Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Steven Nickles, DO
Family Medicine · Ramsey, NJ
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. Nickles 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. Nickles
Dr. Steven Nickles is a family medicine specialist in Ramsey, NJ, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Nickles performed 16,332 Medicare services across 9,853 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Nickles received a total of $6,163 from 39 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 411 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in family 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. Nickles 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 0% volume in NJ
$6,163 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗16,332
Medicare services
Top 0% in NJ for family medicine
9,853
Unique beneficiaries
$25
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~817 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denosumab injection (Prolia/Xgeva) | 2,040 | $18 | $30 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
958 | $8 | $25 |
| Basic metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of basic chemicals, including total calcium levels. |
879 | $8 | $37 |
| 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. |
876 | $8 | $35 |
| Liver function blood test panel | 856 | $8 | $30 |
| Lipid panel (cholesterol and triglycerides) A blood test that measures cholesterol and triglyceride levels. |
832 | $13 | $75 |
| Hemoglobin a1c level, by device for home use | 751 | $9 | $70 |
| 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. |
668 | $2 | $35 |
| Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test A blood test that measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone to evaluate thyroid function. |
649 | $16 | $70 |
| 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. |
647 | $14 | $50 |
| Thyroxine (T4) level test A blood test that measures the total amount of thyroxine, a thyroid hormone, in your body. |
643 | $7 | $50 |
| Thyroid hormone evaluation A blood test to measure the levels of thyroid hormones in the body. This evaluation helps assess how well the thyroid gland is functioning. |
643 | $6 | $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. |
601 | $99 | $182 |
| Urine microalbumin test A laboratory test that measures the amount of a specific protein called microalbumin in a urine sample. This analysis helps assess kidney function. |
538 | $6 | $15 |
| Creatinine test (kidney function) A blood test that measures the amount of creatinine to assess kidney function or detect muscle injury. |
537 | $5 | $10 |
| 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. |
434 | $12 | $70 |
| Annual depression screening | 402 | $21 | $25 |
| 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. |
401 | $29 | $30 |
| Annual wellness visit, follow-up A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service. |
399 | $145 | $150 |
| 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. |
364 | $68 | $120 |
| Obesity behavioral counseling, 15 minutes A 15-minute face-to-face session focused on behavioral counseling to help manage obesity. |
249 | $28 | $30 |
| 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. |
248 | $147 | $250 |
| PSA test (prostate cancer screening) | 243 | $18 | $50 |
| Flu vaccine administration This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient. |
189 | $34 | $40 |
| Flu vaccine, high-dose High-dose seasonal influenza vaccine for adults aged 65 and older. Contains four times the antigen of standard-dose flu vaccines (60 mcg per strain), split-virus formulation, preservative-free, single-dose syringe. |
186 | $68 | $70 |
| Annual alcohol misuse screening, 5 to 15 minutes | 184 | $21 | $30 |
| Hearing test for various pitches A hearing test that measures the ability to hear different sound frequencies using earphones. |
154 | $31 | $50 |
| 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. |
90 | $12 | $35 |
| Venipuncture for blood draw Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect blood samples. This procedure is performed on patients aged 3 years or older. |
71 | $13 | $30 |
| Iron level test | 69 | $6 | $37 |
| Iron binding capacity test A blood test that measures the amount of iron in the blood and the blood's ability to bind and transport iron. |
69 | $8 | $57 |
| Pneumonia vaccine administration This procedure involves the injection of a vaccine to protect against pneumococcal disease. It is administered by a healthcare provider. |
61 | $34 | $40 |
| Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) An intramuscular injection of the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. It is used to protect against diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. |
59 | $282 | $350 |
| Bone density scan (DEXA) of hip, pelvis, and spine This test measures bone density in the hip, pelvis, and spine to assess bone strength. It also includes an assessment for spine fractures. |
55 | $61 | $150 |
| Ferritin level test (iron stores) A blood test that measures the level of ferritin, a protein that stores iron in the body. |
51 | $13 | $25 |
| Magnesium level test A blood test to measure the amount of magnesium in your body. This helps check for magnesium deficiency or excess. |
49 | $6 | $46 |
| Home health plan of care certification Certification by a physician or allowed practitioner for Medicare-covered home health services under a home health plan of care. This includes contacting the home health agency and reviewing reports of patient status required by physicians. |
34 | $46 | $90 |
| 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. |
30 | $4 | $35 |
| Vaccine administration The process of giving a vaccine to a patient. This code covers the administration service only and does not include the cost of the vaccine itself. |
22 | $13 | $40 |
| Ear wax removal A procedure to remove impacted ear wax from the ear canal. |
21 | $39 | $65 |
| Home health plan of care re-certification A physician reviews the patient's status and contacts the home health agency to re-certify the plan of care without the patient being present. |
20 | $36 | $70 |
| Initial preventive physical examination, new Medicare beneficiary A comprehensive preventive health visit for new Medicare beneficiaries during their first 12 months of enrollment. The service is conducted as a face-to-face visit and is limited to preventive care. |
18 | $179 | $200 |
| Transitional care management services, moderate complexity Services provided to coordinate care during the transition from an inpatient or other facility setting back to the community. This includes follow-up and management of a health problem of at least moderate complexity. |
17 | $177 | $250 |
| Transitional care management, high complexity Coordination of care for a patient transitioning from a short-term hospital stay or other facility to home or another care setting. This service addresses a high-complexity medical problem. |
13 | $233 | $350 |
| Routine 12-lead ECG screening A standard 12-lead electrocardiogram performed as part of an initial preventive physical examination. The service includes both the performance of the test and the physician's interpretation and report. |
12 | $9 | $35 |
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 ↗$6,163
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $880/year across 7 years
Top 9% in NJ for family medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
39
Companies
411
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
$6,163 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$490
2023
$563
2022
$749
2021
$630
2020
$369
2019
$1,763
2018
$1,600
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$168
Amgen Inc.
