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Steve Lai, MD

Hospice/Palliative Care · Palo Alto

NPI 1053377580

Medicare standing
Clear
Enrolled, allowed to bill and order, not excluded
Plans that list them
2
2 carriers
Office
1

Offices

1 location · Sutter Bay Medical Foundation · 3,783 clinicians in this group

Looking this up.

Hospitals listed: 058123. That is not proof they admit you there this week.

Plans that list them

2 plans · 2 carriers

A missing listing does not mean out of network. Directories change, and a listing does not cover every office. Call Dr. Lai’s office at (415) 600-1020 to confirm they take your plan. Ask about the office you use, its medical group, referrals and appointments.

2 of 2 plans

Plans whose provider directory lists this clinician
Alignment Health Sutter Advantage +More (HMO)Alignment Health PlanListedOct 3, 2026
DualConnect (HMO D-SNP)Santa Clara Family Health PlanListedSep 1, 2026

California Medical Board record

Licence A77926 · Current

Licensed to practise in California · since 2002 · expires 2027-12-31 · University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine.

No disciplinary actions, convictions, malpractice judgments or citations in this record.

Original Medicare doctor bills

$47,540

Medicare paid this office $47,540 for 124 people.

This is what Medicare paid the clinician — not Medicare Advantage, and not the pharmacy.

Largest Original Medicare bills
Residence visit for established patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 60 minutes40$8,693$145
Advance care planning, first 30 minutes64$6,819$76
Long return visit (40+ min)28$6,815$166
Residence visit for established patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes41$6,136$106
Residence visit for new patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 75 minutes32$5,542$173
See all 9 services
Every Original Medicare service billed
Residence visit for established patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 60 minutes40$8,693$145
Advance care planning, first 30 minutes64$6,819$76
Long return visit (40+ min)28$6,815$166
Residence visit for established patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes41$6,136$106
Residence visit for new patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 75 minutes32$5,542$173
Return visit (30+ min)21$3,477$116
Telephone medical discussion with physician, 11-20 minutes22$1,742$70
Residence visit for established patient with low level of medical decision making, per day at least 30 minutes19$1,692$60
Telephone medical discussion with physician, 21-30 minutes14$1,507$94

Who their Medicare patients are

124 Original Medicare patients in 2024. Average age 86 · Under 65 0% · 85 and older 57% · Women 61% · Also on Medicaid 16% · Health risk score 2.31. At or below the middle of the specialty; the typical hospice and palliative care clinician is at 2.98.

Conditions among them: High blood pressure 75% · Dementia 51% · Depression 39% · Atrial fibrillation 38% · Heart failure 35% · Chronic kidney disease 35% · Coronary heart disease 31% · Cancer 29% · Diabetes 25% · COPD 21% · Stroke 12%.

The office billed $184,614, Medicare allowed $64,707 and paid $47,540; for 423 services of 22 kinds.

Original Medicare patients only. A risk score of 1.0 is the average Medicare patient; higher means sicker. Any count under 11 is hidden.

Year by year

Original Medicare by year
2024124423862.31$184,614$47,540
2023115393842.45$166,475$48,006
2022109378852.38$141,511$42,244
2021105372852.26$127,865$39,690
2020103333852.50$110,346$38,898
201998221862.24$87,921$24,286
2018110249851.97$85,535$23,166
2017147405852.11$130,287$36,564
2016193569852.02$181,925$52,855
2015208664872.28$216,118$67,109
2014200672862.13$205,731$59,480
2013171532842.32$182,864$52,702

Original Medicare only. A service billed for fewer than 11 people in a year is hidden, so the lines can add up to less than the year's total.

