Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Michael Nicholas, DO
Cardiovascular Disease · Crete, IL
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. Nicholas 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. Nicholas
Dr. Michael Nicholas is a cardiovascular disease specialist in Crete, IL, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Nicholas performed 1,198 Medicare services across 1,067 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Nicholas received a total of $25,426 from 38 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 613 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cardiovascular disease. 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. Nicholas 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
▲ 1,198 Medicare services
$25,426 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,198
Medicare services
Bottom 32% in IL for cardiovascular disease
Lower Medicare volume may reflect subspecialty focus, hospital-based work, or a higher share of non-Medicare patients.
1,067
Unique beneficiaries
$99
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~60 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes Administration of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by the physician performing a procedure. This code covers the initial 15 minutes of sedation for patients aged 5 years or older. |
239 | $9 | $81 |
| 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. |
191 | $83 | $250 |
| 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. |
136 | $60 | $180 |
| Ultrasound guidance for blood vessel access Use of ultrasound imaging to help locate and access a blood vessel. This guidance assists healthcare providers in performing procedures such as inserting IV lines or drawing blood. |
118 | $11 | $31 |
| Cardiac catheterization | 83 | $163 | $583 |
| Coronary stent placement A procedure to insert a stent into a coronary artery or its branch to keep it open, using balloon dilation during the process. |
68 | $367 | $1,400 |
| Radiologist review of arm or leg artery images A radiologist reviews images of the arteries in one or both arms or legs to assess blood flow and vessel health. |
44 | $68 | $196 |
| Initial hospital admission, high complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 75 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
31 | $132 | $356 |
| Arterial plaque removal in leg A procedure to remove plaque buildup from the arteries in the leg to restore blood flow. |
26 | $385 | $13,300 |
| Radiologist review of abdominal aorta image A radiologist reviews images of the abdominal aorta to evaluate the blood vessel. |
25 | $50 | $120 |
| 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 | $131 | $340 |
| Hospital discharge management, 30+ min This service covers the care provided by a physician or qualified healthcare professional on the day a patient is discharged from the hospital. It requires more than 30 minutes of total time spent on the day of discharge. |
22 | $87 | $204 |
| Ultrasound of blood vessel, initial vessel An ultrasound exam of a blood vessel that includes a radiologist's review of the initial vessel. |
21 | $65 | $2,064 |
| Ultrasound of heart blood vessel or graft An ultrasound exam to evaluate blood flow in a heart blood vessel or graft, including a radiologist's review of the initial vessel. |
21 | $69 | $185 |
| Insertion of tube in left lower heart chamber, coronary artery and bypass graft for diagnosis with review by radiologist | 20 | $163 | $652 |
| Additional blood vessel ultrasound evaluation An ultrasound exam of a blood vessel that includes a radiologist's review. This code applies to each additional vessel evaluated beyond the initial one. |
18 | $51 | $361 |
| Balloon dilation of leg artery A procedure to widen a narrowed or blocked artery in the leg using a balloon catheter to restore blood flow. |
16 | $218 | $5,155 |
| Balloon angioplasty of leg artery, initial vessel A procedure to widen a narrowed or blocked artery in the leg using a balloon catheter. This is performed on the first vessel treated during the session. |
16 | $291 | $6,560 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an existing patient involving moderate medical decision making. The visit requires at least 35 minutes of time spent on the date of service. |
16 | $60 | $136 |
| Groin artery stent insertion, initial vessel A procedure to place a stent in the initial artery of the groin to keep it open and maintain blood flow. |
14 | $441 | $12,801 |
| Aortography with contrast and radiologist review An imaging procedure using contrast dye to visualize the aorta above the heart valve, including professional review by a radiologist. |
14 | $27 | $247 |
| Intravascular ultrasound of heart vessel, initial An ultrasound procedure used to evaluate a blood vessel within the heart during a diagnostic or treatment procedure. |
14 | $53 | $294 |
| Repair of left upper heart chamber with implant A surgical procedure to repair the left upper chamber of the heart using an implanted device, with review by a radiologist. |
11 | $282 | $1,728 |
| Insertion of tube in right and left heart chambers and coronary artery for diagnosis with review by radiologist | 11 | $209 | $810 |
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.
15.4% high complexity
16.0% medium
68.5% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$25,426
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $3,632/year across 7 years
Top 13% in IL for cardiovascular disease
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
38
Companies
613
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
$25,426 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$4,179
2023
$6,430
2022
$4,613
2021
$1,208
2020
$816
2019
$5,066
2018
$3,112
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
$1,950
Medtronic, Inc.
$734
Boston Scientific Corporation
$391
BIOTRONIK INC.
$292
Abbott Laboratories
$199
Penumbra, Inc.
$122
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$113
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$93
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$91
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$45
Inari Medical, Inc.
$29
Philips North America LLC
$25
Cook Medical LLC
$18
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$17
ABIOMED
$16
Amgen Inc.
