Robert Nicholas, MD
Otolaryngology · Yankton, SDNPI 1609221563
Payments from drug & device makers
What this record shows
The money is spread across several categories — food and beverage (52.5%), travel and lodging and gifts — rather than concentrated in one kind of arrangement. 8 manufacturers reported payments, led by Medical Device Business Services, Inc. at 55.6% of the total. Reporting peaked in 2022 at $837 and has fallen 93.2% since, to $57 in 2025. That places this record below the midpoint for otolaryngology clinicians in SD, where the typical reported total is $1,076.
Across 27 payments — averaging $44.16 each. Meals, travel, consulting and speaking fees, gifts and royalties reported by drug and device makers.
- Medical Device Business Services, Inc.$663
- Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.$218
- Acclarent, Inc$108
- Sanofi$71
- Cochlear Americas$70
- Advanced Bionics, LLC$26
- plus $35 from 2 others
What the payments were for
- Travel & lodging$56347%
- Food & beverage$62652%
- Gifts$40%
Most of this is food and beverage — typically meals provided during product presentations at a clinic or hospital. Nationally that is the single largest category of reported payments by count.
General payments by program year
Who reported the general payments
Companies are grouped under their corporate parent — a single manufacturer often files under several CMS reporting entities. Research and ownership payments are counted separately and are not in this table.
| Company | Payments | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Device Business Services, Inc. | 7 | $663 |
| Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc. | 10 | $218 |
| Acclarent, Inc | 1 | $108 |
| Sanofi | 3 | $71 |
| Cochlear Americas | 3 | $70 |
| Advanced Bionics, LLC | 1 | $26 |
| Integra Lifesciences Corporation | 1 | $20 |
| Smith+Nephew | 1 | $15 |
What the payments were tied to
Products named in the reported payments. Only payments of $100 or more are attributed here — the typical reported payment nationally is a meal worth about $16, and listing those product-by-product would be noise.
- TruDi Nav Cable$108
How this compares
$1,192 in reported general payments places this provider in the 50th percentile of 39 otolaryngology providers in South Dakota.
Medicare billing
What this is not: this is the amount Original Medicare Part B allowed for services this provider billed in 2024. It is not their income. It excludes Medicare Advantage — now more than half of all Medicare enrollment — along with Medicaid and all commercial insurance, and it is gross practice revenue before staff, rent, supplies and malpractice premiums. CMS also suppresses any figure covering ten or fewer patients, so low-volume providers appear smaller than they are.
Most prescribed under Part D
| Drug | Claims | Cost to plans & patients |
|---|---|---|
| Dupixent PenDupilumab | 14 | $51,791 |
| Azelastine Hcl | 230 | $5,336 |
| Ipratropium Bromide | 129 | $3,360 |
| Fluticasone Propionate | 170 | $2,082 |
| Ciprofloxacin-DexamethasoneCiprofloxacin Hcl/Dexameth | 12 | $1,545 |
| CefuroximeCefuroxime Axetil | 14 | $369 |
| Ciprofloxacin Hcl | 37 | $335 |
| Omeprazole | 35 | $187 |
| Amoxicillin-Clavulanate PotassAmoxicillin/Potassium Clav | 15 | $177 |
| Montelukast Sodium | 45 | $149 |
| Famotidine | 49 | $141 |
| Mupirocin | 19 | $104 |
| Methylprednisolone | 12 | $78 |
| Prednisone | 13 | $59 |
| Hydrocortisone | 12 | $47 |
Paid to pharmacies, not to this prescriber.
Other otolaryngology in Yankton
- David AbbottYankton$275
- Sarah PowellDakota Dunes$31K
- Huan ZhangSioux Falls$28K
- William SpanosSioux Falls$21K
- Jack SchleiffarthRapid City$13K
- Mark JamesonSioux Falls$10K
- Jaishree LerewSioux Falls$7K
- Reason FordDakota Dunes$4K
- Chengetai MahomvaSioux Falls$3K
- Thomas KennyDakota Dunes$3K
Where these figures come from
- Payments: CMS Open Payments, program years 2019–2025 (publication P06302026_06032026).
- Billing: Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners, data year 2024. Original Medicare Part B only.
- Identity: NPPES NPI Registry, July 2026.