Medicare Enrolled
Dr. William Chafin, M.D.
Rheumatology · Gainesville, GA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
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. Chafin 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. Chafin
Dr. William Chafin is a rheumatology specialist in Gainesville, GA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Chafin performed 438,216 Medicare services across 3,740 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Chafin received a total of $18,070 from 40 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 1089 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in rheumatology. 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. Chafin 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 1% volume in GA
$18,070 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗438,216
Medicare services
Top 1% in GA for rheumatology
3,740
Unique beneficiaries
$8
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~23,064 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certolizumab injection (Cimzia) An injection of certolizumab pegol administered under the direct supervision of a physician. |
270,402 | $4 | $15 |
| Tocilizumab injection (Actemra) | 102,038 | $5 | $11 |
| Abatacept infusion (Orencia) An injection of abatacept administered under the direct supervision of a physician. This code is used for Medicare when the drug is not self-administered. |
35,477 | $34 | $90 |
| Golimumab infusion (Simponi Aria) Administration of golimumab medication directly into a vein. This code specifies the dosage amount of 1 milligram for intravenous delivery. |
17,878 | $10 | $50 |
| Rituximab injection, 10 mg Administration of a 10 mg dose of rituximab medication via injection. |
2,833 | $63 | $175 |
| 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. |
1,387 | $11 | $35 |
| 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. |
1,191 | $86 | $250 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
934 | $10 | $30 |
| 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. |
933 | $8 | $25 |
| C-reactive protein test (inflammation marker) A blood test that measures the level of C-reactive protein to detect the presence of infection or inflammation in the body. |
929 | $5 | $18 |
| Sed rate test (inflammation marker) This automated test measures how quickly red blood cells settle in a tube to detect inflammation in the body. |
926 | $3 | $10 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
735 | $8 | $12 |
| Intravenous infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of medication or fluid directly into a vein for therapeutic, preventive, or diagnostic purposes. The procedure lasts one hour or less. |
616 | $46 | $130 |
| Intravenous chemotherapy infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of chemotherapy medication directly into a vein. The procedure takes one hour or less to complete. |
248 | $94 | $500 |
| X-ray of hand, 2 views An X-ray imaging test of the hand using two different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
202 | $21 | $59 |
| Autoimmune disorder antibody test A laboratory test that measures antibodies in the blood to help assess for autoimmune disorders. |
161 | $18 | $55 |
| Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg | 155 | $6 | $19 |
| Zoledronic acid injection, 1 mg An injection of zoledronic acid administered at a dose of 1 mg. |
130 | $6 | $30 |
| Additional hour of intravenous chemotherapy This code represents the administration of chemotherapy medication into a vein for each additional hour beyond the initial period. |
116 | $20 | $150 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
97 | $43 | $175 |
| Immunoassay substance analysis, multiple step method A laboratory test that uses an immunoassay technique to analyze a substance. The process involves multiple steps to detect or measure the target material. |
90 | $11 | $30 |
| Tuberculosis blood test (gamma interferon) A blood test that measures the immune system's response to tuberculosis bacteria using gamma interferon levels. |
67 | $60 | $150 |
| 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. |
52 | $28 | $75 |
| Joint fluid aspiration or injection, small joint Removal of fluid from a small joint or injection of medication into a small joint. |
48 | $31 | $100 |
| Uric acid level test A blood test that measures the level of uric acid in your body. Uric acid is a waste product formed when the body breaks down purines. |
47 | $4 | $15 |
| Rheumatoid factor level | 45 | $6 | $20 |
| 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. |
43 | $13 | $34 |
| Intravenous injection of additional new drug or substance Administration of an additional new medication or substance directly into a vein. |
42 | $11 | $35 |
| 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. |
40 | $64 | $175 |
| Methylprednisolone injection, up to 125 mg An injection of methylprednisolone sodium succinate, a corticosteroid medication, with a dosage of up to 125 mg. |
40 | $4 | $20 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis antibody test A blood test to measure antibodies used in assessing rheumatoid arthritis. |
39 | $13 | $45 |
| Vitamin D level test A blood test to measure the amount of Vitamin D-3 in your body. |
35 | $28 | $95 |
| Flu vaccine administration This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient. |
34 | $29 | $30 |
| 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. |
32 | $15 | $40 |
| 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. |
26 | $113 | $320 |
| Flu vaccine, quadrivalent A flu shot containing four strains of the influenza virus to help prevent seasonal influenza infection. |
24 | $76 | $120 |
| DNA antibody test (native or double-stranded) A blood test that measures the level of antibodies targeting native or double-stranded DNA. This test is used to detect the presence of these specific antibodies in the body. |
23 | $13 | $50 |
| Measurement of dna antibody, single stranded | 23 | $12 | $45 |
| 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. |
19 | $25 | $65 |
| Joint fluid aspiration or injection, medium joint Removal of fluid from a medium-sized joint or injection of medication into the joint space. |
18 | $39 | $115 |
| Methylprednisolone acetate injection, 80 mg An injection of 80 mg of methylprednisolone acetate, a corticosteroid medication. |
15 | $8 | $38 |
| Autoimmune disorder screening test A laboratory test used to screen for the presence of autoimmune disorders. |
14 | $12 | $40 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 12 | $78 | $420 |
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.
