Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Kendra Back, ARNP
Nurse Practitioner - Family · Newland, NC
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
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. Back 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 →
Are you Dr. Back?
Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →
What this data tells you about Dr. Back
Dr. Kendra Back is a nurse practitioner - family in Newland, NC, with 13 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Back performed 2,527 Medicare services across 1,453 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Back received a total of $3,144 from 25 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 182 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in nurse practitioner - family. 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. Back 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.
✓ 13 years in practice
▲ Top 3% volume in NC
$3,144 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗2,527
Medicare services
Top 3% in NC for nurse practitioner - family
1,453
Unique beneficiaries
$17
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~194 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dexamethasone injection (steroid) An injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a dose of 1 milligram. |
686 | $0 | $10 |
| Ceftriaxone antibiotic injection This code represents the administration of ceftriaxone sodium, an antibiotic medication. The charge is calculated for every 250 mg of the drug administered. |
278 | $0 | $10 |
| Influenza virus detection test A laboratory test that uses an immunoassay technique to detect the presence of the influenza virus through direct visual observation. |
269 | $16 | $33 |
| Drug injection, under skin or into muscle A procedure involving the administration of a medication or substance via injection into the subcutaneous tissue or muscle. |
203 | $8 | $50 |
| 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. |
172 | $78 | $219 |
| SARS-CoV-2 immunoassay test A laboratory test using immunoassay techniques to detect the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. |
118 | $34 | $49 |
| Strep A rapid test A rapid test to detect Group A Streptococcus bacteria using an immunoassay method with direct visual observation. |
109 | $16 | $43 |
| 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. |
95 | $96 | $314 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
72 | $8 | $17 |
| Chest X-ray, 2 views An X-ray imaging test of the chest that captures two different angles to visualize the lungs, heart, and chest wall. |
60 | $20 | $103 |
| Automated urinalysis An automated laboratory test performed on a urine sample to analyze its chemical and physical properties. The procedure uses machinery to detect various substances and cells within the urine. |
60 | $2 | $17 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
54 | $10 | $21 |
| 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. |
50 | $8 | $16 |
| Lipid panel (cholesterol and triglycerides) A blood test that measures cholesterol and triglyceride levels. |
46 | $13 | $27 |
| 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. |
36 | $54 | $102 |
| Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test A blood test that measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone to evaluate thyroid function. |
33 | $16 | $34 |
| Ketorolac injection, per 15 mg An injection of ketorolac tromethamine, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, administered in doses measured per 15 mg. |
29 | $0 | $50 |
| Free thyroxine (T4) test A blood test that measures the level of free thyroxine, a thyroid hormone, in the bloodstream. |
22 | $9 | $18 |
| Vitamin B-12 injection An injection of vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin) with a dose of up to 1000 mcg. |
22 | $1 | $48 |
| COVID-19 immunoassay detection test A laboratory test that uses an immunoassay method to detect the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) through direct visual observation. |
19 | $41 | $80 |
| Hemoglobin A1c test (diabetes monitoring) A blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. |
16 | $10 | $19 |
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range. |
16 | $68 | $150 |
| Vitamin B-12 level test A blood test that measures the amount of vitamin B-12 in your body. |
13 | $15 | $30 |
| Folic acid level test A blood test that measures the amount of folic acid in the serum. |
13 | $14 | $29 |
| Urine microalbumin test (kidney screening) A laboratory test that measures the amount of microalbumin, a small protein, in a urine sample. This test is used to detect early signs of kidney damage. |
12 | $6 | $12 |
| Vitamin D level test A blood test to measure the amount of Vitamin D-3 in your body. |
12 | $29 | $59 |
| Creatinine test (kidney function) A blood test that measures the amount of creatinine to assess kidney function or detect muscle injury. |
12 | $5 | $10 |
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 2023 ↗$3,144
Total received (2021-2023)
Avg $1,048/year across 3 years
Top 9% in NC for nurse practitioner - family
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
25
Companies
182
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
$3,144 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2023
$583
2022
$1,526
2021
$1,035
Payments by company (2023)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ABBVIE INC.
$203
PFIZER INC.
$100
Novo Nordisk Inc
$76
Amgen Inc.
$34
Lilly USA, LLC
$30
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$28
Exact Sciences Corporation
$25
Abbott Laboratories
$19
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$18
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$18
Almatica Pharma LLC
$17
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$16
Top 3 companies account for 64.8% of 2023 payments
All-time payments by company (2021-2023) ›
ABBVIE INC.
$611
Novo Nordisk Inc
$436
PFIZER INC.
$349
Lilly USA, LLC
$330
AbbVie Inc.
$258
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$200
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$176
Amgen Inc.
$125
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$85
Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
$82
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$65
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$62
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$58
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$46
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$42
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$35
Almatica Pharma LLC
$34
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$32
Exact Sciences Corporation
$25
Abbott Laboratories
$19
Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$18
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$16
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$15
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$14
Currax Pharmaceuticals LLC
$12
Top 3 companies account for 44.4% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
BELSOMRA · COMIRNATY · CONTRAVE · Cologuard Collection Kit · ELIQUIS · EMGALITY · ENTRESTO · EVENITY · EVKEEZA · FARXIGA · FREESTYLE LIBRE 2 · GRALISE · JARDIANCE · Kerendia · Livalo · MOUNJARO · MYRBETRIQ · Myrbetriq · NURTEC ODT · NUZYRA · Otezla · Ozempic · PAXLOVID · Prolia · QULIPTA · RYBELSUS · Rybelsus · SHINGRIX · STIOLTO RESPIMAT · TRELEGY ELLIPTA · TRINTELLIX · TRULICITY · UBRELVY · VIIBRYD · VRAYLAR · Wegovy · XIFAXAN
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. Total industry engagement is in the top 9% for nurse practitioner - family in NC.
Geographic Context
Family nurse practitioners within 10 mi
160
Per 100K population
906.9
County median income
$57,657
Nearest hospital
CHARLES A CANNON JR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
6.4 mi
6.4 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. Back is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 3% in NC), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 9% of NC peers.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Back experienced with dexamethasone injection (steroid)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Back performed 686 dexamethasone injection (steroid) 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. Back receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Back received a total of $3,144 from 25 companies across 182 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. Back's costs compare to other family nurse practitioners in Newland?
Dr. Back's average Medicare payment per service is $17. 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. Back) 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 →
Explore related providers
Same specialty & city
Family Nurse Practitioners in Newland
Browse family nurse practitioners in Newland ranked by procedure volume and transparency data.
Highest volume
Top Family Nurse Practitioners in NC
Family nurse practitioners ranked by total Medicare services performed statewide.
Industry payments
Pharma Payments to Family Nurse Practitioners in NC
Which NC family nurse practitioners receive the most from drug and device companies.
By company
ABBVIE INC. Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from ABBVIE INC.
By company
Novo Nordisk Inc Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from Novo Nordisk Inc.
By company
PFIZER INC. Payments to Doctors
See all physicians who received payments from PFIZER INC.
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.
Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology