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Cary D Alberstone, MD

Neurosurgery · Oxnard

NPI 1346253689

Medicare standing
Clear
Enrolled, allowed to bill and order, not excluded
Plans that list them
Not verified
Not the same as out of network.
Office
1
Since medical school
35 years
Graduated 1991

Offices

1 location

Looking this up.

Hospitals listed: St Johns Regional Medical Center. That is not proof they admit you there this week.

Plan participation

Not verified

We could not verify current plan participation for this doctor. This does not mean they are out of network. Call Dr. Alberstone’s office at (805) 983-1700 to ask if they take your plan before you enroll.

California Medical Board record

Licence G76620 · Current

Licensed to practise in California · since 1993 · expires 2027-04-30 · Albany Medical College of Union University.

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

Hospitals they work in

1 hospital

These rate the hospital, not this clinician. Most measures at most hospitals are no different from the national rate.

  • St Johns Regional Medical CenterOxnard, CAAcute Care Hospital · Voluntary non-profit - Private · Has an emergency department · Birthing-friendlyPart of CommonSpirit Health, which runs 145 hospitals in 19 statesPatients rate it 3 of 5 · 68% would definitely recommend it
    Overall rating: 4 of 5 starsBetter than the national rate — Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complications: 130.06 (90.32 to 169.81) · 120 cases, Jul 2022 – Jun 2024Better than the national rate — Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): 0.404, Oct 2024 – Sep 2025
See every measure and the patient survey for St Johns Regional Medical Center

Behind the star rating — Deaths: 2 better, 6 the same, 0 worse of 8 measures. Safety: 2 better, 5 the same, 0 worse of 7 measures. Readmissions: 1 better, 9 the same, 1 worse of 11 measures. The star rating is worked out from an earlier period than the measures below, so the two can disagree.

Every scored measure at St Johns Regional Medical Center
Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complicationsComplications and deaths130.06 (90.32 to 169.81) · 120 casesBetterJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff)Infections0.404BetterOct 2024 – Sep 2025
Abdominopelvic accidental puncture or laceration rateComplications and deaths0.8 (0 to 1.75) · 1,494 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
CMS Medicare PSI 90: Patient safety and adverse events compositeComplications and deaths0.85 (0.56 to 1.14)No differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Death rate for CABG surgery patientsComplications and deaths2 · 40 casesNoneJul 2022 – Jun 2025
Death rate for COPD patientsComplications and deaths8.8 · 159 casesNoneJul 2022 – Jun 2025
Death rate for heart attack patientsComplications and deaths8.7 · 279 casesNoneJul 2022 – Jun 2025
Death rate for heart failure patientsComplications and deaths10.1 · 580 casesNoneJul 2022 – Jun 2025
Death rate for pneumonia patientsComplications and deaths14.6 · 654 casesNoneJul 2022 – Jun 2025
Death rate for stroke patientsComplications and deaths10.6 · 380 casesNoneJul 2023 – Jun 2025
Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Risk Standardized Mortality RateComplications and deaths3.2 · 3,404 casesNoneJul 2024 – Jun 2025
Iatrogenic pneumothorax rateComplications and deaths0.18 (0 to 0.37) · 8,124 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
In-hospital fall-associated fracture rateComplications and deaths0.2 (0.01 to 0.39) · 8,331 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rateComplications and deaths3.92 (1.89 to 5.95) · 1,414 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis rateComplications and deaths2.17 (0.6 to 3.75) · 412 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Postoperative hemorrhage or hematoma rateComplications and deaths1.94 (0.46 to 3.43) · 1,361 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Postoperative respiratory failure rateComplications and deaths6.75 (0.73 to 12.78) · 439 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Postoperative sepsis rateComplications and deaths6.94 (3.39 to 10.49) · 383 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Postoperative wound dehiscence rateComplications and deaths1.94 (0.47 to 3.41) · 325 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Pressure ulcer rateComplications and deaths0.11 (0 to 0.67) · 7,172 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Rate of complications for hip/knee replacement patientsComplications and deaths4 · 88 casesNoneApr 2023 – Mar 2025
Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards)Infections0.236No differentOct 2024 – Sep 2025
Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards)Infections0.331No differentOct 2024 – Sep 2025
MRSA BacteremiaInfections1.571No differentOct 2024 – Sep 2025
SSI - Colon SurgeryInfections0.737No differentOct 2024 – Sep 2025
Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) 30-Day Readmission RateUnplanned return visits14.7 · 336 casesNoneJul 2023 – Jun 2025
Heart failure (HF) 30-Day Readmission RateUnplanned return visits21.8 · 715 casesNoneJul 2023 – Jun 2025
Hospital return days for heart attack patientsUnplanned return visits-8.1 · 284 casesNoneJul 2022 – Jun 2025
Hospital return days for heart failure patientsUnplanned return visits6.6 · 648 casesNoneJul 2022 – Jun 2025
Hospital return days for pneumonia patientsUnplanned return visits-9.1 · 674 casesNoneJul 2022 – Jun 2025
Pneumonia (PN) 30-Day Readmission RateUnplanned return visits15.9 · 670 casesNoneJul 2023 – Jun 2025
Rate of emergency department (ED) visits for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapyUnplanned return visits6.8 (5.2 to 8.9) · 428 casesNo differentJan 2024 – Dec 2024
Rate of inpatient admissions for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapyUnplanned return visits10.8 (8.6 to 13.5) · 428 casesNo differentJan 2024 – Dec 2024
Rate of readmission after hip/knee replacementUnplanned return visits5.9 · 98 casesNoneJul 2023 – Jun 2025
Rate of readmission for CABGUnplanned return visits12.3 · 49 casesNoneJul 2023 – Jun 2025
Rate of readmission for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patientsUnplanned return visits20.1 · 196 casesNoneJul 2023 – Jun 2025
Rate of unplanned hospital visits after colonoscopy (per 1,000 colonoscopies)Unplanned return visits14 (10.5 to 18.8) · 247 casesNo differentJan 2022 – Dec 2024
Ratio of unplanned hospital visits after hospital outpatient surgeryUnplanned return visits0.9 (0.7 to 1.2) · 486 casesNo differentJan 2024 – Dec 2024

