total time spent on the date of the encounter. |
1,751 | $121 | $338 |
| 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. |
1,248 | $86 | $241 |
| Complex chronic care management, first 60 minutes This service involves clinical staff time directed by a healthcare professional to manage two or more chronic conditions over a calendar month. It covers the first 60 minutes of this coordinated care effort. |
953 | $98 | $249 |
| Remote patient monitoring management, 20 min/month Management based on results from remote vital sign monitoring for the first 20 minutes per calendar month. |
856 | $36 | $91 |
| Remote patient monitoring device, 30 days Initial setup of devices for remote monitoring of body functions with daily data transmission or alerts. This service covers the first 30 days of the monitoring period. |
812 | $34 | $88 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
656 | $130 | $423 |
| 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. |
561 | $9 | $27 |
| Remote vital sign monitoring management, each additional 20 minutes This code covers the time spent by a provider managing patient data from remote vital sign monitoring devices. It applies to each additional 20-minute increment beyond the initial monthly service period. |
456 | $29 | $74 |
| Annual wellness visit, follow-up A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service. |
265 | $120 | $245 |
| Complete ultrasound of retroperitoneum An ultrasound examination of the structures located behind the abdominal cavity. |
219 | $72 | $200 |
| Technetium Tc-99m tetrofosmin diagnostic injection A diagnostic injection of Technetium Tc-99m tetrofosmin used for imaging studies. |
197 | $90 | $141 |
| Continuous external EKG monitoring, 48 hours to 7 days This procedure involves recording, analyzing, and interpreting a continuous external electrocardiogram (EKG) over a period of more than 48 hours up to 7 days. |
192 | $175 | $1,000 |
| Office visit for established patient An office visit for an existing patient that may not require the healthcare professional to be present. |
192 | $15 | $42 |
| Regadenoson injection (Lexiscan) for heart stress test An injection of regadenoson, a medication used to stress the heart during diagnostic testing. |
184 | $43 | $67 |
| 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. |
172 | $68 | $159 |
| Ultrasound of head and neck blood flow, bilateral An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow in the vessels of both the head and the neck. |
162 | $129 | $347 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 142 | $141 | $416 |
| Remote physiologic monitoring setup and education Initial setup of remote monitoring equipment and patient education on its use. |
135 | $13 | $34 |
| 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. |
117 | $60 | $167 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in the arm or leg. The test uses sound waves to check blood flow and may include compression and other maneuvers. |
116 | $120 | $341 |
| 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. |
112 | $9 | $27 |
| Virtual check-in for established patient A brief communication service provided by a qualified healthcare professional to an established patient via technology, such as a virtual check-in. |
99 | $2 | $27 |
| Nuclear stress test of heart muscle A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow to the heart muscle at rest and during stress using a special camera. |
98 | $297 | $1,400 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while an electrocardiogram is monitored under physician supervision. |
91 | $16 | $40 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A test that monitors the heart's electrical activity while the patient exercises or receives medication to increase heart rate. |
91 | $19 | $300 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram, with physician review of the results. |
91 | $10 | $27 |
| Vitamin B-12 injection An injection of vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin) with a dose of up to 1000 mcg. |
88 | $1 | $10 |
| 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. |
85 | $103 | $314 |
| Heart muscle strain imaging | 53 | $27 | $68 |
| Limited abdominal ultrasound A focused ultrasound examination of the abdomen to evaluate specific organs or areas. This procedure uses sound waves to create images of internal structures. |
51 | $59 | $162 |
| Ultrasound of head and neck soft tissue This procedure uses sound waves to create images of the soft tissues in the head and neck area. It allows for the visualization of structures beneath the skin without using radiation. |
46 | $66 | $203 |
| Chronic care management services Comprehensive assessment and care planning for patients requiring ongoing chronic care management. |
45 | $39 | $61 |
| Ear wax removal by washing This procedure involves the removal of impacted ear wax using a washing technique. |
43 | $9 | $27 |
| Ultrasound of arm or leg veins An ultrasound exam of the veins in one arm or leg using compression and other maneuvers to assess blood flow and check for blockages. |
42 | $76 | $213 |
| Complete ultrasound of abdomen A diagnostic imaging test that uses sound waves to create detailed pictures of the organs and structures within the abdomen. |
32 | $72 | $215 |
| Ultrasound of arm and leg arteries This procedure uses sound waves to create images of the blood vessels in the arms and legs. It allows healthcare providers to examine the structure and blood flow within these arteries. |
32 | $49 | $148 |
| Ultrasound scan of organ tissue for measuring elasticity This procedure uses ultrasound technology to assess the stiffness or elasticity of organ tissues. It helps evaluate tissue characteristics without invasive methods. |
26 | $72 | $190 |
| 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. |
23 | $2 | $13 |
| Complete ultrasound of abdomen and pelvis blood flow This procedure uses sound waves to create images of blood flow in the arteries and veins of the abdomen and pelvis. It evaluates the rate and direction of blood movement within these vessels. |
22 | $163 | $482 |
| Continuous glucose monitoring with interpretation This procedure involves monitoring blood sugar levels in tissue fluid using a sensor placed under the skin, along with the interpretation and reporting of the results. |
17 | $25 | $67 |
| 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. |
17 | $42 | $120 |
| Ultrasound of abdominal aorta An imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the abdominal aorta, the large blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lower body. |
15 | $87 | $185 |
| Urinalysis, manual A manual laboratory examination of a urine sample to check for various substances and cells. |
15 | $3 | $7 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram under physician supervision and review. |
15 | $47 | $200 |
| Ultrasound of leg arteries or grafts An imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the blood vessels in the legs or any surgical grafts present. |
15 | $164 | $434 |
| Exercise-induced lung stress test A test performed to evaluate how the lungs function during physical exertion. It helps identify breathing difficulties or lung conditions that occur specifically when exercising. |
14 | $23 | $63 |
| Transitional care management, high complexity Coordination of care for a patient transitioning from a short-term hospital stay or other facility to home or another care setting. This service addresses a high-complexity medical problem. |
11 | $205 | $519 |
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.
