Dr. Nicole Howell, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Howell
Dr. Nicole Howell is a pathology - anatomic specialist in Urbana, IL, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Howell performed 12,996 Medicare services across 6,598 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Howell received a total of $25 from 1 pharmaceutical and/or device company across 1 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in pathology - anatomic. 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. Howell 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.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
4,514 | $8 | $36 |
| 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. |
2,517 | $8 | $87 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
2,297 | $10 | $160 |
| Basic metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of basic chemicals, including total calcium levels. |
1,140 | $8 | $135 |
| Tissue pathology examination, moderate complexity A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope to analyze cellular details. This intermediate complexity procedure involves specialized techniques to identify abnormalities in the tissue. |
818 | $27 | $225 |
| Magnesium level test A blood test to measure the amount of magnesium in your body. This helps check for magnesium deficiency or excess. |
385 | $7 | $67 |
| Urinalysis, microscopic examination A laboratory test that examines a urine sample under a microscope to check for cells, crystals, bacteria, or other substances. |
217 | $3 | $41 |
| Complete blood count (CBC), automated An automated laboratory test that measures the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood. |
146 | $6 | $71 |
| Tissue staining for diagnosis, additional An extra laboratory procedure to apply special stains to tissue slides for detailed examination. |
139 | $21 | $220 |
| Tissue staining for diagnosis, initial A laboratory test where special stains are applied to tissue slides to help examine the cells and identify specific characteristics. |
101 | $27 | $310 |
| Hemoglobin blood test A blood test that measures the amount of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. |
94 | $2 | $36 |
| Red blood cell concentration measurement A laboratory test that measures the concentration of red blood cells in the blood. |
81 | $2 | $41 |
| Cell examination with selective cellular enhancement A laboratory test that examines cells from a specimen using a technique to selectively enhance specific cellular features for detailed analysis. |
64 | $20 | $230 |
| Moderately high complexity pathology tissue examination A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope to analyze cellular details. This specific level of complexity involves a moderate to high degree of technical skill and interpretation. |
51 | $63 | $195 |
| Automated red blood cell count with calculations A blood test that automatically counts red blood cells and performs additional calculations to assess blood health. |
43 | $5 | $70 |
| Blood creatinine level test A blood test that measures the amount of creatinine, a waste product from muscle wear and tear, to help assess kidney function. |
39 | $5 | $59 |
| Fine needle aspirate evaluation and report A pathologist examines cells collected via a fine needle aspiration and provides a written interpretation and report of the findings. |
38 | $54 | $285 |
| Fine needle aspirate evaluation A laboratory examination of cells collected via fine needle aspiration to assess for abnormalities. |
37 | $27 | $205 |
| Pathology tissue examination, moderate complexity A laboratory test where a pathologist examines tissue samples under a microscope to identify abnormalities. This specific level indicates a moderate degree of complexity in the analysis. |
35 | $9 | $40 |
| Flow cytometry, 16 or more markers A laboratory test that uses lasers to analyze cells or DNA using 16 or more different markers. This technique helps identify and characterize specific cell types based on their physical and chemical properties. |
28 | $65 | $950 |
| Special stain test for organisms A laboratory test using special stains on tissue slides to identify microorganisms. The process includes the technical preparation of the slides and a professional interpretation of the results. |
28 | $20 | $64 |
| Liver enzyme (SGOT) level test A blood test that measures the level of the liver enzyme SGOT to help assess liver health. |
26 | $5 | $56 |
| Liver enzyme (SGPT) level test A blood test that measures the level of the liver enzyme SGPT to assess liver function. |
26 | $5 | $59 |
| Lipase level test A blood test that measures the amount of lipase, a fat-digesting enzyme, in your body. |
24 | $7 | $110 |
| Additional Pap test evaluation episode An additional immediate evaluation of a fine needle aspirate sample during a Pap test procedure. |
23 | $21 | $145 |
| Intraoperative pathology examination, first tissue block A pathologist examines a tissue sample removed during surgery to provide a preliminary diagnosis. This test is performed on the first tissue block obtained from the procedure. |
19 | $48 | $550 |
| Kidney function blood test panel | 17 | $9 | $170 |
| Total calcium level test A blood test that measures the total amount of calcium in your body. |
17 | $5 | $61 |
| Tissue preparation to remove calcium A laboratory procedure that removes calcium from a tissue sample to prepare it for microscopic examination. |
17 | $9 | $120 |
| Blood potassium level test A blood test that measures the amount of potassium in your body. Potassium is an electrolyte that helps control heart and muscle function. |
15 | $5 | $48 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2023 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2023)
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
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 2023 |
| 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. Howell is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 1% in IL), 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
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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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