Medicare Enrolled
Dr. James Sheppard, MD
Internal Medicine · Thomson, 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. Sheppard 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. Sheppard
Dr. James Sheppard is an internal medicine specialist in Thomson, GA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Sheppard performed 3,545 Medicare services across 2,712 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Sheppard received a total of $2,973 from 39 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 199 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in internal 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. Sheppard 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 10% volume in GA
$2,973 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗3,545
Medicare services
Top 10% in GA for internal medicine
2,712
Unique beneficiaries
$26
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~187 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
410 | $10 | $63 |
| 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. |
381 | $69 | $180 |
| Lipid panel (cholesterol and triglycerides) A blood test that measures cholesterol and triglyceride levels. |
325 | $13 | $92 |
| 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. |
275 | $8 | $62 |
| Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test A blood test that measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone to evaluate thyroid function. |
251 | $16 | $82 |
| Hemoglobin A1c test (diabetes monitoring) A blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. |
247 | $9 | $69 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
200 | $8 | $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. |
158 | $40 | $156 |
| Annual depression screening | 119 | $17 | $40 |
| Annual wellness visit, follow-up A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service. |
114 | $118 | $215 |
| 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. |
92 | $9 | $50 |
| Vitamin D level test A blood test to measure the amount of Vitamin D-3 in your body. |
83 | $29 | $80 |
| 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. |
66 | $21 | $38 |
| Flu vaccine administration This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient. |
66 | $29 | $40 |
| Blood glucose test using hand-held instrument A test that measures the level of sugar in the blood using a portable device. The result helps monitor blood glucose levels. |
63 | $3 | $29 |
| Vitamin B-12 level test A blood test that measures the amount of vitamin B-12 in your body. |
62 | $15 | $101 |
| Betamethasone steroid injection An injection containing a combination of betamethasone acetate and betamethasone sodium phosphate. |
59 | $5 | $20 |
| Urinalysis, manual A manual laboratory examination of a urine sample to check for various substances and cells. |
57 | $3 | $38 |
| Urine microalbumin test A laboratory test that measures the amount of a specific protein called microalbumin in a urine sample. This analysis helps assess kidney function. |
53 | $6 | $25 |
| Creatinine test (kidney function) A blood test that measures the amount of creatinine to assess kidney function or detect muscle injury. |
52 | $5 | $37 |
| Influenza virus detection test A laboratory test that uses an immunoassay technique to detect the presence of the influenza virus through direct visual observation. |
48 | $16 | $58 |
| Ferritin level test (iron stores) A blood test that measures the level of ferritin, a protein that stores iron in the body. |
36 | $13 | $83 |
| Vitamin B-12 injection An injection of vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin) with a dose of up to 1000 mcg. |
36 | $1 | $15 |
| Vaccine administration The process of giving a vaccine to a patient. This code covers the administration service only and does not include the cost of the vaccine itself. |
35 | $12 | $60 |
| Pneumonia vaccine administration This procedure involves the injection of a vaccine to protect against pneumococcal disease. It is administered by a healthcare provider. |
33 | $29 | $45 |
| Bone density scan (DEXA) A test that uses low-dose X-rays to measure bone mineral density in the hip, pelvis, and spine. It helps assess bone strength and risk of fractures. |
32 | $34 | $168 |
| PSA test (prostate cancer screening) A blood test that measures the level of prostate-specific antigen to screen for prostate cancer. |
31 | $19 | $59 |
| 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. |
28 | $172 | $175 |
| 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. |
24 | $39 | $70 |
| 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. |
24 | $9 | $78 |
| 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. |
23 | $111 | $250 |
| Transitional care management services, moderate complexity Services provided to coordinate care during the transition from an inpatient or other facility setting back to the community. This includes follow-up and management of a health problem of at least moderate complexity. |
21 | $154 | $264 |
| Smoking cessation counseling, 4-10 minutes A brief counseling session focused on helping patients quit smoking and tobacco use. The provider spends 4 to 10 minutes discussing strategies and support for cessation. |
18 | $14 | $25 |
| Spirometry test before and after medication A test that measures the amount of air you can exhale and the speed of your breathing before and after taking a medication. |
12 | $27 | $135 |
| Expiratory airflow and volume test A test that measures the amount of air you can exhale and the speed at which you can breathe it out. It evaluates lung function by assessing expiratory airflow and volume. |
11 | $14 | $90 |
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 ↗$2,973
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $425/year across 7 years
Top 24% in GA for internal medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
39
Companies
199
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
$2,851 (95.9%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$122 (4.1%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$669
2023
$370
2022
$545
2021
$555
2020
$289
2019
$304
2018
$241
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ABBVIE INC.
