Dr. Shira Alter, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Alter
Dr. Shira Alter is an optician specialist in Brooklyn, NY, with 21 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Alter performed 902 Medicare services across 889 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Alter received a total of $496 from 17 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 25 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in optician. 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. Alter 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.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transvaginal pelvic ultrasound An ultrasound exam using a probe inserted into the vagina to image the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix, and surrounding pelvic structures. |
73 | $95 | $250 |
| Pelvic and clinical breast exam for cancer screening A physical examination of the pelvis and breasts to screen for cervical or vaginal cancer. This procedure involves a clinical assessment performed by a healthcare provider. |
70 | $44 | $45 |
| Chlamydia trachomatis nucleic acid amplification test A laboratory test that uses nucleic acid amplification to detect the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria in a sample. |
68 | $34 | $147 |
| Gonorrhea nucleic acid amplification test A laboratory test that uses amplified probe techniques to detect the genetic material of gonorrhea bacteria. This method identifies the presence of the infection by analyzing nucleic acids from the sample. |
68 | $34 | $148 |
| 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. |
66 | $76 | $175 |
| Pap test A screening test to check for cervical cancer by collecting cells from the cervix. |
65 | $21 | $75 |
| Automated Pap test with manual rescreening A cervical cancer screening test using an automated system to prepare the sample, followed by a manual review to check for abnormalities. |
65 | $26 | $150 |
| Pap smear screening test A screening test to collect and prepare a cervical or vaginal sample for laboratory analysis. |
65 | $44 | $45 |
| HPV high-risk type nucleic acid test A laboratory test that uses nucleic acid detection to identify high-risk types of human papillomavirus. |
64 | $34 | $145 |
| Candida yeast detection test A laboratory test that uses a direct probe technique to detect the presence of Candida species, a type of yeast, in a patient sample. |
40 | $20 | $84 |
| Gardnerella vaginalis detection test A laboratory test that uses a direct probe technique to detect the presence of Gardnerella vaginalis bacteria. |
40 | $20 | $84 |
| Trichomonas vaginalis nucleic acid test A laboratory test that uses a direct probe technique to detect the genetic material of the Trichomonas vaginalis parasite. |
40 | $20 | $84 |
| Urinalysis, manual A manual laboratory examination of a urine sample to check for various substances and cells. |
33 | $3 | $12 |
| Complete pelvic ultrasound An imaging test using sound waves to create pictures of the organs and structures within the pelvis. |
32 | $88 | $250 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
17 | $8 | $25 |
| 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. |
15 | $8 | $31 |
| 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. |
15 | $94 | $250 |
| Comprehensive metabolic blood panel A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers. |
11 | $10 | $45 |
| Cardiac enzyme level (CK-MB) test A blood test that measures the total level of creatine kinase, specifically the cardiac enzyme fraction, to help evaluate heart muscle damage. |
11 | $6 | $28 |
| Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level test A blood test that measures the amount of lactate dehydrogenase, an enzyme found in many body tissues. It helps assess tissue damage or disease. |
11 | $6 | $24 |
| Magnesium level test A blood test to measure the amount of magnesium in your body. This helps check for magnesium deficiency or excess. |
11 | $7 | $27 |
| Phosphate level test A blood test that measures the amount of phosphate in your body. Phosphate is a mineral that helps keep bones and teeth strong. |
11 | $5 | $21 |
| 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. |
11 | $4 | $18 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2024)
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
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. Alter is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with low-engagement industry engagement, with 21 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
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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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