Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Alan Epstein, M.D.

Rheumatology · Philadelphia, PA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice — Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Speaking/Promotional
822 PINE ST, Philadelphia, PA 19107
2158295358
In practice since 2006 (20 years)
NPI: 1346211844 verify on NPPES ↗
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. Epstein 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 →
Are you Dr. Epstein? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Epstein

Dr. Alan Epstein is a rheumatology specialist in Philadelphia, PA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Epstein performed 46,217 Medicare services across 1,251 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Epstein received a total of $1,462,246 from 39 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 1960 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in rheumatology. 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. Epstein 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 23% volume in PA $1,462,246 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
46,217
Medicare services
Top 23% in PA for rheumatology
1,251
Unique beneficiaries
$14
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~2,311 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
Golimumab infusion (Simponi Aria)
Administration of golimumab medication directly into a vein. This code specifies the dosage amount of 1 milligram for intravenous delivery.
19,126 $11 $40
Romosozumab injection (Evenity) for osteoporosis 14,700 $8 $24
Denosumab injection (Prolia/Xgeva) 9,780 $18 $27
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.
1,118 $96 $150
Blood draw (venipuncture)
Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample.
449 $8 $10
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.
315 $11 $100
Intravenous chemotherapy infusion, 1 hour or less
Administration of chemotherapy medication directly into a vein. The procedure takes one hour or less to complete.
195 $107 $300
Zoledronic acid injection, 1 mg
An injection of zoledronic acid administered at a dose of 1 mg.
110 $6 $320
Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg 104 $5 $20
Intravenous infusion, 1 hour or less
Administration of medication or fluid directly into a vein for therapeutic, preventive, or diagnostic purposes. The procedure lasts one hour or less.
79 $53 $300
Joint injection, major joint
Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space.
71 $54 $200
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.
61 $116 $275
Blood viscosity measurement
A test that measures the thickness and flow characteristics of blood.
25 $11 $25
Body fluid cell count 25 $5 $25
Crystal identification from tissue or body fluid
Laboratory analysis to identify crystals found in tissue samples or body fluids.
25 $7 $25
Tendon or ligament injection
A procedure involving the injection of medication into a tendon or ligament.
19 $41 $200
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.
15 $151 $200
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.
42.0% high complexity
54.3% medium
3.7% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$1,462,246
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $208,892/year across 7 years
Top 1% in PA for rheumatology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
39
Companies
1,960
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.

Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$1,343,093 (91.9%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$117,102 (8.0%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$2,051 (0.1%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$150,799
2023
$155,744
2022
$184,381
2021
$140,297
2020
$141,595
2019
$335,476
2018
$353,953

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
GENZYME CORPORATION
$67,306
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$24,447
Amgen Inc.
$17,206
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$11,859
ABBVIE INC.
$11,155
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$8,906
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC
$5,500
Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
$2,565
Lilly USA, LLC
$1,575
UCB, Inc.
$248
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$17
PFIZER INC.
$16
Top 3 companies account for 72.3% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
GENZYME CORPORATION
$271,061
Lilly USA, LLC
$216,411
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$169,614
Amgen Inc.
$113,743
ABBVIE INC.
$102,201
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$93,330
Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
$73,575
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$58,653
AbbVie, Inc.
$50,370
PFIZER INC.
$47,895
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$45,285
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$43,146
AbbVie Inc.
$42,573
United Rheumatology
$40,124
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$32,962
Sandoz Inc.
$19,311
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$12,172
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC
$6,925
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$5,643
UCB, Inc.
$4,080
Genentech USA, Inc.
$4,001
Celgene Corporation
$2,779
Pfizer Inc.
$2,437
Horizon Therapeutics plc
$2,119
Eli Lilly and Company
$775
Aurinia Pharma U.S., Inc.
$479
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$168
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$158
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$52
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$49
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
$30
Mallinckrodt LLC
$29
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$20
Fidia Pharma USA Inc.
$19
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$15
MEDEXUS PHARMA, INC.
$13
West-Ward Pharmaceuticals
$13
Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.
$12
FIDIA PHARMA USA INC.
$3
Top 3 companies account for 44.9% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACTHAR · Actemra · BENLYSTA · Bimzelx · COSENTYX · Cimzia · EMGALITY · EVENITY · EVUSHELD · Enbrel · FLUMIST QUADRIVALENT · FORTEO · Gel-One Cross-linked Hyaluronate · HUMIRA · HYALGAN · HYMOVIS · Humira · IDACIO · INFLECTRA · KEVZARA · KEVZARA SARILUMAB INJECTION · KRYSTEXXA · LUPKYNIS · LYRICA · MONOVISC · Mitigare · OFEV · OLUMIANT · OPSUMIT MACITENTAN · ORENCIA · ORTHOVISC · Otezla · Prolia · REMICADE · RENFLEXIS · RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS DISEASE · RINVOQ · Rasuvo · Rinvoq · Rituxan · SAPHNELO · SIMPONI ARIA · SKYRIZI · STELARA · Strensiq · TALTZ · TAVNEOS · TREMFYA · Tavneos · XELJANZ · 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 →

The majority of payments (92%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in rheumatology and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 1% for rheumatology in PA.

Looking for a rheumatology specialist in Philadelphia?
Compare rheumatologists in the Philadelphia area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
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Geographic Context

Rheumatologists within 10 mi
172
Per 100K population
10.9
County median income
$60,698
Nearest hospital
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
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. Epstein is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 23% in PA), with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 1% 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. Epstein experienced with golimumab infusion (simponi aria)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Epstein performed 19,126 golimumab infusion (simponi aria) 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. Epstein receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Epstein received a total of $1,462,246 from 39 companies across 1,960 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. Epstein's costs compare to other rheumatologists in Philadelphia?
Dr. Epstein's average Medicare payment per service is $14. 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. Epstein) 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 →
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.

Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology

Data Disclaimer — Data sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), Open Payments program, Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, and Provider Enrollment & Certification data (PECOS). Published under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Data may contain errors as reported to CMS by providers and reporting entities. Payments from industry are legal and do not indicate wrongdoing. Medicare data reflects only patients aged 65+ or those with qualifying disabilities. For corrections, contact CMS directly. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a healthcare provider. Procedure descriptions use plain language and do not reference CPT® codes, which are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Full methodology → · Report a data error → · Privacy policy →