$14
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$14
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$13
Top 3 companies account for 73.6% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
$3,485
Boston Scientific Corporation
$2,891
Penumbra, Inc.
$2,848
Abbott Laboratories
$1,806
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
$1,736
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$1,686
Medtronic, Inc.
$1,671
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$1,437
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$1,052
ABIOMED
$1,026
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$800
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$676
Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
$564
Amgen Inc.
$541
EKOS Corporation
$534
BIOTRONIK INC.
$433
Inari Medical, Inc.
$407
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$245
Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
$222
Chiesi USA, Inc.
$192
PFIZER INC.
$148
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$135
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$120
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$114
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$100
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$95
Shockwave Medical, Inc
$90
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$82
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$81
CHIESI USA, INC.
$39
LivaNova USA, Inc.
$29
Veryan Medical Incorporated
$27
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$27
Philips North America LLC
$25
Cook Medical LLC
$18
AngioDynamics, Inc.
$17
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$13
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$13
Top 3 companies account for 36.3% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
(4066) Tack Endo Sys ATK · (6346) Intrasight Mobile · (8329) IGT D FM · (9520) IGT Devices Und · ABRE · ACCULINK · ATLAS · AURYON LASER SYSTEM 100-120 VAC · AZURE XT DR MRI SURESCAN · Abre · Asahi Fielder coronary guide wire · Azure · BRILINTA · BioMimics 3D Vascular Stent System · CAMZYOS · CARDIOMEMS · CHANTIX · CLEVIPREX · CLEVIPREX 50MG/100ML · COBALT DR MRI SURESCAN · COMET · CONCERTOTM · COROFLOW · CardioMEMS HF System · Comet · DIAMONDBACK PERIPHERAL · Diamondback Coronary · Diamondback Peripheral · EKOSONIC · ELIQUIS · ELUVIA · ENTRESTO · ESPRIT · FARXIGA · FEMOSTOP · FLOWTRIEVER CATHETER · FlowTriever · GENERAL ANGIOPLASTY · GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION · GENERAL METALLIC STENTS · GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION · GENERAL - ATHERECTOMY · GENERAL - METALLIC STENTS · GENERAL - STENTS · GENERAL - STRUCTURAL HEART · GENERAL - VASCULAR INTERVENTION · GENERAL STENTS · GORE CARDIOFORM Septal Occluder · GORE EXCLUDER Iliac Branch Endoprosthesis · GORE VIABAHN Endoprosthesis · GORE VIABAHN Endoprosthesis with Heparin · GORE VIABAHN VBX Balloon Expandable Endo · GORE VIATORR TIPS Endoprosthesis · General - Atherectomy · General - Stents · General - Vascular Intervention · HAWKONE · HawkOne · HemoSphere · IGT D FM · IGT D Peripheral · IGT_D Coronary · IGT_D Peripheral · ILAB · IN.PACT ADMIRAL · IN.PACT Admiral · IVUS Systems · Impella · Indigo · Indigo System · JARDIANCE · JETSTREAM · JETSTREAM SC · KENGREAL · LEQVIO · LIFESPARC · LUTONIX · Legacy · LifeVest · Lutonix Drug Coated Balloon · MICRA · NEXLIZET · NHancer Rx · OPSUMIT MACITENTAN · Orsiro Mission · PERCEPTA QUAD CRT-P MRI SURESCAN · PERCLOSE PROSTYLE · PK Papyrus · PRADAXA · PRALUENT · PRALUENT ALIROCUMAB INJECTION · Penumbra System · Perclose ProGlide suture mediated closure system · Peripheral Orbital Atherectomy System · ROTABLATOR · RUBY Coil · Ranexa · Ranger · ReCross · Repatha · Resolute · Rotarex · S · SHOCKWAVE IVL SYSTEM WITH THE SHOCKWAVE C2 CORONARY IVL CATHETER · SYNERGY · Shockwave IVL System with the Shockwave C2 Coronary IVL Catheter · UPTRAVI · VIABAHN Endoprosthesis with PROPATEN Bioactive Surface · VIATORR TIPS Endoprosthesis w/ Controlled Expansion · VYNDAQEL · Valiant Captivia · Vascepa · Vascular Lithotripsy · VersaCross Access Solution · WATCHMAN Access System · XACT · XARELTO · XIENCE SIERRA · XIENCE SKYPOINT · Xience Sierra Coronary Stent System · ZILVER PTX
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
Cardiologists within 10 mi
196
Per 100K population
28.1
County median income
$107,799
Nearest hospital
FRANCISCAN HEALTH DYER
4.9 mi
4.9 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. Nicholas is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 13% 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. Nicholas experienced with sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Nicholas performed 239 sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes 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. Nicholas receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Nicholas received a total of $25,426 from 38 companies across 613 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. Nicholas's costs compare to other cardiologists in Crete?
Dr. Nicholas's average Medicare payment per service is $99. 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. Nicholas) 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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