Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Leigh Stevens, MD
Pain Medicine · Hickory, NC
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. Stevens 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. Stevens
Dr. Leigh Stevens is a pain medicine specialist in Hickory, NC, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Stevens performed 1,255 Medicare services across 836 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Stevens received a total of $8,455 from 36 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 195 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in pain medicine. 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. Stevens 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 21% volume in NC
$8,455 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,255
Medicare services
Top 21% in NC for pain medicine
836
Unique beneficiaries
$79
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~63 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
434 | $74 | $467 |
| Drug screening test A laboratory test that uses a chemistry analyzer to detect the presence of drugs in a sample. |
132 | $60 | $357 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
117 | $41 | $856 |
| 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. |
105 | $47 | $316 |
| Definitive drug test using GC/MS or LC/MS A definitive drug test that identifies specific drugs and distinguishes between structural isomers using advanced methods like GC/MS or LC/MS. |
77 | $195 | $449 |
| Definitive drug test using GC/MS or LC/MS A definitive drug test that identifies specific drugs and distinguishes between structural isomers using advanced methods like GC/MS or LC/MS. |
54 | $153 | $354 |
| Assessment of emotional or behavioral problems An evaluation to identify and understand emotional or behavioral issues. This process involves reviewing symptoms and behaviors to determine the nature of the concerns. |
43 | $3 | $20 |
| 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. |
43 | $98 | $770 |
| Injection into lower spine canal with imaging guidance A procedure where a substance is injected into the lower part of the spinal canal. The injection is performed using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
26 | $91 | $2,669 |
| Spine facet joint injection with imaging guidance, single level An injection is administered into a single facet joint of the lower or sacral spine while using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
26 | $121 | $2,992 |
| Facet joint injection, second level, with imaging guidance An injection into a lower or sacral spine facet joint using imaging guidance for the second level treated. |
26 | $69 | $1,565 |
| 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 | $120 | $624 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement Use of real-time X-ray imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
22 | $19 | $770 |
| 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. |
20 | $9 | $155 |
| Sacral spine nerve root injection with imaging guidance An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into a sacral spine nerve root. The procedure uses imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
18 | $96 | $1,998 |
| Injection of anesthetic or steroid into sacroiliac joint with imaging guidance This procedure involves injecting an anesthetic or steroid medication into the joint connecting the lower spine and hip bone. Imaging guidance is used to ensure accurate placement of the injection. |
17 | $70 | $1,559 |
| Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg | 17 | $6 | $26 |
| Peripheral nerve neurostimulator electrode insertion A procedure to place an electrode through the skin into a peripheral nerve. This electrode is part of a neurostimulator system used to deliver electrical impulses. |
16 | $238 | $2,893 |
| Trigger point injection, 3 or more muscles Injection of medication into three or more specific muscle trigger points to relieve pain. |
15 | $36 | $989 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, single joint A procedure to destroy nerves in a single lower or sacral spinal facet joint using imaging guidance to target pain signals. |
12 | $198 | $2,988 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, additional joint This procedure uses imaging guidance to destroy nerves in an additional lower or sacral spinal facet joint. |
12 | $61 | $2,121 |
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.
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$8,455
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,409/year across 6 years
Top 27% in NC for pain medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
36
Companies
195
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
$8,401 (99.4%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$54 (0.6%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$892
2023
$1,197
2022
$703
2021
$78
2019
$3,868
2018
$1,717
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Boston Scientific Corporation
$244
Saluda Medical Americas, Inc.
$218
ABBVIE INC.
$78
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$75
PAINTEQ LLC
$59
Curonix LLC
$54
Merz Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$47
Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$26
Forte Bio-Pharma LLC
$25
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$18
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$17
Medtronic, Inc.
$17
Lilly USA, LLC
$16
Top 3 companies account for 60.4% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Nevro Corp.
$3,298
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$2,015
Boston Scientific Corporation
$795
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$287
Medtronic, Inc.
$218
Saluda Medical Americas, Inc.
$218
ABBVIE INC.
$196
Merz Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$152
Stimwave Technologies Incorporated
$102
VIVUS LLC
$97
Vertiflex, Inc.
$97
Curonix LLC
$93
Abbott Laboratories
$89
Novo Nordisk Inc
$77
GRT US Holding, Inc.
$75
Vertos Medical, Inc.
$60
PAINTEQ LLC
$59
SPR Therapeutics, Inc
$57
AbbVie Inc.
$53
Allergan, Inc.
$49
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc
$40
Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$33
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$33
Lilly USA, LLC
$28
Averitas Pharma Inc.
$27
Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$26
Forte Bio-Pharma LLC
$25
Radius Health, Inc.
$23
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$23
Amgen Inc.
$21
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$18
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$17
Inari Medical, Inc.
$16
Nalu Medical, Inc.
$14
EAGLE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$14
Currax Pharmaceuticals LLC
$13
Top 3 companies account for 72.2% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACCURIAN · Aimovig · BOTOX · BYFAVO · Belbuca · DYSPORT · EMGALITY · Evoke · FLOWTRIEVER CATHETER · IMCIVREE · INTELLIS ADAPTIVESTIM · KYPHON Balloon Kyphoplasty · Morphabond ER · Nalu Neurostimulation System · ONZETRA XSAIL · OSTEOCOOL RF ABLATION · Omnia · PAINTEQ · PNS FREEDOM-4A PERMANENT NEUROSTIMULATOR RECEIVER KIT CHANNEL A · PROCLAIM · PROLATE · Proclaim Family of SCS IPGs · Proclaim IPG · QSYMIA · QULIPTA · QUTENZA · Qutenza · RELISTOR · S · SHINGRIX · SPECTRA WAVEWRITER · SPRINT PNS System · SYNCHROMED · SYNCHROMEDII · Saxenda · Senza · Senza Spinal Cord Stimulation System · StimQ Receiver Stimulator Kit Channel A US w/Receiver · Superion ISS · Tymlos · UBRELVY · VANTA ADAPTIVESTIM · WaveWriter Alpha Prime 16 · Wegovy · XTAMPZA · Xeomin · ZEPBOUND · ZTLido · mild 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 (99%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Pain medicines within 10 mi
4
Per 100K population
2.5
County median income
$64,544
Nearest hospital
FRYE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
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. Stevens is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 21% in NC), with low-engagement industry engagement, 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. Stevens experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Stevens performed 434 office visit, established patient (30-39 min) 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. Stevens receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Stevens received a total of $8,455 from 36 companies across 195 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. Stevens's costs compare to other pain medicines in Hickory?
Dr. Stevens's average Medicare payment per service is $79. 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. Stevens) 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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