Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Laleh Merikhi, M.D
Gastroenterology · Oakhurst, NJ
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. Merikhi 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. Merikhi
Dr. Laleh Merikhi is a gastroenterology specialist in Oakhurst, NJ, with 18 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Merikhi performed 737 Medicare services across 681 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Merikhi received a total of $12,679 from 47 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 783 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in gastroenterology. 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. Merikhi 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.
✓ 18 years in practice
▲ 737 Medicare services
$12,679 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗737
Medicare services
Bottom 46% in NJ for gastroenterology
681
Unique beneficiaries
$110
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~41 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. |
115 | $105 | $349 |
| Upper GI endoscopy with biopsy A procedure to collect tissue samples from the esophagus, stomach, or upper small intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities. |
108 | $78 | $1,595 |
| 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. |
87 | $70 | $235 |
| Colonoscopy with biopsy A procedure to collect tissue samples from the large intestine using a flexible tube with a camera. The samples are examined to check for abnormalities or disease. |
76 | $97 | $1,815 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an existing patient involving moderate medical decision making. The visit requires at least 35 minutes of time spent on the date of service. |
58 | $67 | $230 |
| Colon polyp removal with endoscopic snare This procedure removes polyps or growths from the large bowel using a flexible tube with a camera and a wire loop tool. The snare is used to cut off the growths during the examination. |
45 | $222 | $1,898 |
| 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. |
39 | $141 | $440 |
| 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. |
30 | $107 | $438 |
| 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. |
27 | $155 | $470 |
| 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. |
26 | $69 | $352 |
| Ultrasound scan of organ tissue for measuring elasticity This procedure uses ultrasound technology to assess the stiffness or elasticity of organ tissues. It helps evaluate tissue characteristics without invasive methods. |
25 | $88 | $363 |
| Hydrogen breath test A test that measures hydrogen levels in your breath to help evaluate stomach and bowel symptoms. |
23 | $76 | $286 |
| Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening, high risk A colonoscopy performed to screen for colorectal cancer in individuals identified as being at high risk for the disease. |
23 | $190 | $1,694 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 11-20 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 11 and 20 minutes. |
20 | $75 | $214 |
| Esophageal motility study A test that evaluates the movement and function of the esophagus. |
13 | $55 | $654 |
| Rectal and anal tone and sensation test A physical examination to assess muscle tone and sensory function in the rectum and anus. |
11 | $466 | $1,612 |
| Rectal sensitivity and function study A test to evaluate the sensitivity and functional performance of the rectum. |
11 | $247 | $792 |
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 ↗$12,679
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,811/year across 7 years
Top 11% in NJ for gastroenterology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
47
Companies
783
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
$12,337 (97.3%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$341 (2.7%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$3,091
2023
$2,751
2022
$2,371
2021
$1,354
2020
$670
2019
$1,674
2018
$767
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$564
ABBVIE INC.
$449
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$249
Celgene Corporation
$240
QOL Medical, LLC
$224
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$219
PFIZER INC.
$210
GENZYME CORPORATION
$170
Medtronic, Inc.
$166
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$140
Lilly USA, LLC
$97
Madrigal Pharmaceuticals
$77
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$67
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$55
Braintree Laboratories, Inc.
$42
AIMMUNE THERAPEUTICS, INC.
$33
Ardelyx, Inc.
$33
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc
$23
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$19
Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$14
Top 3 companies account for 40.8% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$2,010
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$1,781
ABBVIE INC.
$1,476
Celgene Corporation
$1,017
PFIZER INC.
$752
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$692
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$605
QOL Medical, LLC
$452
GENZYME CORPORATION
$436
Medtronic, Inc.
$357
AbbVie Inc.
$341
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$244
AbbVie, Inc.
$225
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$220
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$199
Ardelyx, Inc.
$151
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$149
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$139
Braintree Laboratories, Inc.
$137
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$137
Novo Nordisk Inc
$120
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$115
Lilly USA, LLC
$97
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$97
Romark Laboratories, LC
$82
Madrigal Pharmaceuticals
$77
UCB, Inc.
$65
Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$53
NESTLE HEALTHCARE NUTRITION INC.
$49
Nestle HealthCare Nutrition Inc.
$43
Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc
$36
AIMMUNE THERAPEUTICS, INC.
$33
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC
$31
Organon LLC
$28
IRONWOOD PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
$27
Alfasigma USA, Inc.
$27
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc
$23
Allergan, Inc.
$22
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$20
Ethicon US, LLC
$18
ALBIREO PHARMA, INC.
$16
Amgen Inc.
$15
Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
$15
Allergan Inc.
$14
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$12
Shire North American Group Inc
$12
Shionogi Inc
$12
Top 3 companies account for 41.5% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ALINIA · AVSOLA · AXIOS · Alinia · Alinia Tablets 500mg 30 count bottle · Amitiza · Bylvay · CIMZIA · CLENPIQ · CREON · Cimzia · Creon · DIFICID · DUPIXENT · ENTYVIO · EOHILIA · Entyvio · GATTEX · GI GENIUS · GI Genius · GIVLAARI · HUMIRA · Humira · IBSRELA · IDACIO · INJECTAFER · INTERSTIM · IQIRVO · LINX Reflux Management System · LINZESS · Linzess · MAVYRET · MOTEGRITY · MOVIPREP · Mavyret · Motegrity · OCALIVA · OMVOH · REBYOTA · RELISTOR · REMICADE · RENFLEXIS · RESMETIROM · RINVOQ · SKYRIZI · STELARA · SUCRAID · SUTAB · Sucraid · Symproic · TREMFYA · TRULANCE · Trulance · UCERIS · VELSIPITY · VIBERZI · VOWST · Wegovy · XELJANZ · XIFAXAN · XIFAXANIBSD · ZENPEP · ZEPOSIA
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 (97%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Gastroenterologists within 10 mi
215
Per 100K population
33.4
County median income
$122,727
Nearest hospital
MONMOUTH MEDICAL CENTER
2.8 mi
2.8 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. Merikhi is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 11% of NJ peers, with 18 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. Merikhi experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Merikhi performed 115 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. Merikhi receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Merikhi received a total of $12,679 from 47 companies across 783 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. Merikhi's costs compare to other gastroenterologists in Oakhurst?
Dr. Merikhi's average Medicare payment per service is $110. 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. Merikhi) 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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