See the services billed each year

2023: 7 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2023
Long return visit (40+ min)39$12,256$163
Residence visit for established patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 60 minutes40$8,131$159
Advance care planning, first 30 minutes59$6,166$78
Residence visit for new patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 75 minutes32$5,815$182
Residence visit for established patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes24$4,040$112
Return visit (30+ min)16$1,822$114
Telephone medical discussion with physician, 11-20 minutes17$1,712$78

2022: 11 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2022
Long return visit (40+ min)28$8,472$173
New patient visit (60+ min)20$4,230$212
Residence visit for established patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes29$4,213$105
Advance care planning, first 30 minutes37$3,769$79
Return visit (30+ min)24$3,237$108
Residence visit for established patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 60 minutes16$3,151$150
Telephone medical discussion with physician, 11-20 minutes23$2,031$70
Residence visit for new patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 60 minutes14$1,748$125
Telephone medical discussion with physician, 21-30 minutes12$1,747$103
Prolonged office or other outpatient evaluation and management service(s) beyond the maximum required time of the primary procedure which has been selected using total time on the date of the primary service; each additional 15 minutes by the physician or22$1,104$31
Residence visit for established patient with low level of medical decision making, per day at least 30 minutes11$842$77

2021: 10 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2021
Residence visit for established patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 60 minutes20$5,774$160
Residence visit for established patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes34$5,200$108
Long return visit (40+ min)21$4,699$152
Advance care planning, first 30 minutes38$3,618$80
Telephone medical discussion with physician, 11-20 minutes28$3,049$73
Residence visit for new patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 60 minutes16$2,541$159
Residence visit for new patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 75 minutes12$2,415$201
Telephone medical discussion with physician, 21-30 minutes19$2,152$86
Residence visit for established patient with low level of medical decision making, per day at least 30 minutes19$1,717$64
Prolonged office or other outpatient evaluation and management service(s) beyond the maximum required time of the primary procedure which has been selected using total time on the date of the primary service; each additional 15 minutes by the physician or14$748$31

2020: 10 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2020
Long return visit (40+ min)21$6,559$143
Telephone medical discussion with physician, 21-30 minutes29$4,957$110
Return visit (30+ min)20$3,618$106
Residence visit for established patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes22$3,609$116
Residence visit for established patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 60 minutes17$3,353$152
Residence visit for new patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 75 minutes16$3,286$205
Telephone medical discussion with physician, 11-20 minutes27$3,252$72
New patient visit (60+ min)11$2,167$197
Residence visit for established patient with low level of medical decision making, per day at least 30 minutes13$1,432$80
Advance care planning, first 30 minutes15$1,340$84

2019: 6 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2019
Residence visit for established patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes31$4,407$100
Residence visit for established patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 60 minutes11$2,263$151
Established patient custodial care facility, group care, or assisted living visit, typically 40 minutes13$1,818$107
Residence visit for new patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 60 minutes11$1,680$153
Residence visit for established patient with low level of medical decision making, per day at least 30 minutes18$1,544$57
Advance care planning, first 30 minutes13$1,028$79

2018: 6 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2018
Residence visit for established patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes28$4,049$101
Advance care planning, first 30 minutes23$2,678$72
Residence visit for established patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 60 minutes16$2,607$153
Long return visit (40+ min)14$2,196$116
Residence visit for established patient with low level of medical decision making, per day at least 30 minutes19$1,717$51
Short return visit14$980$41

2017: 11 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2017
Residence visit for established patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes31$4,579$100
Residence visit for established patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 60 minutes19$3,511$146
Subsequent nursing facility care with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 30 minutes21$3,349$73
Initial nursing facility care with high level of medical decision making, per day 50 minutes or more14$2,052$147
Subsequent nursing facility care with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 45 minutes13$1,984$117
Residence visit for established patient with low level of medical decision making, per day at least 30 minutes28$1,874$49
Subsequent nursing facility care with straightforward level of medical decision making, per day 20 minutes or more12$1,717$59
Initial nursing facility care with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 35 minutes12$1,373$114
Advance care planning, first 30 minutes13$1,296$72
Physician or allowed practitioner certification for medicare-covered home health services under a home health plan of care (patient not present), including contacts with home health agency and review of reports of patient status required by physicians and18$1,048$50
Nursing facility discharge day management, 30 minutes or less15$906$60

