Medicare Enrolled
Dr. John Ellington, MD, MS
Orthopedic Surgery · Charlotte, NC
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Mixed 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. Ellington 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. Ellington
Dr. John Ellington is an orthopedic surgery specialist in Charlotte, NC, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Ellington performed 937 Medicare services across 663 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Ellington received a total of $4,535,845 from 55 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 983 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in orthopedic 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. Ellington 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
▲ 937 Medicare services
$4,535,845 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗937
Medicare services
Bottom 46% in NC for orthopedic surgery
663
Unique beneficiaries
$62
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~49 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foot X-ray, 3+ views An X-ray imaging test of the foot that captures at least three different views to evaluate the bones and joints. |
180 | $24 | $84 |
| 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. |
176 | $85 | $237 |
| Betamethasone steroid injection An injection containing a combination of betamethasone acetate and betamethasone sodium phosphate. |
141 | $5 | $11 |
| Ankle X-ray, minimum 3 views An X-ray imaging test of the ankle that captures at least three different angles to evaluate the bones and joints. |
53 | $22 | $83 |
| 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. |
48 | $62 | $151 |
| Joint fluid aspiration or injection, medium joint Removal of fluid from a medium-sized joint or injection of medication into the joint space. |
35 | $45 | $206 |
| 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. |
34 | $117 | $344 |
| X-ray of ankle, 2 views An X-ray imaging test of the ankle using two different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
32 | $22 | $82 |
| 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. |
30 | $101 | $390 |
| Imaging guidance for procedure, 60 minutes or less Use of imaging technology to guide a medical procedure. This service lasts 60 minutes or less. |
27 | $12 | $167 |
| Correction of toe joint deformity A surgical procedure to correct a deformity in a toe joint. This involves realigning the joint structure to restore proper function and appearance. |
26 | $152 | $1,188 |
| CT scan of leg, without contrast A computed tomography scan of the leg performed without the use of contrast dye. This imaging test uses X-rays to create detailed cross-sectional images of the leg's internal structures. |
26 | $63 | $536 |
| Foot bone spur removal Surgical removal of a bony growth (spur) from the foot. This procedure addresses the physical presence of the bone spur without specifying the underlying condition or clinical purpose. |
24 | $224 | $1,411 |
| MRI of leg joint, without contrast A magnetic resonance imaging scan of a joint in the leg performed without the use of contrast dye. |
23 | $103 | $1,199 |
| Bone graft harvest from large bone Surgical removal of bone tissue from a large bone to be used as a graft for another part of the body. |
20 | $106 | $1,875 |
| Heel X-ray, minimum 2 views An X-ray imaging test of the heel bone using at least two different angles to evaluate the structure. |
18 | $12 | $75 |
| X-ray of foot, 2 views An X-ray imaging test of the foot using two different angles to create pictures of the bones and joints. |
17 | $17 | $77 |
| Big toe joint fusion with foot Surgical procedure to fuse the big toe joint to the foot. This stabilizes the joint by connecting the bones. |
14 | $399 | $2,255 |
| Bunion correction surgery Surgical procedure to correct a bunion, which is a bony bump that forms on the joint at the base of the big toe. |
13 | $187 | $1,683 |
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.
2.9% high complexity
26.9% medium
70.2% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$4,535,845
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $647,978/year across 7 years
Top 1% in NC for orthopedic surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
55
Companies
983
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
$2,397,912 (52.9%)
Other
Charitable contributions, space rental, and other categories
$1,388,404 (30.6%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$604,268 (13.3%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$139,716 (3.1%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$5,545 (0.1%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$712,498
2023
$592,153
2022
$379,335
2021
$1,633,666
2020
$437,241
2019
$377,036
2018
$403,916
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Stryker Corporation
$300,909
Medline Industries LP
$115,904
restor3d, inc.
$90,410
International Life Sciences
$59,570
Sanara MedTech Inc.
$45,711
Arthrex, Inc.
$43,023
DePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
$35,505
Bone Support Inc.
$7,859
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
$7,632
Linvatec Corporation
$2,761
GLW, Inc
$2,632
Kerecis Limited
$176
Osteoremedies, LLC
$138
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$134
Flower Orthopedics Coporation
$99
Bioventus LLC
$18
ConvaTec Inc.
$17
Top 3 companies account for 71.2% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
MedShape, Inc.
$1,336,922
DePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
$573,509
Stryker Corporation
$546,787
Medline Industries, Inc.
$371,716
Arthrex, Inc.
$369,349
International Life Sciences
$238,743
MEDLINE INDUSTRIES LP
$192,325
DePuy Synthes Products LLC
$124,194
Medline Industries LP
$117,401
restor3d, inc.
$114,895
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
$111,922
Medical Device Business Services, Inc.
$103,216
Sanara MedTech Inc.
$56,180
Panther Orthopedics, Inc.
$44,336
Wright Medical Technology, Inc.
$42,413
Bioventus LLC
$29,179
ActivOrtho, Inc.
$25,774
Bone Support Inc.
$20,403
NuVasive Specialized Orthopedics, Inc.