2.4% high complexity
6.7% medium
90.9% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$894,478
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $127,783/year across 7 years
Top 0% in GA for internal medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
31
Companies
218
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.
Other
Charitable contributions, space rental, and other categories
$889,686 (99.5%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$3,999 (0.4%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$792 (0.1%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$890,542
2023
$1,066
2022
$429
2021
$1,299
2020
$376
2019
$472
2018
$293
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$889,686
CVRx, Inc.
$215
Dexcom, Inc.
$107
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$86
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$71
Abbott Laboratories
$62
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$57
Impulse Dynamics (USA) Inc.
$38
PFIZER INC.
$32
Novo Nordisk Inc
$32
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$24
Inspire Medical Systems, Inc.
$24
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$17
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$17
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$15
Boston Scientific Corporation
$15
Amgen Inc.
$15
Mylan Specialty L.P.
$14
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$14
Top 3 companies account for 99.9% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$889,743
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$1,041
Novo Nordisk Inc
$423
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$387
Abbott Laboratories
$323
Amgen Inc.
$250
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$217
CVRx, Inc.
$215
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$213
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$206
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$194
Impulse Dynamics (USA) Inc.
$174
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$150
Dexcom, Inc.
$145
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$113
Mylan Specialty L.P.
$110
PFIZER INC.
$107
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$92
BIOTRONIK INC.
$71
Lilly USA, LLC
$63
Boston Scientific Corporation
$34
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$28
Beckman Coulter, Inc.
$28
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$26
Inspire Medical Systems, Inc.
$24
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$23
Medtronic MiniMed, Inc.
$18
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$17
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$15
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$14
ABBVIE INC.
$12
Top 3 companies account for 99.6% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AFINION 2 · AIRSUPRA · AU480 · Arcalyst · BELSOMRA · BIOMONITOR · BRILINTA · Barostim Neo System · CAMZYOS · CHANTIX · Corlanor · Dexcom G6 Transmitter · EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE (THV) · ELIQUIS · ENTRESTO · Edwards SAPIEN 3 Ultra Transcatheter Heart Valve · FARXIGA · FREESTYLE LIBRE 2 · FREESTYLE LIBRE 3 · INJECTAFER · INSPIRE · JARDIANCE · LEQVIO · LifeVest · Livalo · MITRACLIP · MOUNJARO · NEXLETOL · NURTEC ODT · OPTIMIZER · Optimizer · Ozempic · PRADAXA · QUVIVIQ · RYBELSUS · Repatha · Rybelsus · SAPIEN 3 Ultra RESILIA · SYNTHROID · VERQUVO · Vascepa · WATCHMAN · WATCHMAN Access System · Wegovy · XARELTO · XIFAXAN · YUPELRI · Yupelri · iPro2
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 →
Payments are distributed across multiple categories with no single dominant type. Total industry engagement is in the top 0% for internal medicine in GA.
Geographic Context
Internal medicine physicians within 10 mi
30
Per 100K population
133.2
County median income
$64,163
Nearest hospital
PUTNAM GENERAL 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. Chronos is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 1% in GA), with mixed engagement industry engagement in the top 0% of GA peers, with 21 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. Chronos experienced with chronic care management, first 20 min/month?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Chronos performed 8,487 chronic care management, first 20 min/month 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. Chronos receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Chronos received a total of $894,478 from 31 companies across 218 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. Chronos's costs compare to other internal medicine physicians in Eatonton?
Dr. Chronos's average Medicare payment per service is $58. 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. Chronos) 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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