2016: 13 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2016
Subsequent nursing facility care with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 30 minutes47$6,944$76
Residence visit for established patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes34$5,771$103
Residence visit for established patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 60 minutes23$5,151$151
Long return visit (40+ min)24$3,948$120
Initial nursing facility care with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 35 minutes33$3,931$112
Subsequent nursing facility care with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 45 minutes19$3,577$119
Subsequent nursing facility care with straightforward level of medical decision making, per day 20 minutes or more22$3,471$56
Residence visit for established patient with low level of medical decision making, per day at least 30 minutes35$3,397$71
Residence visit for new patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 75 minutes15$2,779$185
Initial nursing facility care with high level of medical decision making, per day 50 minutes or more12$1,762$147
Nursing facility discharge day management, 30 minutes or less23$1,461$64
Advance care planning, first 30 minutes17$1,332$70
Physician or allowed practitioner certification for medicare-covered home health services under a home health plan of care (patient not present), including contacts with home health agency and review of reports of patient status required by physicians and15$699$44

2015: 14 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2015
Subsequent nursing facility care with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 30 minutes43$8,952$84
Long return visit (40+ min)43$8,126$131
Residence visit for established patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 60 minutes30$6,818$162
Residence visit for established patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes37$6,585$106
Subsequent nursing facility care with straightforward level of medical decision making, per day 20 minutes or more23$5,779$60
Initial nursing facility care with high level of medical decision making, per day 50 minutes or more26$4,231$151
Initial nursing facility care with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 35 minutes24$3,448$119
Residence visit for established patient with low level of medical decision making, per day at least 30 minutes28$3,251$66
Subsequent nursing facility care with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 45 minutes18$2,914$117
Extended office or other outpatient service, first hour27$2,713$94
Residence visit for new patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 60 minutes13$2,071$159
Established patient custodial care facility, group care, or assisted living visit, typically 1 hour11$1,979$180
Nursing facility discharge day management, 30 minutes or less26$1,783$69
Physician or allowed practitioner certification for medicare-covered home health services under a home health plan of care (patient not present), including contacts with home health agency and review of reports of patient status required by physicians and11$580$53

2014: 13 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2014
Residence visit for established patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes35$7,527$103
Subsequent nursing facility care with straightforward level of medical decision making, per day 20 minutes or more30$7,310$56
Subsequent nursing facility care with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 30 minutes46$7,047$78
Residence visit for established patient with low level of medical decision making, per day at least 30 minutes40$6,271$69
Initial nursing facility care with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 35 minutes36$4,260$118
Subsequent nursing facility care with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 45 minutes20$3,534$122
Residence visit for established patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 60 minutes17$3,124$142
Initial nursing facility care with high level of medical decision making, per day 50 minutes or more15$2,274$142
Long return visit (40+ min)11$2,261$133
Residence visit for new patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 75 minutes12$2,176$181
Nursing facility discharge day management, 30 minutes or less33$2,175$66
Established patient custodial care facility, group care, or assisted living visit, typically 40 minutes11$2,007$106
Established patient custodial care facility, group care, or assisted living visit, typically 25 minutes13$1,599$80

2013: 13 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2013
Residence visit for established patient with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes32$6,497$108
Subsequent nursing facility care with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 45 minutes28$5,531$118
Subsequent nursing facility care with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 30 minutes31$5,151$80
Residence visit for established patient with low level of medical decision making, per day at least 30 minutes30$4,750$73
Initial nursing facility care with high level of medical decision making, per day 50 minutes or more30$4,489$145
Residence visit for established patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 60 minutes20$3,595$150
Residence visit for new patient with high level of medical decision making, per day at least 75 minutes20$3,447$172
Established patient custodial care facility, group care, or assisted living visit, typically 25 minutes11$2,299$74
Initial nursing facility care with moderate level of medical decision making, per day at least 35 minutes19$2,196$116
Long return visit (40+ min)11$1,584$132
Subsequent nursing facility care with straightforward level of medical decision making, per day 20 minutes or more13$1,473$61
Nursing facility discharge day management, 30 minutes or less13$771$59
Physician or allowed practitioner certification for medicare-covered home health services under a home health plan of care (patient not present), including contacts with home health agency and review of reports of patient status required by physicians and14$704$50

Drugs they prescribed that Part D paid

$27,036

Pharmacies billed $27,036 in 2024.

