Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Nathan Estes, M.D.

Cardiovascular Disease · Pittsburgh, PA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Consulting-driven
200 LOTHROP ST, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
4126476000
In practice since 2006 (20 years)
NPI: 1619992575 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. Estes 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. Estes? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Estes

Dr. Nathan Estes is a cardiovascular disease specialist in Pittsburgh, PA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Estes performed 727 Medicare services across 505 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Estes received a total of $113,899 from 7 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 154 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cardiovascular disease. The majority of payments are for consulting, which typically reflects recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.

The Data Coverage level for Dr. Estes 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 ▲ 727 Medicare services $113,899 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
727
Medicare services
Bottom 23% in PA for cardiovascular disease
Lower Medicare volume may reflect subspecialty focus, hospital-based work, or a higher share of non-Medicare patients.
505
Unique beneficiaries
$28
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~36 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
EKG interpretation and report
A standard electrocardiogram test that records the heart's electrical activity using at least 12 leads. The service includes a professional interpretation of the results and a written report.
250 $6 $31
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.
88 $63 $149
Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead
A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report.
73 $10 $80
Hospital follow-up visit, low complexity
Follow-up hospital visit for an established patient with straightforward or low-level medical decision making. The visit requires at least 25 minutes of time spent on the day of service.
72 $39 $100
Remote cardiac rhythm monitor evaluation, up to 30 days
Review and analysis of data from a remote cardiac rhythm monitoring system over a period of up to 30 days.
68 $17 $86
Remote monitoring of implantable heart rhythm device
Evaluation of data transmitted remotely from an implantable cardiovascular monitor, such as a loop recorder or subcutaneous cardiac rhythm monitor, over a period up to 30 days.
68 $24 $72
Initial hospital admission, low complexity
Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving straightforward or low-level medical decision making, with at least 40 minutes total time on the date of the encounter.
36 $58 $251
External shock to heart to regulate heart beat
A procedure that delivers an electric shock to the heart from outside the body to restore a normal heart rhythm.
16 $73 $435
Pacemaker programming, dual lead system
Adjustment and configuration of a dual-lead pacemaker device to ensure proper operation and settings.
16 $53 $187
Programming of dual lead implantable defibrillator system
Adjustment and testing of the settings for an implanted heart device with two leads to ensure proper function.
16 $68 $255
Hospital discharge day management, 30 minutes or less
This service covers the final day of hospital care when the patient is being discharged. It includes coordination of care and instructions for the patient within a time frame of 30 minutes or less.
13 $58 $177
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.
11 $82 $222
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.
4.4% high complexity
0.0% medium
95.6% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$113,899
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $16,271/year across 7 years
Top 6% in PA for cardiovascular disease
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
7
Companies
154
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.

Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$60,906 (53.5%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$52,590 (46.2%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$404 (0.4%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$12,818
2023
$8,754
2022
$13,130
2021
$12,438
2020
$6,125
2019
$28,881
2018
$31,753

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Boston Scientific Corporation
$6,500
Medtronic, Inc.
$6,318
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Abbott Laboratories
$30,173
Boston Scientific Corporation
$29,635
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$19,880
Medtronic, Inc.
$17,721
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$15,814
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$525
AtriCure, Inc.
$151
Top 3 companies account for 70.0% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ARCTIC FRONT ADVANCE · AVEIR · Assurity Pacemaker · CoreValve Evolut · ENSITE PRECISION · EPI-SENSE GUIDED COAGULATION SYSTEM WITH VISITRAX · EnTrust · Ensite Cardiac Mapping System · Evera · GENERAL THERAPIES · GENERAL THERAPIES · GENERAL - THERAPIES · GENERAL THERAPIES · General - EP · General - Therapies · MERLIN@HOME · Merlin Connectivity and Remote · Micra · PULSESELECT · TENDRIL · THERAPIES · WATCHMAN Access System · ZIO Patch
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 (54%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Total industry engagement is in the top 6% for cardiovascular disease in PA.

Looking for a cardiovascular disease specialist in Pittsburgh?
Compare cardiologists in the Pittsburgh area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse cardiologists nearby

Geographic Context

Cardiologists within 10 mi
202
Per 100K population
16.3
County median income
$76,393
Nearest hospital
MAGEE WOMENS HOSPITAL OF UPMC HEALTH SYSTEM
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. Estes is a clinical cardiology specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with consulting-driven industry engagement in the top 6% 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. Estes experienced with ekg interpretation and report?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Estes performed 250 ekg interpretation and report 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. Estes receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Estes received a total of $113,899 from 7 companies across 154 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. Estes's costs compare to other cardiologists in Pittsburgh?
Dr. Estes's average Medicare payment per service is $28. 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. Estes) 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 →