What patients said (1,151 patients answered, 18% of those asked)

Patient survey stars by topic at St Johns Regional Medical Center
Cleanliness3
Nurse communication3
Doctor communication3
Communication about medicines3
Discharge information3
Overall hospital rating3
Quietness2
Recommend hospital3
Share of patients giving the best answer at St Johns Regional Medical Center
Room was "always" clean70%
Nurses "always" communicated well78%
Doctors "always" communicated well76%
Staff "always" explained63%
Yes, staff "did" give patients this information86%
Yes, staff "did" give patients information about help after discharge86%
Doctors "always" explained things so they could understand71%
Doctors "always" listened carefully74%
Doctors "always" treated them with courtesy and respect83%
Patients who gave a rating of "9" or "10" (high)70%
Staff "always" explained new medications76%
Nurses "always" explained things so they could understand73%
Nurses "always" listened carefully74%
Nurses "always" treated them with courtesy and respect85%
"Always" quiet at night46%
"YES", patients would definitely recommend the hospital68%
Staff "always" explained possible side effects50%
Yes, staff "did" give patients information about possible symptoms87%

Original Medicare doctor bills

$40,842

Medicare paid this office $40,842 for 114 people.

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

Largest Original Medicare bills
New patient visit (45+ min)79$10,713$136
Return visit (30+ min)49$7,974$104

Procedures Medicare counted

Procedure volume Medicare published
Laminectomy or laminotomy (partial removal of spine bones)19More than 47% of doctors who do this
Spinal fusion1-10None

Procedures year by year

Procedures billed to Original Medicare by year
Procedure201920202021202220232024
Partial removal of spine bone with release of spinal cord and/or nerves, each additional segment2732––––
Partial removal of spine bone with release of lower spinal cord and/or nerves, 1 segment1613––––

Times billed to Original Medicare each year. A blank year means fewer than 11 people had it, or none: Medicare does not publish smaller counts. Medicare Advantage patients are not included.