$84
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$65
ABBVIE INC.
$46
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$31
Exact Sciences Corporation
$27
PFIZER INC.
$19
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$17
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$16
Novo Nordisk Inc
$16
Top 3 companies account for 64.6% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$818
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$752
Amgen Inc.
$621
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$325
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$302
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$290
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$289
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$288
PFIZER INC.
$265
ABBVIE INC.
$221
ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
$180
Stryker Corporation
$150
Nevro Corp.
$144
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$139
Mannkind Corporation
$138
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$138
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$136
Allergan Inc.
$126
Lilly USA, LLC
$95
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$92
AbbVie Inc.
$88
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$88
Genentech USA, Inc.
$84
Novo Nordisk Inc
$63
Exact Sciences Corporation
$51
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$46
Medtronic, Inc.
$39
Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$30
Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$28
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$16
Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$16
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$15
Allergan, Inc.
$15
GE HEALTHCARE
$14
SANOFI PASTEUR INC.
$14
Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC
$14
JAZZ PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$12
Medicure Pharma Inc.
$11
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 35.5% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
AFREZZA · AIRSUPRA · AJOVY · ANORO · ANORO ELLIPTA · AREXVY · Aimovig · BELSOMRA · BOTOX THERAPEUTIC · BREZTRI · BREZTRI AEROSPHERE · BYSTOLIC · CHANTIX · Cologuard Collection Kit · DIFICID · DUEXIS · ELIQUIS · ENTRESTO · EUCRISA · EVENITY · Edarbi · FARXIGA · FLUBLOK QUADRIVALENT NORTHERN HEMISPHERE · GARDASIL · GARDASIL 9 · GEMTESA · Horizant · INVOKANA · JANUVIA · JARDIANCE · LINZESS · LYRICA · Livalo · MINIMED 780G · MYRBETRIQ · NAMZARIC · NUEDEXTA · OFEV · Otezla · Ozempic · PENNSAID · PNEUMOVAX 23 · PREVNAR - 13 · PREVNAR 20 · Prolia · QULIPTA · Repatha · Rybelsus · SEGLENTIS · SHINGRIX · SPIRIVA · SPIRIVA RESPIMAT · STIOLTO RESPIMAT · SUNOSI · SYMBICORT · SYNTHROID · Senza Spinal Cord Stimulation System · Strensiq · TRADJENTA · TRELEGY ELLIPTA · TRINTELLIX · TRITANIUM · TRULICITY · Trintellix · UBRELVY · UNITHROID · VESICARE · VIIBRYD · VRAYLAR · Vascepa · Wegovy · XARELTO · XIFAXAN · XIFAXANIBSD · Xofluza · ZOSTAVAX · ZYPITAMAG (pitavastatin)
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 family medicine in NJ.
Geographic Context
Family medicine physicians within 10 mi
1,929
Per 100K population
202.0
County median income
$123,715
Nearest hospital
RAMAPO RIDGE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOSPITAL
4.3 mi
4.3 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. Nickles is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 0% in NJ), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 9% of NJ peers, 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. Nickles experienced with denosumab injection (prolia/xgeva)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Nickles performed 2,040 denosumab injection (prolia/xgeva) 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. Nickles receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Nickles received a total of $6,163 from 39 companies across 411 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. Nickles's costs compare to other family medicine physicians in Ramsey?
Dr. Nickles's average Medicare payment per service is $25. 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. Nickles) 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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