Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Erik Ratchford, D.O.
Urology Physician · Grand Rapids, MI
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. Ratchford 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. Ratchford
Dr. Erik Ratchford is an urology physician in Grand Rapids, MI, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Ratchford performed 1,146 Medicare services across 886 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Ratchford received a total of $7,434 from 65 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 338 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in urology physician. 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. Ratchford 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 40% volume in MI
$7,434 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,146
Medicare services
Top 40% in MI for urology physician
886
Unique beneficiaries
$50
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual urinalysis with microscopic examination A urine test performed manually without automated equipment. The sample is examined under a microscope to check for abnormalities. |
337 | $4 | $15 |
| 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. |
269 | $86 | $172 |
| Bladder ultrasound after voiding An ultrasound scan performed after urination to measure the amount of urine remaining in the bladder. |
222 | $7 | $55 |
| 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. |
102 | $62 | $114 |
| 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. |
55 | $110 | $266 |
| Leuprolide acetate (for depot suspension), 7.5 mg | 45 | $136 | $300 |
| Cystourethroscopy A diagnostic exam of the bladder and urethra using an endoscope to visually inspect the urinary tract. |
39 | $160 | $500 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving moderate-level medical decision making, with at least 55 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
21 | $100 | $228 |
| Bladder irrigation and/or instillation This procedure involves flushing the bladder with fluid to clear it or introducing medication directly into the bladder. |
16 | $55 | $170 |
| Endoscopic removal of kidney or ureter stone A procedure to remove or manipulate a stone in the kidney or ureter using an endoscope. The endoscope is a thin, lighted tube inserted into the body to visualize and treat the stone. |
15 | $39 | $702 |
| Endoscopic removal of foreign body, stone, or stent from urethra or bladder A procedure to remove a foreign object, stone, or stent from the urethra or bladder using an endoscope. The endoscope is a thin tube with a camera inserted into the urinary tract to locate and extract the item. |
13 | $221 | $575 |
| Subcutaneous or intramuscular chemotherapy injection This procedure involves administering anti-cancer hormonal medication through an injection into the tissue under the skin or into a muscle. |
12 | $21 | $76 |
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.
1.1% high complexity
20.4% medium
78.4% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$7,434
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,062/year across 7 years
Top 26% in MI for urology physician
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
65
Companies
338
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
$6,808 (91.6%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$626 (8.4%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$1,008
2023
$1,999
2022
$1,114
2021
$556
2020
$491
2019
$1,292
2018
$974
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ABBVIE INC.
$198
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$109
Edap Technomed Inc
$90
COLOPLAST CORP
$75
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$70
Dendreon Pharmaceuticals LLC
$66
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$54
Integra LifeSciences Corporation
$47
PROCEPT BioRobotics Corporation
$42
Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
$34
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$28
Tempus AI, Inc
$25
PFIZER INC.
$24
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$22
ACCORD HEALTHCARE, INC.
$22
Axonics, Inc.
$20
Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc.
$18
Novo Nordisk Inc
$17
Amgen Inc.
$16
ARRAY BIOPHARMA INC
$15
Cook Medical LLC
$14
Top 3 companies account for 39.4% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$841
Coloplast Corp
$498
Amgen Inc.
$446
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$376
NeoTract Inc.
$353
Teleflex LLC
$335
Boston Scientific Corporation
$310
ABBVIE INC.
$298
PFIZER INC.
$273
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$272
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$246
PROCEPT BioRobotics Corporation
$219
Dornier MedTech America, Inc
$211
Myovant Sciences Inc.
$202
Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
$165
Blue Earth Diagnostics Limited
$148
Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc.
$148
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$120
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$113
Valencia Technologies Corporation
$113
Laborie Medical Technologies Corp.
$108
Axonics, Inc.
$107
COLOPLAST CORP
$96
Edap Technomed Inc
$90
ACCORD HEALTHCARE, INC.
$80
Cook Medical LLC
$73
TOLMAR Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$70
Dendreon Pharmaceuticals LLC
$66
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$66
Integra LifeSciences Corporation
$65
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$56
Allergan Inc.
$53
Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$47
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$47
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$47
AbbVie Inc.
$45
AbbVie, Inc.
$45
UroGen Pharma, Inc.
$44
Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$43
Medtronic, Inc.
$43
UROVANT SCIENCES INC
$36
Tolmar, Inc.
$30
Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$28
Tempus AI, Inc
$25
GENZYME CORPORATION
$24
UROGEN PHARMA, INC.
$21
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$20
DENTSPLY IH Inc.
$19
Accord Healthcare, Inc.
$18
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$17
Foundation Medicine, Inc.
$17
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$17
Novo Nordisk Inc
$17
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$16
Travere Therapeutics, Inc.
$16
ARRAY BIOPHARMA INC
$15
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$15
Allergan, Inc.
$15
Verity Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$15
ACELL, INC.
$14
ROCHESTER MEDICAL CORPORATION
$14
Rochester Medical Corporation
$13
Olympus America Inc.
$13
Axonics Modulation Technologies, Inc.
$13
Avadel Specialty Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$11
Top 3 companies account for 24.0% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AFINITOR · ALTIS · AMS · AMS 700 · AMS 700 CXR RTE Kit · AQUABEAM ROBOTIC SYSTEM · AQUABEAM SYSTEM · ARIS · Altis · Axonics · Axonics r-SNM System · Axumin · BOTOX · BOTOX THERAPEUTIC · CAMCEVI · COOK · Coloplast TFL Drive · Cook Medical Lasers · Dornier MedTech · ELIGARD · ERLEADA · EVENITY · Erleada · FIRMAGON · FOUNDATIONONE LIQUID CDX · GEMTESA · GENERAL ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION · GENERAL BPH · INTERSTIM · Integra · JATENZO · JELMYTO · JEVTANA · KEYTRUDA · LUPRON DEPOT · LYNPARZA · LithoVue · Lithotripters & Accessories · LoFric · Luja Coude · Lupron · Lupron Depot · MYRBETRIQ · Myrbetriq · NCIRCLE · NOCDURNA · Noctiva · Nubeqa · ORGOVYX · OXLUMO · PLUVICTO · POSLUMA · PROLARIS · PROVENGE · PYLARIFY · Porges Coloplast · Prolaris · Prolia · RESONANCE · REZUM · ReTrace · Rezum Generator · SEGLENTIS · SPEEDICATH · SWISS LITHOCLAST TRILOGY · SpeediCath · THROMBIN · TITAN · TOVIAZ · Thiola · Trelstar · ULTOMIRIS · UROLIFT · UroLift · UroLift System · XGEVA · XIAFLEX · XT CDX · XTANDI · XYOSTED · Xofigo · Xtandi · YONSA · eCoin Device Kit
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 (92%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Urology physicians within 10 mi
40
Per 100K population
6.1
County median income
$80,390
Nearest hospital
SPECTRUM HEALTH
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. Ratchford is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, 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. Ratchford experienced with manual urinalysis with microscopic examination?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Ratchford performed 337 manual urinalysis with microscopic examination 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. Ratchford receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Ratchford received a total of $7,434 from 65 companies across 338 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. Ratchford's costs compare to other urology physicians in Grand Rapids?
Dr. Ratchford's average Medicare payment per service is $50. 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. Ratchford) 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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