$162
Novo Nordisk Inc
$98
Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$85
PFIZER INC.
$77
IRONSHORE PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$46
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$45
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$42
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$32
Medtronic, Inc.
$17
Abbott Laboratories
$17
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$16
ITI, Inc. (d/b/a Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc.)
$16
Exact Sciences Corporation
$14
Top 3 companies account for 51.6% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Novo Nordisk Inc
$657
ABBVIE INC.
$288
PFIZER INC.
$257
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$247
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$165
Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$111
Lilly USA, LLC
$95
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$95
AbbVie Inc.
$93
Allergan, Inc.
$72
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$65
Amgen Inc.
$59
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$57
Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$54
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$48
Abbott Laboratories
$46
IRONSHORE PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$46
Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$43
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$43
Allergan Inc.
$41
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$39
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$39
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$34
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$33
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$32
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$27
Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$23
Medtronic, Inc.
$17
Dexcom, Inc.
$17
Medtronic MiniMed, Inc.
$17
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$16
ITI, Inc. (d/b/a Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc.)
$16
Exact Sciences Corporation
$14
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$14
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$14
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$13
Shire North American Group Inc
$12
Genentech USA, Inc.
$12
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$1
Top 3 companies account for 40.4% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ANORO ELLIPTA · Aimovig · BASAGLAR · BEXSERO · BREZTRI · BREZTRI AEROSPHERE · CAPLYTA · CHANTIX · CREON · Cologuard Collection Kit · Dexcom G6 Transmitter · ELIQUIS · EMGALITY · ETERNA · EVENITY · FARXIGA · FreeStyle Libre · FreeStyle Libre 2 · GEMTESA · GVOKE HYPOPEN · JANUVIA · JARDIANCE · JORNAY PM · Kerendia · LEQVIO · LINZESS · LYRICA · MINIMED 780G · MOUNJARO · MYDAYIS · MYRBETRIQ · Minimed 630G · NEXPLANON · NUEDEXTA · NURTEC ODT · Nuedexta · Ozempic · PNEUMOVAX 23 · PRALUENT · PRALUENT ALIROCUMAB INJECTION · PREMARIN · PREVNAR - 13 · PREVNAR 13 · QELBREE · QULIPTA · QUVIVIQ · Qelbree · REXULTI · RYBELSUS · Rybelsus · SHINGRIX · SOLIQUA 100/33 · SPRAVATO · STIOLTO RESPIMAT · Saxenda · TOUJEO · TRELEGY ELLIPTA · TRINTELLIX · TRULICITY · TRUMENBA · UBRELVY · VRAYLAR · VYVANSE · Victoza · XIFAXAN · 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 (96%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Internal medicine physicians within 10 mi
68
Per 100K population
313.6
County median income
$54,058
Nearest hospital
UNIVERSITY MCDUFFIE COUNTY REGIONAL 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. Sheppard is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 10% 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. Sheppard experienced with comprehensive metabolic blood panel?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Sheppard performed 410 comprehensive metabolic blood panel 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. Sheppard receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Sheppard received a total of $2,973 from 39 companies across 199 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. Sheppard's costs compare to other internal medicine physicians in Thomson?
Dr. Sheppard's average Medicare payment per service is $26. 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. Sheppard) 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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