1. Home
  2. Directory
  3. Tennessee
  4. Chattanooga
  5. Ophthalmology
  6. NPI Profile

DR. PAULA CHRISTINE NICOLA M.D.
NPI 1659319010
Ophthalmology in Chattanooga, TN

Active since June 04, 2006PECOS EnrolledAccepts Medicare Assignment
979 E 3RD ST STE 240, CHATTANOOGA, TN 37403(423) 243-3330(423) 648-6487 Get Directions Write a Review

NPPES record last updated: December 10, 2020. Verified against the NPPES registry weekly; last sync: August 09, 2026.

Record update history: Dec 10, 2020, Oct 7, 2020 (2 updates tracked since 2020).

About Dr. Paula Christine Nicola M.d. NPPES

Official registry information on file with the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System.

DR. PAULA CHRISTINE NICOLA M.D. (NPI 1659319010) is an individual ophthalmology provider in Chattanooga, Tennessee, licensed in Tennessee (MD0000037970) and active in the NPI registry since June 2006. She is enrolled in Medicare PECOS, is affiliated with Erlanger Medical Center, and maintains a secondary practice location in Hixson.

NPPES Registry Identity

NPI1659319010
Entity TypeIndividualFemale
Primary Taxonomy207W00000X
Provider Legal NameDR. PAULA CHRISTINE NICOLACredential: M.D.
Location Address979 E 3RD ST STE 240Chattanooga, TN 37403-2136
Mailing Address979 E 3rd St, Suite 240Chattanooga, TN 37403-2136 · (423) 243-3330
Phone(423) 243-3330
Fax(423) 648-6487
Sole ProprietorYes
Medical School CMSUniversity Of South Alabama College Of MedicineGraduated 2002
Enumeration DateJune 4, 2006
Last NPPES UpdateDecember 10, 20202 updates tracked since enumeration
NPPES CertifiedDecember 10, 2020
✔ NPI 1659319010 is a valid, active identifier and passes the ISO check-digit test.

Specialties & Licenses 2

★ Primary SpecialtyOphthalmologyAllopathic & Osteopathic Physicians
Taxonomy Code207W00000X
License✔ Licensed in TN · MD0000037970
Definition
An ophthalmologist has the knowledge and professional skills needed to provide comprehensive eye and vision care. Ophthalmologists are medically trained to diagnose, monitor and medically or surgically treat all ocular and visual disorders. This includes problems affecting the eye and its component structures, the eyelids, the orbit and the visual pathways. In so doing, an ophthalmologist prescribes vision services, including glasses and contact lenses.
Also ListedPreventive Medicine · Addiction MedicineTaxonomy 2083A0300X · License 0000037970 (TN)
979 E 3RD ST STE 240, Chattanooga, TN 37403
Open in Google Maps ↗

Other Names 1

Other Name (5)Dr. Paula Christine Nicola Md

Secondary Practice Location 1

Location 15870 Highway-153, Suite 122Hixson, TN 37343-3734 · Phone (423) 243-3342 · Fax (423) 402-8155

Group Practice 1

Group TaxonomyThis provdier is a business group of one or more individual practitioners, all of who practice with the same area of specialization.193400000X MULTIPLE SINGLE SPECIALTY GROUP

Accepted Insurance

The full list of accepted plans is on the Insurance tab. Issuers include Ambetter from Arkansas Health & Wellness, Ambetter from Home State Health, Ambetter from Magnolia Health and more.Insurance ›

Medicare Participation & PECOS CMS

Medicare enrollment, assignment, and ordering and referring status from the CMS PECOS system.

Medicare Enrollment Status

✔

Enrolled in Medicare and accepts Medicare assignment

Dr. Paula Christine Nicola M.d. is registered in PECOS and agrees to accept the Medicare-approved amount as full payment. Medicare patients are not billed beyond the standard deductible and coinsurance.

PECOS PAC ID7113020116
PECOS Enrollment IDI20070313000050
Eligible to Order & Refer✔ Part B Labs & Imaging✔ Durable Medical Equipment✔ Home Health Agency✔ Power Mobility DevicesPer the CMS Ordering and Referring file. Eligibility means Medicare pays claims that this provider orders or refers for these categories.

Areas of Expertise CMS Part B claims 8

Services this provider delivered to Medicare fee-for-service patients, from the CMS Medicare utilization data. Higher counts generally reflect more experience with a service; care delivered outside Medicare is not included.

Established patient complete exam of visual system 92014
An established patient complete exam of the visual system involves a thorough check of your eyes and vision. It assesses eye health, checks for diseases, and measures your ability to see clearly at different distances. It's a routine, non-invasive procedure.
330 services307 patients
Established patient office or other outpatient visit with moderate level of decision making, if using time, 30 minutes or more 99214
This is a routine check-up for patients who have previously visited our clinic. It involves a comprehensive review of your health and any ongoing treatments. The consultation lasts between 30-39 minutes, allowing enough time to discuss any concerns.
139 services75 patients
Imaging of optic nerve 92133
Imaging of the optic nerve is a non-invasive procedure that captures detailed pictures of your optic nerve. It helps doctors assess eye health, particularly for conditions like glaucoma. It's painless, quick, and uses safe technology like MRI or OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography).
58 services58 patients
New patient complete exam of visual system 92004
A new patient complete exam of the visual system is a thorough evaluation of your eyes and vision. It checks for any potential issues and assesses overall eye health. It includes tests for visual acuity, eye movement, and light response.
50 services50 patients
Exam of visual field with extended testing 92083
An extended visual field exam is a detailed test to evaluate your peripheral (side) vision. It helps to detect any potential blind spots which may not be noticeable in daily life. These could be caused by eye diseases like glaucoma, or neurological conditions.
43 services41 patients
Established patient problem focused exam of visual system 92012
This is a routine check-up for existing patients focusing on the visual system. It involves examining your eyes to detect any potential issues or changes in your vision. It's a crucial part of maintaining good eye health.
31 services30 patients

Hospital Affiliations CMS Care Compare

Hospitals where this provider delivers care, identified from recent Medicare claims and place-of-service records.

Erlanger Medical Center

Acute Care Hospitals · Chattanooga, TN
2/5 CMS rating
OwnershipGovernment - Hospital District or Authority
CMS Certification Number440104
Location975 E 3rd StChattanooga, TN 37403 · Hamilton County
Emergency services Birthing friendly

Physician Visit Costs CMS claims · ZIP area

Typical Medicare office-visit costs in the 37403 ZIP code area, from fee-for-service claims. These are area statistics, not this provider’s prices; actual charges vary by service and coverage.

New Patient
$121.80 typical visit price
range $52.64 – $160.89
Typical copayment $30.45 (range $13.16 – $40.22)
Most-billed visit code 99204
Established Patient
$66.01 typical visit price
range $16.72 – $131.41
Typical copayment $16.50 (range $4.18 – $32.85)
Most-billed visit code 99213
Amounts reflect what Medicare beneficiaries in this ZIP area are typically charged for office visits. Patients with other coverage should check their individual plans.

Medicare Quality Performance CMS QPP · MIPS

Performance in the CMS Quality Payment Program: the MIPS final score across four weighted categories, and the individual quality measures reported to Medicare.