12.4% high complexity
86.1% medium
1.5% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$18,070
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $2,581/year across 7 years
Top 20% in GA for rheumatology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
40
Companies
1,089
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
$18,015 (99.7%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$55 (0.3%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$4,616
2023
$3,060
2022
$2,647
2021
$1,899
2020
$764
2019
$2,785
2018
$2,298
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ABBVIE INC.
$1,825
Amgen Inc.
$523
UCB, Inc.
$480
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$265
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$260
PFIZER INC.
$195
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$193
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$113
Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc.
$96
GENZYME CORPORATION
$95
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$88
Organon Llc
$82
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$55
SOBI, INC
$53
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$51
Lilly USA, LLC
$45
Octapharma USA, Inc.
$38
Genentech USA, Inc.
$36
Radius Health, Inc.
$33
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$29
ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$23
Sandoz Inc.
$20
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$17
Top 3 companies account for 61.3% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
ABBVIE INC.
$2,483
UCB, Inc.
$2,042
Amgen Inc.
$1,993
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$1,761
AbbVie Inc.
$1,653
PFIZER INC.
$1,221
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$785
GENZYME CORPORATION
$701
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$611
AbbVie, Inc.
$596
Genentech USA, Inc.
$573
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$557
Lilly USA, LLC
$542
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$402
Celgene Corporation
$384
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$353
Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc.
$226
Organon LLC
$132
Radius Health, Inc.
$127
Horizon Pharma plc
$106
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$85
Organon Llc
$82
SOBI, INC
$67
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$55
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$52
Octapharma USA, Inc.
$51
Sobi, Inc
$47
Sandoz Inc.
$43
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$42
Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA
$38
Grifols USA, LLC
$37
MEDEXUS PHARMA, INC.
$36
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC
$33
West-Ward Pharmaceuticals
$32
Integra LifeSciences Corporation
$26
ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$23
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$23
Sebela Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$19
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$17
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 36.1% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AMJEVITA · Actemra · Arcalyst · BENLYSTA · BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM · Bimzelx · COSENTYX · Cimzia · DUEXIS · EVENITY · EVUSHELD · Enbrel · FORTEO · Gamunex-C · HADLIMA · HUMIRA · HYRIMOZ · Humira · IDACIO · INFLECTRA · KEVZARA · KINERET · KRYSTEXXA · Kineret · LUPKYNIS · LYRICA · Mitigare · NUCALA · OCTAGAM IMMUNE GLOBULIN (HUMAN) · ORENCIA · Otezla · PENNSAID · PURIFIED CORTROPHIN GEL · Prolia · RAYOS · REMICADE · RENFLEXIS · RIDAURA · RINVOQ · Rasuvo · Rinvoq · Rituxan · SAPHNELO · SIMPONI ARIA · SKYRIZI · STRENSIQ · TALTZ · TAVNEOS · TREMFYA · Tavneos · Truxima · Tymlos · Uloric · XELJANZ
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 (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Rheumatologists within 10 mi
15
Per 100K population
7.2
County median income
$77,430
Nearest hospital
NORTHEAST GEORGIA MEDICAL CENTER, INC
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. Chafin is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 1% in GA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 20% 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. Chafin experienced with certolizumab injection (cimzia)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Chafin performed 270,402 certolizumab injection (cimzia) 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. Chafin receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Chafin received a total of $18,070 from 40 companies across 1,089 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. Chafin's costs compare to other rheumatologists in Gainesville?
Dr. Chafin's average Medicare payment per service is $8. 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. Chafin) 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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