This is pharmacy cost, not the office bill, and not what patients paid.

Opioids were 14% of their Part D prescriptions (55 of 381) in 2024. At or below the middle of the specialty; the typical hospice and palliative care clinician is at 43%. Long-acting opioids: 58% of their opioid prescriptions.

351 generic and 30 brand-name prescriptions · $27,036 in drug cost · 24 antibiotic prescriptions to 16 people.

Part D prescriptions only. The opioid rate is opioid prescriptions as a share of all this clinician's Part D prescriptions; surgeons and pain specialists run higher than others, so it is shown against the same specialty.

Largest Part D drug costs
Clonidine12$1,244$104
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen11$616$56
Quetiapine42$600$14
Losartan15$397$26
Escitalopram17$348$20
See all 9 drugs
Every Part D drug this clinician prescribed
Clonidine12$1,244$104
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen11$616$56
Quetiapine42$600$14
Losartan15$397$26
Escitalopram17$348$20
Prednisone31$318$10
Olanzapine12$215$18
Trazodone13$192$15
Citalopram Hbr12$120$10

Year by year

Part D prescribing by year
20243816314% (55)8%$27,036
20232945924% (71)None$14,038
20222735725% (69)11%$10,817
20213625522% (78)13%$34,579
20203675820% (72)14%$188,435
20193385517% (58)16%$219,968
20184956312% (59)15%$97,727
20176538813% (84)18%$34,650
20165088014% (73)13%$25,885
20156369914% (91)None$34,442
20148531299% (78)None$50,776
20138721065% (41)None$42,448

Part D prescriptions only. A drug prescribed to fewer than 11 people in a year is hidden.

See the drugs prescribed each year

2023: 7 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2023
Xtampza Er13$5,188$399
Quetiapine21$869$41
Fluocinonide13$857$66
Olanzapine12$356$30
Escitalopram13$247$19
Methadone14$240$17
Oxycodone19$221$12

2022: 9 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2022
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen21$1,342$64
Quetiapine24$939$39
Omeprazole12$349$29
Methadone17$237$14
Trimethoprim11$228$21
Olanzapine11$195$18
Clonazepam18$134$7
Midodrine11$131$12
Tramadol11$113$10

2021: 10 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2021
Quetiapine57$964$17
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen14$608$43
Nitroglycerin Patch12$509$42
Mirtazapine15$279$19
Oxycodone12$223$19
Methadone18$211$12
Furosemide19$162$9
Clonazepam23$107$5
Zolpidem11$92$8
Tramadol19$69$4

2020: 8 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2020
Apokyn11$169,173$15,379
Quetiapine39$562$14
Oxycodone11$407$37
Mirtazapine12$240$20
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen20$232$12
Furosemide19$174$9
Clonazepam17$60$4
Tramadol17$29$2

2019: 8 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2019
Apokyn17$210,164$12,363
Olanzapine13$799$61
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen23$422$18
Mirtazapine15$320$21
Zolpidem15$231$15
Quetiapine15$145$10
Furosemide15$121$8
Clonazepam13$24$2

2018: 16 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2018
Advair Diskus11$5,798$527
Carafate11$5,215$474
Bumetanide12$1,050$88
Olanzapine13$878$68
Mirtazapine27$606$22
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen18$453$25
Quetiapine17$358$21
Carbidopa-Levodopa14$246$18
Zolpidem23$153$7
Hydrochlorothiazide13$105$8
Furosemide16$94$6
Lorazepam12$73$6
Amlodipine Besylate17$72$4
Losartan11$61$6
Tramadol13$34$3
Clonazepam14$26$2

2017: 22 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2017
Carafate20$5,343$267
Divalproex Sodium Er14$2,377$170
Fentanyl11$1,394$127
Aripiprazole14$1,220$87
Quetiapine39$1,126$29
Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate12$808$67
Oxycodone17$737$43
Mirtazapine22$364$17
Morphine Sulfate18$352$20
Potassium Chloride12$331$28
Hydralazine12$250$21
Furosemide21$215$10
Zolpidem19$209$11
Escitalopram23$173$8
Lorazepam23$150$7
Hydrochlorothiazide15$103$7
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen11$100$9
Donepezil16$97$6
Amlodipine Besylate21$92$4
Lisinopril16$88$6
Citalopram Hbr14$78$6
Losartan13$67$5

