Not Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Tonya Palmer, FNP
Physician Assistant · North Wilkesboro, NC
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
Very High
DATA COVERAGE
Data in 3 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. Palmer 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. Palmer
Dr. Tonya Palmer is a physician assistant in North Wilkesboro, NC, with 10 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Palmer performed 1,997 Medicare services across 1,383 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Palmer received a total of $907 from 21 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 57 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in physician assistant. 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. Palmer 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.
✓ 10 years in practice
▲ Top 4% volume in NC
$907 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,997
Medicare services
Top 4% in NC for physician assistant
1,383
Unique beneficiaries
$40
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~200 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. |
310 | $77 | $226 |
| Drug screening test A laboratory test that uses a chemistry analyzer to detect the presence of drugs in a sample. |
247 | $61 | $120 |
| Smoking cessation counseling, 4-10 minutes A brief counseling session focused on helping patients quit smoking and tobacco use. The provider spends 4 to 10 minutes discussing strategies and support for cessation. |
98 | $12 | $29 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
88 | $10 | $18 |
| 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. |
87 | $8 | $14 |
| 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. |
84 | $152 | $274 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
82 | $8 | $11 |
| 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. |
75 | $51 | $155 |
| Vitamin D level test A blood test to measure the amount of Vitamin D-3 in your body. |
68 | $29 | $61 |
| Annual alcohol misuse screening, 5 to 15 minutes | 68 | $14 | $35 |
| 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. |
61 | $79 | $300 |
| Airflow rate measurement test A test that measures the rate of airflow. This procedure assesses how quickly air moves. |
60 | $20 | $70 |
| Magnesium level test A blood test to measure the amount of magnesium in your body. This helps check for magnesium deficiency or excess. |
58 | $7 | $15 |
| Parathyroid hormone level test A blood test that measures the amount of parathyroid hormone in your body. This hormone helps regulate calcium levels in the blood and bones. |
57 | $40 | $85 |
| Free thyroxine (T4) test A blood test that measures the level of free thyroxine, a thyroid hormone, in the bloodstream. |
56 | $9 | $16 |
| Annual depression screening | 56 | $14 | $35 |
| Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test A blood test that measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone to evaluate thyroid function. |
55 | $16 | $30 |
| Total T3 thyroid hormone test A blood test that measures the total amount of triiodothyronine (T3) hormone in your body. T3 is a thyroid hormone that helps regulate metabolism and energy levels. |
55 | $14 | $25 |
| Hemoglobin A1c test (diabetes monitoring) A blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. |
50 | $10 | $18 |
| Vitamin B-12 level test A blood test that measures the amount of vitamin B-12 in your body. |
45 | $15 | $28 |
| Annual wellness visit, follow-up A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service. |
38 | $101 | $210 |
| Lipid panel (cholesterol and triglycerides) A blood test that measures cholesterol and triglyceride levels. |
36 | $13 | $28 |
| Uric acid level test A blood test that measures the level of uric acid in your body. Uric acid is a waste product formed when the body breaks down purines. |
34 | $4 | $8 |
| Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report. |
34 | $8 | $25 |
| Rheumatoid factor level | 33 | $6 | $12 |
| Annual intensive behavioral therapy for cardiovascular disease, 15 minutes A yearly, in-person session focused on intensive behavioral therapy to help manage cardiovascular disease. The session lasts for 15 minutes and is conducted with the patient individually. |
29 | $20 | $48 |
| 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. |
22 | $16 | $70 |
| Hepatitis C antibody test A blood test that checks for antibodies to the hepatitis C virus. This test helps determine if a person has been exposed to the virus. |
11 | $14 | $53 |
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 ↗$907
Total received (2021-2024)
Avg $227/year across 4 years
Top 28% in NC for physician assistant
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
21
Companies
57
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
$907 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$381
2023
$453
2022
$66
2021
$6
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ABBVIE INC.
$147
Novo Nordisk Inc
$50
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$32
Indivior Inc.
$30
Braeburn Inc.
$23
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$23
Lilly USA, LLC
$16
Axsome Therapeutics, Inc.
$16
PFIZER INC.
$16
Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$15
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$13
Top 3 companies account for 60.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2021-2024) ›
ABBVIE INC.
$234
Novo Nordisk Inc
$122
Forte Bio-Pharma LLC
$89
Indivior Inc.
$68
Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$47
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$47
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$32
Lilly USA, LLC
$30
IDORSIA PHARMACEUTICALS US INC
$30
PFIZER INC.
$30
Braeburn Inc.
$23
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$23
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$20
Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
$19
Axsome Therapeutics, Inc.
$16
IMPEL PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$15
Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$15
Amgen Inc.
$14
Exact Sciences Corporation
$14
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$13
Genentech USA, Inc.
$6
Top 3 companies account for 49.0% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ABILIFY MAINTENA · Auvelity · BREZTRI · BRIXADI · CREON · Cologuard Collection Kit · Kerendia · LINZESS · MAVYRET · MOUNJARO · NALOCET · NURTEC ODT · NUZYRA · Otezla · Ozempic · PROLATE · QULIPTA · QUVIVIQ · Rybelsus · SUBLOCADE · TRELEGY ELLIPTA · TRULICITY · Trudhesa · UBRELVY · VIBERZI · VOQUEZNA · VRAYLAR · Wegovy · Xofluza · ZTLido
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.
Geographic Context
Physician assistants within 10 mi
40
Per 100K population
60.6
County median income
$50,438
Nearest hospital
WILKES REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
0.0 mi
0.0 mi
Data Sources
| Provider Registry | ✓ NPPES | Weekly updates |
| Medicare Enrollment | — Not enrolled | N/A |
| Practice Data | ✓ Medicare Util. | Annual (CY lag) |
| Industry Payments | ✓ Open Payments | CY 2024 |
| Disciplinary History | — Not public | N/A |
This provider has data in 3 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. Palmer is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 4% in NC), with low-engagement industry engagement.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Palmer experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Palmer performed 310 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. Palmer receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Palmer received a total of $907 from 21 companies across 57 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. Palmer's costs compare to other physician assistants in North Wilkesboro?
Dr. Palmer's average Medicare payment per service is $40. 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. Palmer) 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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