Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Ajay Desai, M.D.
Optician · Bakersfield, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
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. Desai 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 →
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What this data tells you about Dr. Desai
Dr. Ajay Desai is an optician specialist in Bakersfield, CA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Desai performed 3,723 Medicare services across 783 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Desai received a total of $9,443 from 74 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 452 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in optician. 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. Desai 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 23% volume in CA
$9,443 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗3,723
Medicare services
Top 23% in CA for optician
783
Unique beneficiaries
$200
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~186 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CT guidance for radiation therapy This procedure uses computed tomography imaging to guide the precise placement of radiation therapy fields. It ensures accurate positioning for targeted treatment delivery. |
1,133 | $102 | $473 |
| Intensity-modulated radiation therapy delivery Delivery of radiation therapy using narrow beams that are spatially and temporally modulated to target specific areas. This process is performed per treatment session. |
1,094 | $307 | $1,447 |
| 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. |
230 | $93 | $502 |
| Radiation treatment management, 5 sessions Oversight and management of a radiation therapy course consisting of five treatment sessions. |
219 | $156 | $725 |
| Continuing radiation therapy consultation per week A weekly consultation to review and manage ongoing radiation therapy treatment. |
211 | $73 | $310 |
| Design and construction of complex radiation treatment device This code covers the design and construction of a complex radiation treatment device. It does not specify the clinical purpose or conditions treated. |
170 | $104 | $484 |
| Calculation of radiation therapy dose | 127 | $51 | $252 |
| Leuprolide acetate (for depot suspension), 7.5 mg | 81 | $131 | $800 |
| High precision radiation therapy planning This procedure involves the detailed planning and setup required for delivering high-precision radiation therapy to a target area of the body. |
73 | $1,551 | $7,256 |
| Design and construction of radiation treatment device This code covers the design and construction of a device used for high precision radiation therapy. It does not include the actual administration of radiation treatment. |
73 | $386 | $1,801 |
| Subcutaneous or intramuscular chemotherapy injection This procedure involves administering anti-cancer hormonal medication through an injection into the tissue under the skin or into a muscle. |
63 | $28 | $128 |
| Radiation treatment planning, complex This procedure involves obtaining the necessary data to develop an optimal radiation treatment plan for three or more treatment areas, or any number of areas requiring special treatment. |
61 | $379 | $1,884 |
| Complex radiation therapy planning | 57 | $137 | $642 |
| 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. |
28 | $44 | $353 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 45 and 59 minutes. This code covers the total time spent by the physician or qualified healthcare professional on the date of the encounter. |
24 | $121 | $650 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 24 | $179 | $857 |
| Design and construction of simple radiation treatment device This code covers the design and construction of a simple radiation treatment device. It does not specify the clinical purpose or condition being treated. |
20 | $32 | $160 |
| Initial hospital admission, high complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 75 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
19 | $125 | $767 |
| Special radiation treatment | 16 | $115 | $506 |
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 2024 ↗$9,443
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,349/year across 7 years
Top 15% in CA for optician
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
74
Companies
452
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
$9,284 (98.3%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$159 (1.7%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$810
2023
$735
2022
$1,117
2021
$537
2020
$1,501
2019
$2,731
2018
$2,012
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Sirtex Medical Inc
$124
Kite Pharma, Inc.
$121
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$87
Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC
$68
Exelixis Inc.
$54
PFIZER INC.
$47
GENZYME CORPORATION
$38
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$32
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$32
PharmaEssentia USA Corporation
$30
Stemline Therapeutics Inc.
$30
Genentech USA, Inc.
$27
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$27
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$24
TAIHO ONCOLOGY, INC.
$20
Incyte Corporation
$19
Deciphera Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$18
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$13
Top 3 companies account for 40.9% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$1,190
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$808
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$470
Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$389
Amgen Inc.
$351
Incyte Corporation
$350
GENZYME CORPORATION
$342
Genentech USA, Inc.
$321
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$303
Pharmacyclics LLC, An AbbVie Company
$263
TESARO, Inc.
$257
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$220
Exelixis Inc.
$220
Puma Biotechnology, Inc.
$208
Seattle Genetics, Inc.
$194
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$189
Celgene Corporation
$175
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$162
Lilly USA, LLC
$138
Dendreon Pharmaceuticals LLC
$137
Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company
$136
Eisai Inc.