2016: 15 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2016
Oxycontin17$7,545$444
Potassium Chloride23$740$32
Oxycodone18$490$27
Mirtazapine14$420$30
Quetiapine16$324$20
Anastrozole12$255$21
Morphine Sulfate17$248$15
Lorazepam26$246$9
Lisinopril20$198$10
Citalopram Hbr25$160$6
Amlodipine Besylate15$140$9
Metoprolol19$105$6
Hydrochlorothiazide16$98$6
Donepezil14$93$7
Furosemide11$53$5

2015: 21 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2015
Oxycontin16$5,887$368
Fentanyl30$3,337$111
Famotidine20$1,019$51
Mirtazapine11$866$79
Potassium Chloride20$573$29
Quetiapine14$569$41
Acetylcysteine12$383$32
Morphine Sulfate20$361$18
Carbidopa-Levodopa13$324$25
Levothyroxine18$254$14
Amlodipine Besylate23$192$8
Lorazepam28$170$6
Hydralazine13$169$13
Anastrozole12$147$12
Omeprazole11$134$12
Atenolol13$127$10
Furosemide19$109$6
Escitalopram12$100$8
Hydrochlorothiazide13$97$7
Citalopram Hbr16$90$6
Gabapentin12$37$3

2014: 24 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2014
Advair Diskus17$7,696$453
Spiriva11$3,815$347
Fentanyl17$3,010$177
Quetiapine50$960$19
Famotidine15$525$35
Baclofen13$357$27
Donepezil26$337$13
Levothyroxine24$334$14
Morphine Sulfate12$251$21
Escitalopram17$247$15
Triamcinolone Acetonide18$237$13
Amlodipine Besylate31$235$8
Sertraline30$230$8
Simvastatin19$230$12
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen13$229$18
Omeprazole19$216$11
Oxycodone12$196$16
Warfarin16$163$10
Atenolol12$109$9
Zolpidem13$105$8
Lorazepam12$103$9
Metformin12$83$7
Trazodone15$69$5
Furosemide16$50$3

2013: 25 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2013
Spiriva11$4,069$370
Donepezil46$2,607$57
Olanzapine12$2,077$173
Flovent Hfa11$1,448$132
Quetiapine24$1,119$47
Mupirocin33$548$17
Triamcinolone Acetonide28$473$17
Amlodipine Besylate50$382$8
Tamsulosin18$348$19
Ipratropium17$314$18
Pravastatin11$305$28
Levothyroxine31$290$9
Morphine Sulfate15$282$19
Nifedical Xl12$258$21
Alendronate22$213$10
Gabapentin17$176$10
Atenolol18$163$9
Baclofen13$159$12
Furosemide21$156$7
Simvastatin14$153$11
Omeprazole14$116$8
Ranitidine12$115$10
Sertraline12$115$10
Clonidine11$104$9
Metoprolol12$54$5

Money from drug and device companies

$21 in 2024

A payment is not proof that care is biased.

Payments by company
Kite PharmaYescarta$21
1 payment
  • Meals for Yescarta · 2024-09-23 · $21
See the published payment
Every published payment
Kite PharmaMeals · 2024-09-23Yescarta$21

Professional record

NPI
1053377580
Licence
CA A77926California A77926: Current · expires 2027-12-31
Trained
University of Missouri, Kansas City, School of Medicine, 1999
Video visits
Lists video visits
Gender
Male
More record details
Sole proprietor
No
Medicaid ID
CA 00A779260
Taxonomy
Federal specialty code 207RH0002X (207RH0002X); Federal specialty code 207RG0300X (207RG0300X)
Mailing address
325 Distel Cir, Los Altos, CA, 94022
NPI first listed
2006-04-24
NPI last updated
2020-05-28
NPI record certified
2020-05-28

This is when the NPI record was last certified, not a medical board exam.