Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Joseph Thomas, MD
Pain Medicine · Erie, PA
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. Thomas 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. Thomas
Dr. Joseph Thomas is a pain medicine specialist in Erie, PA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Thomas performed 21,959 Medicare services across 1,779 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Thomas received a total of $5,938 from 52 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 345 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in pain 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. Thomas 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 7% volume in PA
$5,938 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗21,959
Medicare services
Top 7% in PA for pain medicine
1,779
Unique beneficiaries
$8
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~1,098 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contrast dye for imaging, lower concentration | 15,303 | $0 | $8 |
| Steroid injection (triamcinolone) A 10 mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid medication. This code specifies the drug and dosage administered. |
2,943 | $1 | $25 |
| Dexamethasone injection (steroid) An injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a dose of 1 milligram. |
2,136 | $0 | $8 |
| 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. |
326 | $60 | $160 |
| Sacral spine nerve root injection with imaging guidance An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into a sacral spine nerve root. The procedure uses imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
232 | $193 | $673 |
| 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. |
198 | $82 | $190 |
| Injection into lower spine canal with imaging guidance A procedure where a substance is injected into the lower part of the spinal canal. The injection is performed using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
138 | $179 | $775 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
80 | $51 | $248 |
| Midazolam injection, per 1 mg Administration of midazolam hydrochloride, a sedative medication, measured in 1 mg increments. |
76 | $0 | $25 |
| Fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement Use of real-time X-ray imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
73 | $83 | $225 |
| Ketorolac injection, per 15 mg An injection of ketorolac tromethamine, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, administered in doses measured per 15 mg. |
72 | $0 | $25 |
| Spinal injection with imaging guidance A procedure where medication is injected into the middle or upper part of the spinal canal. Imaging technology is used to guide the needle to the correct location. |
53 | $191 | $825 |
| 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. |
50 | $120 | $270 |
| Additional sacral spine nerve root injection with imaging An injection of anesthetic and/or steroid medication into an additional sacral spine nerve root level, guided by imaging. |
46 | $84 | $300 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, single joint A procedure to destroy nerves in a single lower or sacral spinal facet joint using imaging guidance to target pain signals. |
36 | $292 | $800 |
| Facet joint nerve destruction, additional joint This procedure uses imaging guidance to destroy nerves in an additional lower or sacral spinal facet joint. |
36 | $182 | $425 |
| 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. |
36 | $9 | $50 |
| 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. |
28 | $82 | $242 |
| Spine facet joint injection with imaging guidance, single level An injection is administered into a single facet joint of the lower or sacral spine while using imaging guidance to ensure accurate placement. |
26 | $146 | $585 |
| Facet joint injection, second level, with imaging guidance An injection into a lower or sacral spine facet joint using imaging guidance for the second level treated. |
26 | $80 | $548 |
| Injection of anesthetic or steroid into sacroiliac joint with imaging guidance This procedure involves injecting an anesthetic or steroid medication into the joint connecting the lower spine and hip bone. Imaging guidance is used to ensure accurate placement of the injection. |
21 | $112 | $743 |
| Trigger point injection, 3 or more muscles Injection of medication into three or more specific muscle trigger points to relieve pain. |
13 | $23 | $220 |
| Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
11 | $26 | $90 |
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 ↗$5,938
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $848/year across 7 years
Top 16% in PA for pain medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
52
Companies
345
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
$5,938 (100.0%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$526
2023
$484
2022
$679
2021
$1,069
2020
$976
2019
$820
2018
$1,383
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$171
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$94
Boston Scientific Corporation
$92
Valinor Pharma, LLC
$77
PFIZER INC.
$65
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$14
SI-BONE, INC.
$14
Top 3 companies account for 67.8% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$611
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC
$591
GE Healthcare
$459
Boston Scientific Corporation
$442
Abbott Laboratories
$364
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$354
PFIZER INC.
$290
Nevro Corp.
$282
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$245
Stimwave Technologies Incorporated
$200
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$147
Lilly USA, LLC
$139
Valinor Pharma, LLC
$135
Sentynl Therapeutics, Inc.
$133
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$129
TerSera Therapeutics LLC
$115
AbbVie Inc.
$111
SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$74
ABBVIE INC.
$73
RedHill Biopharma Inc.
$72
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$69
BIODELIVERY SCIENCES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
$62
Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$62
Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
$60
Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$60
BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc.
$55
Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$55
Zyla Life Sciences
$43
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$43
Almatica Pharma LLC
$40
Bioventus LLC
$33
US WorldMeds, LLC
$32
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$31
USWM, LLC
$31
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$28
Mallinckrodt LLC
$23
GRT US Holding, Inc.
$22
Radius Health, Inc.
$21
Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.
$19
Lundbeck LLC
$19
Axonics, Inc.
$18
Vertical Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$17
Allergan Inc.
$16
Amgen Inc.
$15
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$14
SI-BONE, INC.
$14
Masimo Corporation
$13
Shionogi Inc
$13
Kaleo, Inc.
$11
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$11
Horizon Pharma plc
$11
Purdue Pharma L.P.
$10
Top 3 companies account for 28.0% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTHAR · AIMOVIG · AJOVY · Aimovig · Axium Sheath Braided DRG · Axonics r-SNM System · BELBUCA · BOTOX · Belbuca · DUEXIS · ELIQUIS · EMGALITY · Evzio · GELSYN-3 · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENERAL - PAIN MANAGEMENT · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · GRALISE · General - Pain Management · LORZONE · LYRICA · Levorphanol · Levorphanol Tartrate · Livalo · Lucemyra · MOVANTIK · Morphabond ER · Movantik · NA · NURTEC ODT · Nucynta · Octrode SCS Leads · Omnia · PAXLOVID · PENNSAID · PRIALT · Penta SCS Leads · Prialt · Proclaim DRG IPG · Proclaim Family of SCS IPGs · QULIPTA · Qutenza · RAYOS · RELISTOR · SCS leads · SEGLENTIS · SPECTRA WAVEWRITER · SPRIX · SYMPROIC · Seglentis · Senza Spinal Cord Stimulation System · StimQ Peripheral Nerve StimulatorSystem · Symproic · TROKENDI XR · Tymlos · UBRELVY · VYEPTI · VenaSeal · WaveWriter Alpha Prime 16 · XTAMPZA · ZTLido · ZTLido 30 POUCH in 1 CARTON 1 PATCH in 1 POUCH · Zilretta
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.
Geographic Context
Pain medicines within 10 mi
2
Per 100K population
0.7
County median income
$61,476
Nearest hospital
LECOM MEDICAL CENTER AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PAV
0.0 mi
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. Thomas is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 7% in PA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 16% of PA 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. Thomas experienced with contrast dye for imaging, lower concentration?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Thomas performed 15,303 contrast dye for imaging, lower concentration 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. Thomas receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Thomas received a total of $5,938 from 52 companies across 345 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. Thomas's costs compare to other pain medicines in Erie?
Dr. Thomas's average Medicare payment per service is $8. 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. Thomas) 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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