Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Russell Nockels, MD

Neurological Surgery · Arlington Heights, IL
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Mixed engagement
880 W CENTRAL RD STE 7200, Arlington Heights, IL 60005
8476184430
In practice since 2005 (20 years)
NPI: 1750368635 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. Nockels 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. Nockels? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Nockels

Dr. Russell Nockels is a neurological surgery specialist in Arlington Heights, IL, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Nockels performed 528 Medicare services across 380 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Nockels received a total of $1,331,284 from 3 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 253 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in neurological surgery. The majority of payments are classified as financial or ownership interests (royalties, licensing fees, or investment interests). Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.

The Data Coverage level for Dr. Nockels 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.

✓ 20 years in practice ▲ Top 16% volume in IL $1,331,284 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
528
Medicare services
Top 16% in IL for neurological surgery
380
Unique beneficiaries
$380
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~26 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
Partial removal of spine bone with nerve release, each additional segment
This procedure involves the partial removal of spinal bone to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. It is billed for each additional spinal segment treated beyond the initial segment.
131 $195 $3,874
Spinal fusion of additional segment
A surgical procedure to join an additional section of the spine to the existing fusion. This is performed as a separate or subsequent step to stabilize more of the spinal column.
92 $364 $4,622
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.
73 $54 $282
Spinal stabilization device placement, 3-6 segments
Surgical placement of a device to stabilize three to six vertebrae in the back.
40 $710 $8,509
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.
39 $68 $416
Partial removal of spine bone with nerve release, 1 segment
A surgical procedure involving the partial removal of a bone segment in the spine to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. This is performed on a single spinal segment.
35 $685 $11,391
Spinal fusion of neck, posterior approach
A surgical procedure to join two or more vertebrae in the cervical spine using a back approach to stabilize the neck.
19 $1,020 $9,072
Fusion of spine in lower back 18 $1,445 $14,625
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.
18 $83 $564
Partial removal of spine bone with nerve release, 1 segment
Surgical removal of part of the spinal bone to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves in one segment.
15 $603 $10,171
Intraoperative ultrasound guidance
Use of ultrasound imaging during a surgical procedure to help guide the surgeon's actions.
13 $54 $151
Fusion of skull and upper spine through back
Surgical procedure to join the skull to the first two vertebrae of the spine using an incision on the back of the head and neck.
12 $1,361 $11,663
Spinal stabilization device placement, 7-12 segments
Surgical placement of a device to stabilize the back involving 7 to 12 spine bone segments.
12 $760 $8,828
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.
11 $27 $152
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.
26.7% high complexity
2.5% medium
70.8% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$1,331,284
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $190,183/year across 7 years
Top 2% in IL for neurological surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
3
Companies
253
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.

Financial / Ownership
Ownership or investment interests, royalties, and licensing fees
$1,330,118 (99.9%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$1,166 (0.1%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$191,290
2023
$192,545
2022
$218,581
2021
$283,700
2020
$231,326
2019
$114,419
2018
$99,423

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Medtronic, Inc.
$191,290
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Medtronic, Inc.
$885,939
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$444,179
Stryker Corporation
$1,166
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AQUAMANTYS(TM) · BACS · CATALYFT PL EXPANDABLE INTERBODY SYSTEM · CD HORIZON · CD HORIZON SPINAL SYSTEM · CLYDESDALE · CLYDESDALE PTC SPINAL SYSTEM · CRESCENT · DIVERGENCE-L · EVEREST · GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION · MAGNIFUSE BONE GRAFT · O-ARM-Spine · PIVOX Oblique Lateral Spinal System · SAGITTAL BALANCE · SOVEREIGN · STEALTHSTATION S8 PLATFORM · TRITANIUM
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 2% for neurological surgery in IL.

Looking for a neurological surgery specialist in Arlington Heights?
Compare neurological surgerists in the Arlington Heights area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse neurological surgerists nearby

Geographic Context

Neurological surgerists within 10 mi
211
Per 100K population
4.1
County median income
$81,797
Nearest hospital
NORTHWEST COMMUNITY HOSPITAL 1
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. Nockels is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 16% in IL), with mixed engagement industry engagement in the top 2% of IL peers, with 20 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. Nockels experienced with partial removal of spine bone with nerve release, each additional segment?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Nockels performed 131 partial removal of spine bone with nerve release, each additional segment 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. Nockels receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Nockels received a total of $1,331,284 from 3 companies across 253 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. Nockels's costs compare to other neurological surgerists in Arlington Heights?
Dr. Nockels's average Medicare payment per service is $380. 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. Nockels) 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 →