Who their Medicare patients are

114 Original Medicare patients in 2024. Average age 76 · Women 57% · Also on Medicaid 20% · Health risk score 1.29. At or below the middle of the specialty; the typical neurosurgery clinician is at 1.46.

Conditions among them: High blood pressure 75% · Diabetes 39% · Coronary heart disease 30% · Depression 25% · Chronic kidney disease 23% · Atrial fibrillation 23% · Heart failure 18% · Stroke 15% · Cancer 11% · COPD 10%.

The office billed $252,532, Medicare allowed $52,346 and paid $40,842; for 212 services of 15 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
2024114212761.29$252,532$40,842
2023107201751.38$263,836$41,912
2022112200761.23$233,507$41,622
2021170295741.91$394,326$66,585
2020151284741.83$481,427$70,912
2019207389731.82$521,742$81,661
2018222514741.64$816,102$109,218
2017239471741.65$658,150$87,065
2016284663741.55$1,067,372$147,876
2015302636731.58$782,712$117,092
2014331762731.63$1,276,989$170,841
2013313623741.63$907,880$133,163

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: 3 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2023
New patient visit (45+ min)75$10,117$135
Return visit (30+ min)41$6,008$105
Short return visit (20+ min)18$1,859$77

2022: 3 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2022
Return visit (30+ min)49$7,601$109
New patient visit (45+ min)52$7,414$143
Initial hospital care with moderate level of medical decision making at least 75 minutes18$2,984$166

2021: 3 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2021
New patient visit (45+ min)84$11,982$143
Return visit (30+ min)56$8,879$114
Initial hospital care with moderate level of medical decision making at least 75 minutes35$5,915$169

2020: 5 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2020
Partial removal of spine bone with release of lower spinal cord and/or nerves, 1 segment13$11,679$898
New patient visit (45+ min)60$7,762$129
Initial hospital care with moderate level of medical decision making at least 75 minutes43$7,440$173
Return visit (30+ min)53$7,044$91
Partial removal of spine bone with release of spinal cord and/or nerves, each additional segment14$5,730$179

2019: 6 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2019
Partial removal of spine bone with release of lower spinal cord and/or nerves, 1 segment16$13,419$839
New patient visit (45+ min)98$13,278$135
Return visit (30+ min)84$12,603$92
Initial hospital care with moderate level of medical decision making at least 75 minutes36$6,249$169
Partial removal of spine bone with release of spinal cord and/or nerves, each additional segment16$4,735$175
Short return visit (20+ min)26$1,609$60

2018: 7 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2018
Partial removal of spine bone with release of lower spinal cord and/or nerves, 1 segment21$16,062$765
Return visit (30+ min)99$11,826$82
New patient visit (45+ min)89$11,424$128
Initial hospital care with moderate level of medical decision making at least 75 minutes54$8,796$160
Partial removal of spine bone with release of spinal cord and/or nerves, each additional segment22$7,596$165
Short return visit (20+ min)48$3,482$54
Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 50 minutes16$1,315$82

2017: 7 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2017
Partial removal of spine bone with release of lower spinal cord and/or nerves, 1 segment22$18,097$823
New patient visit (45+ min)86$10,611$123
Initial hospital care with moderate level of medical decision making at least 75 minutes52$8,114$156
Partial removal of spine bone with release of spinal cord and/or nerves, each additional segment23$6,463$166
Return visit (30+ min)61$6,402$78
Short return visit (20+ min)71$6,373$55
New patient visit (30+ min)16$1,303$81

2016: 11 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2016
Fusion of upper spine bone with removal of disc and release of spinal cord or nerve, 1 disc19$26,140$1,376
Partial removal of spine bone with release of lower spinal cord and/or nerves, 1 segment23$20,140$876
Short return visit (20+ min)122$11,807$58
New patient visit (45+ min)80$10,376$130
Partial removal of spine bone with release of spinal cord and/or nerves, each additional segment26$7,626$173
Initial hospital care with moderate level of medical decision making at least 75 minutes45$7,513$163
Fusion of upper spine bone with removal of disc and release of spinal cord or nerve, each additional disc15$6,864$327
Return visit (30+ min)59$5,929$87
New patient visit (30+ min)53$4,371$82
Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 50 minutes12$1,341$84
Graft of donor bone to spine13$1,191$92