$17,258
Amniox Medical, Inc.
$13,722
Osteoremedies, LLC
$12,544
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$11,250
DJO, LLC
$10,822
ACUMED LLC
$9,884
In2Bones USA, LLC
$7,443
Linvatec Corporation
$6,230
CurveBeam LLC
$6,000
Synthes USA Products LLC
$3,959
GLW, Inc
$2,632
ENCORE MEDICAL, LP
$2,272
Caerus Corp.
$2,250
Orthofix Medical, Inc.
$2,021
Embody, Inc.
$1,942
Graymont Professional Products IP, LLC
$1,425
SpineSmith Holdings, LLC
$1,298
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$785
Peerless Surgical Inc.
$722
Avitus Orthopaedics, Inc.
$600
OSSIO INC
$234
Kerecis Limited
$176
TissueTech, Inc.
$152
Trilliant Surgical LLC.
$136
BioMedical Enterprises, Inc.
$117
ERMI LLC
$108
Novastep Inc.
$106
Flower Orthopedics Coporation
$99
Smith & Nephew, Inc.
$88
Davol Inc.
$80
Parcus Medical, LLC
$67
Gramercy Extremity Orthopedics LLC
$49
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$37
HydroCision, Inc.
$20
Heron Therapeutics, Inc.
$20
ConvaTec Inc.
$17
Iroko Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$14
Top 3 companies account for 54.2% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
15 mm · 3-Hole · ACUFEX · AQUACEL AG+ EXTRA · ARTHREX · AUGMENT · ActivOrtho Nite Force Compression Implant · Acutrak Headless Compression Screw System · Arsenal Sinus Support Plate · Arthrex · BIOBRACE 23MM · BLUEPRINT PSI SYSTEM · BME NITINOL CONTINUOUS COMPRESSION IMPLANTS · Bone Anchors with Arthroscopic Delivery System · CERAMENTBONE VOID FILLER · COLINK PLATING SYSTEM · CellerateRx · CoLink · Creed HammerThread · DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS FOOT & ANKLE BIOSYNC WEDGES · DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS HINDFOOT & ANKLE ANKLE FUSION · DISTAL EXTREMITIES IMPLANTS MIDFOOT PLATES & SCREWS BIOSYNC WEDGES · DJO SURGICAL · DJO Surgical STAR Ankle · DUEXIS · DYNOMITE · DYONICS Burrs · Dermatology and Wound Care · Distal Tibia Plating · DynaNail · DynaNail Helix · EASY CLIP · EASYFUSE · EXOGEN ULTRASOUND BONE HEALING SYSTEM · EXPAREL · EXTERNAL FIXATION · Exogen · Exogen Ultrasound Bone Healing System · FIXOS · FLEXBAND · FOOTPRINT · FUSEFORCE · Foot and Ankle · GRAVITY · Gryphon Orthocord · HAMMERLOCK · HEALIX · HOFFMANN · IN2BONES USA · INBONE · INFINITY · INFINITY ADAPTIS · INVISION · Inc. · Juggerknotless Soft Anchor · Kerecis Omega3 SurgiClose · LIFENET VIVIGEN · MEDLINE UNITE · MICA · MTP Fusion Plates · MedShape DynaNail · Medline · Medline Industries · Medline Unite Foot Plating System · NA · NEOX · NeoSpan · NiTe Force Compression Implant · ORTHOLOC · Orthopedic Kits: UNITE Kit · OsteoAMP · PECA Bunion Correction System · PENDING · PICO · PRECICE · PRECICE Intramedullary Limb Lengthening System · PRIME SERIES · PROSTEP · PUMA · PUMA SYSTEM · Parcus Suture Anchors · Physio-Stim Osteogenesis Stimulator · Plates: TMT Straight Plate · Plating Kits: Unite Calc FX Plating Kit · Polyaxial Locking Miniscrew · Progel · Prokera · Q-FIX · R&D EXTREMITIES · R&D Foot and Ankle · Reflex Mini · Regeneten · SALVATION · SPORTPORT · TAPESTRY · TL-HEX TRUELOK HEXAPOD SYSTEM · Tapestry · TenJet · Trabecular Metal (TM) Ankle · Trabecular Metal TM Instruments · TrueLok · VA-LCP PLATES & SCREWS · VIVLODEX · ViviGen · Washer · Zynrelef · orthopedics
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 1% for orthopedic surgery in NC.
Geographic Context
Orthopedic surgeons within 10 mi
202
Per 100K population
17.9
County median income
$83,765
Nearest hospital
CAROLINAS MEDICAL CENTER/BEHAV HEALTH
2.1 mi
2.1 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. Ellington is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with mixed engagement industry engagement in the top 1% of NC peers, 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. Ellington experienced with foot x-ray, 3+ views?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Ellington performed 180 foot x-ray, 3+ views 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. Ellington receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Ellington received a total of $4,535,845 from 55 companies across 983 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. Ellington's costs compare to other orthopedic surgeons in Charlotte?
Dr. Ellington's average Medicare payment per service is $62. 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. Ellington) 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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