Reported Quality Measures

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD): Counseling on Antioxidant Supplement
Percentage of patients aged 50 years and older with a diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or their caregiver(s) who were counseled within 12 months on the benefits and/or risks of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) formulation for…
21%62 patients1/55-star benchmark: 100%
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD): Dilated Macular Examination
Percentage of patients aged 50 years and older with a diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) who had a dilated macular examination performed which included documentation of the presence or absence of macular thickening or geographic atrophy or…
85%62 patients3/55-star benchmark: 100%
Closing the Referral Loop: Receipt of Specialist Report
Percentage of patients with referrals, regardless of age, for which the referring provider receives a report from the provider to whom the patient was referred
49%91 patients3/55-star benchmark: 95%
Diabetes: Eye Exam
Percentage of patients 18-75 years of age with diabetes who had a retinal or dilated eye exam by an eye care professional during the measurement period or a negative retinal exam (no evidence of retinopathy) in the 12 months prior to the measurement period
98%450 patients4/55-star benchmark: 100%
Diabetic Retinopathy: Communication with the Physician Managing Ongoing Diabetes Care
Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy who had a dilated macular or fundus exam performed with documented communication to the physician who manages the ongoing care of the patient with diabetes mellitus…
71%28 patients3/55-star benchmark: 100%
Diabetic Retinopathy: Documentation of Presence or Absence of Macular Edema and Level of Severity of Retinopathy
Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy who had a dilated macular or fundus exam performed which included documentation of the level of severity of retinopathy and the presence or absence of macular edema during…
70%40 patients3/55-star benchmark: 100%
Documentation of Current Medications in the Medical Record
Percentage of visits for patients aged 18 years and older for which the eligible professional or eligible clinician attests to documenting a list of current medications using all immediate resources available on the date of the encounter.
84%3,279 patients3/55-star benchmark: 100%
Falls: Screening for Future Fall Risk
Percentage of patients 65 years of age and older who were screened for future fall risk during the measurement period
69%734 patients3/55-star benchmark: 99%
Preventive Care and Screening: Tobacco Use: Screening and Cessation Intervention
Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older who were screened for tobacco use one or more times within 24 months AND who received tobacco cessation intervention if identified as a tobacco user
Patients screenedForUse: 97% · 1,102 patients
Patients tobacco: 92% · 1,102 patients
45%106 patients2/55-star benchmark: 98%
Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma (POAG): Optic Nerve Evaluation
Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) who have an optic nerve head evaluation during one or more office visits within 12 months
86%161 patients4/55-star benchmark: 100%
Use of High-Risk Medications in the Elderly
Percentage of patients 65 years of age and older who were ordered high-risk medications. Two rates are submitted. 1) Percentage of patients who were ordered at least one high-risk medication.
Lower rates are better for this measure.
Patients 2+: 0% · 588 patients
0%588 patients5/55-star benchmark: 100%
Providers report different measures because they deliver different services; reporting more or less information is not a reflection of quality. Star ratings appear only where CMS assigned them.

Frequently Asked Questions NPPES & CMS

Common questions about this NPI record, answered from the official NPPES registry and CMS datasets shown on this page.

What is Paula Nicola's NPI number?

The NPI number for Paula Nicola is 1659319010. It was assigned to this individual provider in the NPPES registry on June 4, 2006. The provider is also known as Dr. Paula Christine Nicola MD.

Where is Paula Nicola located?

Paula Nicola practices at 979 E 3rd St Ste 240, Chattanooga, TN 37403. The listed phone number is (423) 243-3330.

What is Paula Nicola's specialty?

The primary specialty registered for this NPI is Ophthalmology with taxonomy code 207W00000X.

Is Paula Nicola enrolled in Medicare?

Yes. Paula Nicola is registered in the Medicare PECOS system and accepts Medicare assignment, which means accepting the Medicare-approved amount as payment in full for covered services.

What insurance does Paula Nicola accept?

Health plans from Ambetter from Arkansas Health & Wellness, Ambetter from Home State Health, Ambetter from Magnolia Health, Ambetter of Alabama and Ambetter of North Carolina and 4 other insurers list Paula Nicola as in-network in at least one marketplace plan. Coverage varies by plan and year; verify with the insurer or the provider before a visit.

Is Paula Nicola affiliated with any hospitals?

According to CMS data, Paula Nicola is affiliated with Erlanger Medical Center.

When was this NPI record last updated?

The NPPES record for Paula Nicola was last updated on December 10, 2020. NPI Profile syncs weekly with the NPPES registry data releases published by CMS. This NPI record was last updated 5 years ago. If this record has changed at CMS more recently, you can request an on-demand re-check against the live CMS registry, directly from this page.