2015: 8 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2015
Partial removal of spine bone with release of lower spinal cord and/or nerves, 1 segment27$23,675$877
Short return visit (20+ min)142$14,801$60
New patient visit (45+ min)70$9,543$136
Partial removal of spine bone with release of spinal cord and/or nerves, each additional segment26$9,378$177
New patient visit (30+ min)85$7,140$84
Initial hospital care with moderate level of medical decision making at least 75 minutes41$6,831$167
Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 50 minutes15$2,311$83
Return visit (30+ min)22$1,980$86

2014: 10 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2014
Partial removal of spine bone with release of lower spinal cord and/or nerves, 1 segment39$31,195$800
Short return visit (20+ min)133$13,243$61
Partial removal of spine bone with release of spinal cord and/or nerves, each additional segment39$12,004$177
New patient visit (45+ min)75$10,476$140
New patient visit (30+ min)109$9,905$91
Partial removal of spine bone with release of lower spinal cord or nerves and/or removal of disc11$5,746$522
Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 50 minutes42$4,430$87
Initial hospital care with moderate level of medical decision making at least 75 minutes19$3,221$170
Return visit (30+ min)31$3,145$93
Short return visit (20+ min)14$600$43

2013: 9 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2013
Partial removal of spine bone with release of lower spinal cord and/or nerves, 1 segment28$24,080$860
Short return visit (20+ min)115$11,124$61
New patient visit (30+ min)107$9,794$92
Partial removal of spine bone with release of spinal cord and/or nerves, each additional segment29$9,515$170
New patient visit (45+ min)65$8,747$135
Initial hospital care with moderate level of medical decision making at least 75 minutes44$7,168$163
Return visit (30+ min)26$2,391$89
Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 50 minutes14$1,697$85
Initial hospital care with straightforward or low-level medical decision making at least 55 minutes11$1,226$111

Drugs they prescribed that Part D paid

$3,312

Pharmacies billed $3,312 in 2024.

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

Opioids were 37% of their Part D prescriptions (94 of 254) in 2024. Above the middle of the specialty; the typical neurosurgery clinician is at 28%. Surgeons prescribe little besides pain medicine after an operation, so their opioid share runs high.

249 generic and fewer than 11 brand-name prescriptions · $3,312 in drug cost.

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
Oxycodone-Acetaminophen51$1,244$24
Gabapentin61$547$9
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen22$287$13
Pregabalin20$173$9
Tramadol20$126$6
See all 7 drugs
Every Part D drug this clinician prescribed
Oxycodone-Acetaminophen51$1,244$24
Gabapentin61$547$9
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen22$287$13
Pregabalin20$173$9
Tramadol20$126$6
Methylprednisolone14$93$7
Meloxicam30$67$2

Year by year

Part D prescribing by year
20242548137% (94)None$3,312
20232057744% (90)0%$2,676
20222938852% (151)None$4,427
20213408150% (169)0%$7,610
20202697249% (131)None$4,232
20192347742% (98)None$8,599
20182658840% (107)7%$16,156
201725610240% (101)5%$13,403
201642811044% (188)3%$17,036
201544911644% (199)4%$21,090
20144419845% (200)3%$14,216
201340010551% (203)7%$11,714

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

See the drugs prescribed each year

2023: 5 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2023
Oxycodone-Acetaminophen47$692$15
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen37$542$15
Gabapentin43$517$12
Pregabalin14$207$15
Naproxen20$181$9

2022: 7 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2022
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen74$1,327$18
Oxycodone-Acetaminophen50$1,043$21
Gabapentin59$682$12
Tramadol24$180$7
Naproxen19$170$9
Methylprednisolone17$138$8
Cyclobenzaprine11$94$9

