Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Sara Nelson, MD

Family Medicine · Everett, WA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
1818 121ST ST SE, Everett, WA 98208
4253573304
In practice since 2006 (20 years)
NPI: 1699700658 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. Nelson 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. Nelson? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Nelson

Dr. Sara Nelson is a family medicine specialist in Everett, WA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Nelson performed 1,010 Medicare services across 748 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Nelson received a total of $1,466 from 1 pharmaceutical and/or device company across 10 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in family 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. Nelson 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 13% volume in WA $1,466 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
1,010
Medicare services
Top 13% in WA for family medicine
748
Unique beneficiaries
$29
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~50 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
Blood draw (venipuncture)
Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample.
 121 $8 $14
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.
 120 $64 $309
Prothrombin time test (blood clotting)
A laboratory test that measures how long it takes for blood to clot. This procedure evaluates the body's coagulation process.
 108 $4 $9
Comprehensive metabolic blood panel
A blood test that measures a group of chemicals, including glucose, electrolytes, and kidney and liver function markers.
 77 $10 $22
Lipid panel (cholesterol and triglycerides)
A blood test that measures cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
 72 $13 $32
Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test
A blood test that measures the level of thyroid stimulating hormone to evaluate thyroid function.
 71 $16 $38
Complete blood count (CBC) with differential
An automated laboratory test that measures the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood, including a breakdown of the different types of white blood cells.
 64 $8 $18
Annual wellness visit, follow-up
A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service.
 53 $131 $314
Hemoglobin A1c test (diabetes monitoring)
A blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months.
 48 $9 $22
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.
 37 $53 $218
Free thyroxine (T4) test
A blood test that measures the level of free thyroxine, a thyroid hormone, in the bloodstream.
 36 $9 $20
Vitamin B-12 level test
A blood test that measures the amount of vitamin B-12 in your body.
 35 $14 $34
Vitamin D level test
A blood test to measure the amount of Vitamin D-3 in your body.
 34 $28 $66
Office visit for established patient
An office visit for an existing patient that may not require the healthcare professional to be present.
 32 $17 $66
Screening mammography
An X-ray of the breast used to detect breast cancer in women who have no signs or symptoms of the disease.
 24 $133 $390
3D screening mammography (tomosynthesis)
A screening imaging test of the breast using 3D technology to detect potential abnormalities.
 23 $54 $156
Urine microalbumin test (kidney screening)
A laboratory test that measures the amount of microalbumin, a small protein, in a urine sample. This test is used to detect early signs of kidney damage.
 14 $5 $13
Creatinine test (kidney function)
A blood test that measures the amount of creatinine to assess kidney function or detect muscle injury.
 14 $5 $12
Ferritin level test (iron stores)
A blood test that measures the level of ferritin, a protein that stores iron in the body.
 14 $13 $30
Magnesium level test
A blood test to measure the amount of magnesium in your body. This helps check for magnesium deficiency or excess.
 13 $7 $15
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 2019 ↗
$1,466
Total received (2019-2019)
Top 13% in WA for family medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
1
Company
10
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
$1,466 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2019
$1,466

Payments by company (2019)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$1,466
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2019 payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
LEGEND · StealthStation
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.

Looking for a family medicine specialist in Everett?
Compare family medicine physicians in the Everett area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse family medicine physicians nearby

Geographic Context

Family medicine physicians within 10 mi
1,672
Per 100K population
200.3
County median income
$107,982
Nearest hospital
PROVIDENCE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER EVERETT
6.5 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 2019
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. Nelson is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 13% in WA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 13% of WA 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. Nelson experienced with blood draw (venipuncture)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Nelson performed 121 blood draw (venipuncture) 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. Nelson receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Nelson received a total of $1,466 from 1 company across 10 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. Nelson's costs compare to other family medicine physicians in Everett?
Dr. Nelson's average Medicare payment per service is $29. 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. Nelson) 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.

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 →