$135
PFIZER INC.
$129
Sirtex Medical Inc
$124
Kite Pharma, Inc.
$121
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$109
Octapharma USA, Inc.
$107
Novocure Inc.
$91
Stemline Therapeutics Inc.
$90
TerSera Therapeutics LLC
$87
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc.
$86
Seagen Inc.
$84
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc
$83
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$78
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$74
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$71
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$71
Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC
$68
Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc.
$66
MEDIVATION FIELD SOLUTIONS LLC
$59
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$59
Elekta, Inc.
$44
Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$42
AbbVie, Inc.
$41
Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc.
$40
AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$39
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$36
Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
$35
SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
$32
Palette Life Sciences, Inc.
$31
PharmaEssentia USA Corporation
$30
AbbVie Inc.
$30
Boston Scientific Corporation
$29
PALETTE LIFE SCIENCES, INC.
$27
RefleXion Medical, Inc.
$25
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$24
MorphoSys, US Inc.
$24
R-Pharm US LLC
$23
Blue Earth Diagnostics Limited
$23
EISAI INC.
$22
Abbott Laboratories
$21
TG THERAPEUTICS, INC.
$21
DAVOL INC.
$20
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$20
TAIHO ONCOLOGY, INC.
$20
Aurobindo Pharma USA, Inc.
$20
EUSA Pharma (US) LLC
$19
Deciphera Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$18
Heron Therapeutics, Inc.
$16
Dova Pharmaceuticals
$15
SECURA BIO, INC.
$14
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$13
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$9
Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$6
Top 3 companies account for 26.1% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ADCETRIS · ALUNBRIG · AMPLATZER · ARISTA AH · AVASTIN · Avastin · Axumin · BENDEKA · BESREMI · BRAC CDx · Beleodaq · CABLIVI · CABOMETYX · CALQUENCE · CINVANTI · COPIKTRA · CYRAMZA · Cabometyx · DARZALEX · Doptelet · ELITEK · EMPLICITI · ENJAYMO · ERLEADA · Erivedge · Erleada · FASLODEX · FERAHEME · FLEXITRON HDR · FRUZAQLA · Folotyn · GENERAL THERAPIES · IBRANCE · IMBRUVICA · INJECTAFER · INLYTA · Imbruvica · Ixempra · JAKAFI · KANJINTI · KEYTRUDA · KISQALI · Kyprolis · LIBTAYO · LONSURF · LUMAKRAS · LUPRON DEPOT · LYNPARZA · Lenvima · MONJUVI · MVASI · MYRISK · NERLYNX · NINLARO · Nerlynx · Neulasta · Nubeqa · OPDIVO · Oncology · Optune · Orserdu · PROMACTA · PROVENGE · Perjeta · Pomalyst · QINLOCK · REFLEXION MEDICAL RADIOTHERAPY SYSTEM · RETEVMO · RYBREVANT · Radiation Oncology · Revlimid · Rezlidhia · SARCLISA · SCEMBLIX · SIR-Spheres Microspheres · SPACEOAR · SPACEOAR VUE · Stivarga · Sylvant · TAGRISSO · TECVAYLI · TUKYSA · Tecentriq · TrueBeam · UKONIQ · ULTOMIRIS · Ultomiris · VENCLEXTA · VERZENIO · Venclexta · WILATE - VON WILLEBRAND FACTOR/COAGULATION FACTOR VIII COMPLEX (HUMAN) · XPOVIO · XTANDI · Xermelo · Xospata · YONSA · ZEJULA · ZEPZELCA · ZYTIGA · Zevalin
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 (98%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Opticians within 10 mi
61
Per 100K population
6.7
County median income
$67,660
Nearest hospital
BAKERSFIELD BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE HOSPITAL, LLC
0.0 mi
0.0 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 2024 |
| 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. Desai is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 23% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 15% of CA 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. Desai experienced with ct guidance for radiation therapy?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Desai performed 1,133 ct guidance for radiation therapy 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. Desai receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Desai received a total of $9,443 from 74 companies across 452 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. Desai's costs compare to other opticians in Bakersfield?
Dr. Desai's average Medicare payment per service is $200. 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. Desai) 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.
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