2021: 6 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2021
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen81$1,859$23
Oxycodone-Acetaminophen76$1,601$21
Gabapentin74$750$10
Naproxen24$220$9
Methylprednisolone17$139$8
Tramadol12$87$7

2020: 7 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2020
Oxycodone-Acetaminophen88$2,083$24
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen36$656$18
Gabapentin45$524$12
Ibuprofen12$152$13
Amitriptyline12$145$12
Methylprednisolone19$138$7
Naproxen11$116$11

2019: 5 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2019
Oxycodone-Acetaminophen58$1,202$21
Gabapentin46$911$20
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen31$665$21
Naproxen32$288$9
Cyclobenzaprine14$113$8

2018: 7 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2018
Lyrica17$11,891$699
Oxycodone-Acetaminophen50$1,350$27
Gabapentin55$1,065$19
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen37$646$17
Naproxen39$346$9
Tramadol19$167$9
Cyclobenzaprine12$55$5

2017: 6 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2017
Lyrica11$6,567$597
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen33$3,337$101
Oxycodone-Acetaminophen44$1,054$24
Gabapentin56$982$18
Naproxen42$326$8
Tramadol24$171$7

2016: 6 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2016
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen71$3,828$54
Oxycodone-Acetaminophen73$2,329$32
Gabapentin104$1,970$19
Naproxen57$477$8
Tramadol41$294$7
Amitriptyline14$139$10

2015: 8 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2015
Lyrica16$7,106$444
Oxycodone-Acetaminophen91$2,942$32
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen68$1,863$27
Gabapentin85$1,123$13
Carisoprodol15$575$38
Naproxen65$409$6
Methylprednisolone18$380$21
Tramadol33$209$6

2014: 8 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2014
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen96$2,376$25
Oxycodone-Acetaminophen59$1,923$33
Gabapentin79$1,812$23
Naproxen72$599$8
Carisoprodol12$450$37
Endocet11$429$39
Methylprednisolone16$349$22
Tramadol25$145$6

2013: 8 drugs

Part D drugs prescribed in 2013
Gabapentin77$1,618$21
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen101$1,494$15
Oxycodone-Acetaminophen39$560$14
Oxycodone Hcl-Acetaminophen11$554$50
Carisoprodol16$405$25
Naproxen41$387$9
Methylprednisolone13$307$24
Tramadol32$251$8

Money from drug and device companies

$83 in 2022

Industry payments by year
202212None$83
202122None$132
202015None$379

Paid work is consulting, speaking, honoraria and royalties, as opposed to meals and travel.

A payment is not proof that care is biased.

Payments by company
DePuy Synthes SalesSymphony$83
2 payments
  • Meals for Matrix · 2022-08-01 · $40
  • Meals for Symphony · 2022-01-17 · $43
See all 2 published payments
Every published payment
DePuy Synthes SalesMeals · 2022-08-01Matrix$40
DePuy Synthes SalesMeals · 2022-01-17Symphony$43
See earlier years (2021, 2020)

2021: $132

Payments by company in 2021
DePuy Synthes SalesSymphony$108
1 payment
  • Meals for Symphony · 2021-08-27 · $108
BiogenAduhelm$24
1 payment
  • Meals for Aduhelm · 2021-09-29 · $24

2020: $379

Payments by company in 2020
DePuy Synthes SalesVivigen$379
5 payments
  • Meals for Vivigen · 2020-11-09 · $9
  • Meals for Brainlab · 2020-01-25 · $34
  • Meals for Matrix · 2020-01-25 · $100
  • Meals for Vivigen · 2020-01-24 · $122
  • Meals for Synapse · 2020-01-23 · $114

Professional record

NPI
1346253689
Licence
CA G76620California G76620: Current · expires 2027-04-30
Gender
Male
More record details
Sole proprietor
No
Medicaid ID
CA 00G766200
Taxonomy
Federal specialty code 207T00000X (207T00000X)
Mailing address
1700 N Rose Ave, Suite 250, Oxnard, CA, 93030
NPI first listed
2006-08-15
NPI last updated
2007-07-08

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