Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Charles Degenhardt, M.D.
Rheumatology · Savannah, 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. Degenhardt 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. Degenhardt
Dr. Charles Degenhardt is a rheumatology specialist in Savannah, GA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Degenhardt performed 182,902 Medicare services across 2,887 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Degenhardt received a total of $12,154 from 36 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 637 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. Degenhardt 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 5% volume in GA
$12,154 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗182,902
Medicare services
Top 5% in GA for rheumatology
2,887
Unique beneficiaries
$13
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~9,626 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golimumab infusion (Simponi Aria) Administration of golimumab medication directly into a vein. This code specifies the dosage amount of 1 milligram for intravenous delivery. |
68,161 | $10 | $50 |
| Certolizumab injection (Cimzia) An injection of certolizumab pegol administered under the direct supervision of a physician. |
48,000 | $4 | $20 |
| Tocilizumab injection (Actemra) | 27,280 | $5 | $14 |
| 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. |
26,750 | $34 | $100 |
| Rituximab injection, 10 mg Administration of a 10 mg dose of rituximab medication via injection. |
4,520 | $64 | $175 |
| Infliximab infusion (Remicade) An injection of infliximab, excluding biosimilar versions, administered in a 10 mg dose. |
1,850 | $26 | $110 |
| Denosumab injection (Prolia/Xgeva) | 1,260 | $18 | $31 |
| 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. |
692 | $47 | $130 |
| Sed rate test (inflammation marker) This automated test measures how quickly red blood cells settle in a tube to detect inflammation in the body. |
496 | $3 | $10 |
| 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. |
496 | $5 | $18 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
486 | $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. |
482 | $8 | $25 |
| 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. |
460 | $87 | $250 |
| 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. |
266 | $11 | $30 |
| Intravenous chemotherapy infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of chemotherapy medication directly into a vein. The procedure takes one hour or less to complete. |
180 | $94 | $550 |
| 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. |
174 | $11 | $30 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
153 | $8 | $12 |
| Tuberculosis blood test (gamma interferon) A blood test that measures the immune system's response to tuberculosis bacteria using gamma interferon levels. |
142 | $61 | $150 |
| Autoimmune disorder antibody test A laboratory test that measures antibodies in the blood to help assess for autoimmune disorders. |
140 | $18 | $55 |
| Additional hour of intravenous chemotherapy This code represents the administration of chemotherapy medication into a vein for each additional hour beyond the initial period. |
117 | $21 | $150 |
| Intravenous injection of additional new drug or substance Administration of an additional new medication or substance directly into a vein. |
97 | $11 | $35 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis antibody test A blood test to measure antibodies used in assessing rheumatoid arthritis. |
89 | $13 | $45 |
| Rheumatoid factor level | 87 | $6 | $20 |
| Methylprednisolone injection, up to 125 mg An injection of methylprednisolone sodium succinate, a corticosteroid medication, with a dosage of up to 125 mg. |
77 | $4 | $20 |
| Complement and antigen measurement A laboratory test to measure levels of complement proteins and antigens in the blood. |
74 | $12 | $45 |
| 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. |
69 | $119 | $320 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
66 | $1 | $5 |
| Vitamin D level test A blood test to measure the amount of Vitamin D-3 in your body. |
40 | $29 | $95 |
| 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. |
36 | $4 | $15 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 23 | $165 | $420 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
20 | $59 | $175 |
| 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. |
20 | $13 | $50 |
| Measurement of dna antibody, single stranded | 20 | $12 | $45 |
| Flu vaccine administration This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient. |
19 | $29 | $30 |
| 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. |
17 | $68 | $175 |
| Cardiac enzyme level (CK-MB) test A blood test that measures the total level of creatine kinase, specifically the cardiac enzyme fraction, to help evaluate heart muscle damage. |
16 | $6 | $22 |
| Non-hormonal chemotherapy injection This procedure involves administering non-hormonal anti-neoplastic chemotherapy medication via injection into the skin or muscle tissue. |
14 | $53 | $300 |
| Quadrivalent influenza vaccine, cell-culture derived A flu shot containing four strains of influenza virus, produced using cell culture technology rather than eggs. This formulation is free from preservatives and antibiotics. |
13 | $33 | $64 |
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.
53.4% high complexity
44.7% medium
1.9% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$12,154
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,736/year across 7 years
Top 30% in GA for rheumatology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
36
Companies
637
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
$12,154 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,412
2023
$1,657
2022
$1,934
2021
$852
2020
$759
2019
$1,775
2018
$2,766
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ABBVIE INC.
$673
Amgen Inc.
$555
GENZYME CORPORATION
$264
UCB, Inc.
$186
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$116
PFIZER INC.
$102
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$98
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$96
Octapharma USA, Inc.
$84
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$82
Lilly USA, LLC
$77
Organon Llc
$44
ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$21
SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 61.9% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Amgen Inc.
$1,564
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$1,527
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$1,140
ABBVIE INC.
$1,098
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$857
Genentech USA, Inc.
$797
UCB, Inc.
$780
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$636
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$632
Lilly USA, LLC
$471
GENZYME CORPORATION
$402
AbbVie Inc.
$339
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$287
PFIZER INC.
$285
Celgene Corporation
$210
AbbVie, Inc.
$204
Horizon Pharma plc
$150
ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$140
Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
$100
Octapharma USA, Inc.
$84
Radius Health, Inc.
$59
HOSPIRA, INC.
$49
Grifols USA, LLC
$47
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$45
Organon Llc
$44
Zyla Life Sciences
$40
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$26
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$21
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$21
Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc.
$17
Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA
$16
SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$15
Sandoz Inc.
$14
MEDEXUS PHARMA, INC.
$13
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$12
MEDAC PHARMA, INC.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 34.8% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Actemra · BENLYSTA · Bimzelx · CERDELGA · COSENTYX · Cimzia · DUEXIS · EUFLEXXA · EVENITY · EVUSHELD · Enbrel · FORTEO · HADLIMA · HUMIRA · Humira · INFLECTRA · KEVZARA · KRYSTEXXA · LUPKYNIS · LYRICA · Mitigare · OCTAGAM IMMUNE GLOBULIN (HUMAN) · OFEV · ORENCIA · Otezla · Otrexup · PENNSAID · PURIFIED CORTROPHIN GEL · Prolia · RAYOS · REMICADE · RENFLEXIS · RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS DISEASE · RINVOQ · Rasuvo · Rituxan · SAPHNELO · SIMPONI · SIMPONI ARIA · SKYRIZI · STELARA · Strensiq · TALTZ · TAVNEOS · TREMFYA · Tymlos · UPLIZNA · XELJANZ · Xembify · ZORVOLEX · ZTLido
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
7
Per 100K population
2.3
County median income
$69,575
Nearest hospital
SAVANNAH HEALTH SERVICES LLC DBA MEMORIAL HEALTH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
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. Degenhardt is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 5% in GA), with low-engagement industry engagement, 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. Degenhardt experienced with golimumab infusion (simponi aria)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Degenhardt performed 68,161 golimumab infusion (simponi aria) 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. Degenhardt receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Degenhardt received a total of $12,154 from 36 companies across 637 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. Degenhardt's costs compare to other rheumatologists in Savannah?
Dr. Degenhardt's average Medicare payment per service is $13. 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. Degenhardt) 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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