Dr. Joshua Scharf, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Scharf
Dr. Joshua Scharf is an otolaryngology specialist in Bethlehem, PA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Scharf performed 2,452 Medicare services across 1,612 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Scharf received a total of $5,556 from 63 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 233 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in otolaryngology. 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. Scharf 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 (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. |
1,243 | $68 | $105 |
| Ear wax removal A procedure to remove impacted ear wax from the ear canal. |
704 | $36 | $69 |
| Impacted earwax removal by physician Removal of impacted earwax from one or both ears by a physician on the same day as audiologic testing. |
113 | $43 | $69 |
| 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. |
112 | $85 | $140 |
| Nasal endoscopy A diagnostic procedure that uses a thin, lighted tube to examine the inside of the nasal passages. |
100 | $159 | $275 |
| Flexible laryngoscopy A diagnostic exam of the voice box using a flexible endoscope to visualize the larynx. |
98 | $107 | $156 |
| Simple control of nosebleed A procedure to stop a nosebleed using basic methods. It involves direct pressure or simple packing to control bleeding from the nasal passages. |
26 | $116 | $180 |
| 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. |
22 | $94 | $145 |
| Comprehensive hearing and speech recognition test A diagnostic evaluation that assesses hearing ability and the capacity to understand spoken words. The test measures how well a patient can detect sounds and recognize speech. |
18 | $31 | $75 |
| Middle ear function test A diagnostic test used to evaluate how well the middle ear is functioning. |
16 | $14 | $30 |
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 (98%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
5.1 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. Scharf is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 12% in PA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 13% of PA 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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