Dr. Brian Nicholas, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Nicholas
Dr. Brian Nicholas is an otolaryngology specialist in Syracuse, NY, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Nicholas performed 1,111 Medicare services across 838 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Nicholas received a total of $10,792 from 6 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 39 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in otolaryngology. The majority of payments are for speaking programs and promotional activities, reflecting participation in industry-sponsored events. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Nicholas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
367 | $113 | $529 |
| Ear wax removal A procedure to remove impacted ear wax from the ear canal. |
260 | $42 | $205 |
| 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. |
167 | $138 | $698 |
| 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. |
61 | $80 | $376 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 58 | $196 | $919 |
| 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. |
54 | $163 | $740 |
| Nasal endoscopy A diagnostic procedure that uses a thin, lighted tube to examine the inside of the nasal passages. |
46 | $182 | $826 |
| Flexible laryngoscopy A diagnostic exam of the voice box using a flexible endoscope to visualize the larynx. |
35 | $124 | $563 |
| Head repositioning exercises for dizziness A series of exercises performed to reposition the head, used to treat dizziness. The procedure is administered on a daily basis. |
24 | $38 | $178 |
| 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. |
20 | $91 | $475 |
| Eardrum incision with tube insertion A small cut is made in the eardrum to insert a ventilation tube, performed under local or topical anesthesia. |
19 | $200 | $910 |
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 ›
The majority of payments (80%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in otolaryngology and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 8% for otolaryngology in NY.
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. Nicholas is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 8% of NY peers, with 19 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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