Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Dean Stephens, M.D.

Rheumatology · Savannah, GA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Low-engagement
5400 WATERS AVE, Savannah, GA 31404
9123494227
In practice since 2007 (19 years)
NPI: 1134256381 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. Stephens 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 →
Are you Dr. Stephens? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Stephens

Dr. Dean Stephens is a rheumatology specialist in Savannah, GA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Stephens performed 210,692 Medicare services across 3,848 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Stephens received a total of $22,634 from 35 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 628 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. Stephens 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 2% volume in GA $22,634 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
210,692
Medicare services
Top 2% in GA for rheumatology
3,848
Unique beneficiaries
$13
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~11,089 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.
66,308 $10 $50
Certolizumab injection (Cimzia)
An injection of certolizumab pegol administered under the direct supervision of a physician.
57,600 $4 $20
Tocilizumab injection (Actemra) 36,480 $5 $13
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.
30,875 $34 $100
Infliximab infusion (Remicade)
An injection of infliximab, excluding biosimilar versions, administered in a 10 mg dose.
4,770 $26 $110
Rituximab injection, 10 mg
Administration of a 10 mg dose of rituximab medication via injection.
4,620 $60 $171
Denosumab injection (Prolia/Xgeva) 2,760 $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.
730 $46 $130
Comprehensive metabolic blood panel
A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers.
686 $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.
684 $7 $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.
677 $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.
672 $3 $10
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.
536 $90 $250
Autoimmune disorder antibody test
A laboratory test that measures antibodies in the blood to help assess for autoimmune disorders.
399 $17 $55
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.
360 $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.
335 $91 $550
Steroid injection (triamcinolone)
A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered.
301 $1 $5
Complement and antigen measurement
A laboratory test to measure levels of complement proteins and antigens in the blood.
224 $12 $45
Additional hour of intravenous chemotherapy
This code represents the administration of chemotherapy medication into a vein for each additional hour beyond the initial period.
168 $20 $150
Blood draw (venipuncture)
Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample.
148 $8 $12
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.
142 $11 $30
Vitamin D level test
A blood test to measure the amount of Vitamin D-3 in your body.
130 $29 $95
Methylprednisolone injection, up to 125 mg
An injection of methylprednisolone sodium succinate, a corticosteroid medication, with a dosage of up to 125 mg.
119 $4 $20
Intravenous injection of additional new drug or substance
Administration of an additional new medication or substance directly into a vein.
112 $11 $35
Tuberculosis blood test (gamma interferon)
A blood test that measures the immune system's response to tuberculosis bacteria using gamma interferon levels.
111 $60 $150
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.
94 $4 $15
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.
78 $6 $22
Rheumatoid arthritis antibody test
A blood test to measure antibodies used in assessing rheumatoid arthritis.
71 $12 $45
Rheumatoid factor level 71 $5 $20
Autoimmune disorder screening test
A laboratory test used to screen for the presence of autoimmune disorders.
63 $12 $40
Joint injection, major joint
Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space.
59 $54 $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.
57 $13 $50
Measurement of dna antibody, single stranded 57 $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.
41 $102 $320
Flu vaccine administration
This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient.
41 $29 $30
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.
25 $33 $64
Joint fluid aspiration or injection, small joint
Removal of fluid from a small joint or injection of medication into a small joint.
19 $30 $100
Flu vaccine, quadrivalent
A flu shot containing four strains of the influenza virus to help prevent seasonal influenza infection.
16 $76 $143
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.
16 $116 $340
Methylprednisolone acetate injection, 80 mg
An injection of 80 mg of methylprednisolone acetate, a corticosteroid medication.
15 $9 $38
New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) 11 $163 $420
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.
11 $62 $175
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.
48.9% high complexity
48.7% medium
2.4% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$22,634
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $3,233/year across 7 years
Top 13% in GA for rheumatology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
35
Companies
628
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
$11,365 (50.2%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$6,022 (26.6%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$5,247 (23.2%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$1,969
2023
$1,773
2022
$2,142
2021
$688
2020
$993
2019
$2,011
2018
$13,057

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ABBVIE INC.
$334
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$259
Amgen Inc.
$254
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$247
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$239
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$156
Octapharma USA, Inc.
$84
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$80
UCB, Inc.
$75
Lilly USA, LLC
$64
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$59
Radius Health, Inc.
$40
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$28
PFIZER INC.
$26
Genentech USA, Inc.
$23
Top 3 companies account for 43.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Celgene Corporation
$6,451
GENZYME CORPORATION
$4,864
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$1,777
Amgen Inc.
$1,320
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$1,300
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$1,132
Genentech USA, Inc.
$741
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$647
UCB, Inc.
$620
ABBVIE INC.
$616
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$574
Lilly USA, LLC
$528
AbbVie, Inc.
$312
AbbVie Inc.
$225
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$219
Mallinckrodt Hospital Products Inc.
$195
Horizon Pharma plc
$172
PFIZER INC.
$138
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$122
Radius Health, Inc.
$102
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$101
Octapharma USA, Inc.
$84
Grifols USA, LLC
$60
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$53
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$44
Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc.
$41
Zyla Life Sciences
$40
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$40
HOSPIRA, INC.
$27
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC
$17
Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA
$16
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$15
MEDEXUS PHARMA, INC.
$15
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.
$13
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 57.8% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTHAR · Actemra · BENLYSTA · Bimzelx · COSENTYX · Cimzia · DUEXIS · EUFLEXXA · EVENITY · EVUSHELD · Enbrel · FORTEO · HUMIRA · Humira · IDACIO · KEVZARA · KRYSTEXXA · LUPKYNIS · MONOVISC · Mitigare · NO PRODUCT DISCUSSED · OCTAGAM IMMUNE GLOBULIN (HUMAN) · OFEV · ORENCIA · ORTHOVISC · Otezla · Otrexup · Prolia · RAYOS · REMICADE · RENFLEXIS · RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS DISEASE · RINVOQ · Rasuvo · Rituxan · SAPHNELO · SIMPONI · SIMPONI ARIA · SKYRIZI · STELARA · STRENSIQ · TALTZ · TAVNEOS · TREMFYA · Truxima · Tymlos · VIMOVO · XALATAN · XELJANZ · Xembify · ZORVOLEX
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 (50%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Looking for a rheumatology specialist in Savannah?
Compare rheumatologists in the Savannah area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse rheumatologists nearby

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

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. Stephens is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 2% in GA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 13% 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. Stephens experienced with golimumab infusion (simponi aria)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Stephens performed 66,308 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. Stephens receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Stephens received a total of $22,634 from 35 companies across 628 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. Stephens's costs compare to other rheumatologists in Savannah?
Dr. Stephens'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. Stephens) 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 →