Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Sandeep Thakkar, D.O.
Neurology · Irvine, CA
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Speaking/Promotional
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. Thakkar 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. Thakkar
Dr. Sandeep Thakkar is a neurology specialist in Irvine, CA, with 17 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Thakkar performed 136,659 Medicare services across 1,991 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Thakkar received a total of $1,979,642 from 46 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 3319 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in neurology. The majority of payments are for speaking programs and promotional activities, reflecting participation in industry-sponsored events. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Thakkar 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.
✓ 17 years in practice
▲ Top 0% volume in CA
$1,979,642 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗136,659
Medicare services
Top 0% in CA for neurology
1,991
Unique beneficiaries
$9
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~8,039 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botox injection, per unit An injection of onabotulinumtoxinA, a medication used to temporarily relax muscles or reduce gland activity. The dose is measured in units, with this code representing a single unit administered. |
113,500 | $5 | $10 |
| Botox injection (Xeomin), per unit An injection of incobotulinumtoxin A, a botulinum toxin type A product, administered in a quantity of one unit. |
17,600 | $4 | $10 |
| Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) An office or outpatient visit for an existing patient lasting between 40 and 54 minutes. This level of service is determined by the total time spent on the date of the encounter. |
2,065 | $144 | $250 |
| Rimabotulinumtoxinb injection, 100 units An injection of rimabotulinumtoxinb administered in a dose of 100 units. |
1,350 | $10 | $20 |
| Chemical paralysis of salivary glands, bilateral Injection of a chemical agent to paralyze the salivary glands on both sides of the mouth. |
289 | $97 | $155 |
| Chemical nerve block injection, 5+ arm/leg muscles Injection of a chemical agent to paralyze five or more muscles in the first extremity treated. |
280 | $144 | $246 |
| Chemical nerve block for neck muscles Injection of a chemical agent to paralyze specific muscles on the side of the neck, excluding the voice box. |
249 | $159 | $300 |
| Injection of chemical for paralysis of nerve muscles on arm or leg, 1-4 muscles, each additional extremity | 233 | $79 | $175 |
| Chemical nerve block injection, 1-4 muscles An injection of a chemical agent to paralyze specific muscles in an arm or leg. This procedure targets one to four muscles in the first extremity treated. |
232 | $120 | $200 |
| Brain stimulator programming, additional 15 minutes Electronic analysis and programming of an implanted brain neurostimulator generator by a qualified health professional. This code applies to each additional 15-minute increment beyond the initial service. |
188 | $36 | $60 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 147 | $172 | $300 |
| 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. |
137 | $107 | $175 |
| Brain stimulator programming, first 15 minutes Electronic analysis of an implanted brain, spinal cord, or peripheral neurostimulator generator. This service includes programming the brain stimulator by a qualified health professional for the first 15 minutes. |
113 | $41 | $70 |
| Chemical nerve paralysis injection, each additional extremity Injection of a chemical agent to paralyze nerves and muscles in an additional arm or leg. This is billed for each extremity beyond the first one treated. |
100 | $103 | $175 |
| Chemical nerve block for facial paralysis Injection of a chemical agent to paralyze specific nerves or muscles on the side of the face. |
45 | $172 | $238 |
| 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. |
39 | $70 | $125 |
| Electronic analysis of implanted neurostimulator Electronic evaluation of an implanted brain, spinal cord, or peripheral nerve stimulator device. |
31 | $15 | $100 |
| Home health plan of care certification Certification by a physician or allowed practitioner for Medicare-covered home health services under a home health plan of care. This includes contacting the home health agency and reviewing reports of patient status required by physicians. |
28 | $46 | $75 |
| Neuropsychological test evaluation, first hour A professional assessment of cognitive and behavioral functioning using standardized tests. This service covers the initial hour of the evaluation process. |
21 | $110 | $175 |
| Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
12 | $36 | $52 |
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 ↗$1,979,642
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $282,806/year across 7 years
Top 0% in CA for neurology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
46
Companies
3,319
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.
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$1,879,879 (95.0%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$74,801 (3.8%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$24,962 (1.3%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$264,904
2023
$233,213
2022
$279,736
2021
$296,044
2020
$202,543
2019
$351,814
2018
$351,387
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.
$87,288
Medtronic, Inc.
$55,090
ABBVIE INC.
$36,144
MDD US Operations, LLC
$19,609
Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC
$17,264
ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc
$14,484
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$14,458
Kyowa Kirin, Inc.
$13,219
Acorda Therapeutics, Inc
$3,436
Merz Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$3,035
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc
$181
Lilly USA, LLC
$160
PFIZER INC.
$153
MITSUBISHI TANABE PHARMA AMERICA, INC.
$115
REVANCE THERAPEUTICS, INC.
$95
Avion Pharmaceuticals
$89
Boston Scientific Corporation
$51
Eisai Inc.
$20
NEUROPACE, INC.
$15
Top 3 companies account for 67.4% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.
$361,695
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$254,030
Medtronic, Inc.
$209,551
ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc
$173,348
AbbVie, Inc.
$130,541
Acorda Therapeutics, Inc
$95,138
AbbVie Inc.
$94,932
ABBVIE INC.
$82,388
Neurocrine BioSciences, Inc.
$80,775
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.
$74,537
Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC
$72,100
Kyowa Kirin, Inc.
$71,908
Allergan, Inc.
$61,730
Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$56,408
MDD US Operations, LLC
$50,180
Allergan Inc.
$30,474
US WorldMeds, LLC
$18,679
UCB, Inc.
$18,119
Merz North America, Inc.
$16,090
Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$8,549
Merz Pharmaceuticals, LLC
$7,632
Boston Scientific Corporation
$6,092
Avion Pharmaceuticals
$1,804
Lilly USA, LLC
$353
Abbott Laboratories
$340
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc
$307
Amgen Inc.
$292
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$275
PFIZER INC.
$239
Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
$201
INSIGHTEC,INC
$159
MITSUBISHI TANABE PHARMA AMERICA, INC.
$115
Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$101
REVANCE THERAPEUTICS, INC.
$95
MERZ NORTH AMERICA, INC.
$86
Eisai Inc.
$79
IMPEL PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$76
Lundbeck LLC
$61
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$33
Cala Health, Inc.
$23
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$23
Novo Nordisk Inc
$20
Strongbridge US INC.
$19
Retrophin, Inc.
$18
NEUROPACE, INC.
$15
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$12
Top 3 companies account for 41.7% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
(820) Cholbam · ACTIVA · ACTIVA PC · AIMOVIG · AJOVY · AMYVID · APOKYN · APTIOM · AUSTEDO · Aduhelm · Aimovig · Austedo XR · BOTOX · BOTOX THERAPEUTIC · CALA KIQ · COMIRNATY · CREXONT · DAXXIFY · DUOPA · DYSPORT · Dhivy · Duopa · Dysport · EMGALITY · Exablate · External Drainage and Monitoring · GENERAL - DBS · GENERAL DBS · GOCOVRI · Gocovri · INBRIJA · INFINITY · INGREZZA · INVISX · Infinity DBS Pulse Generators · KEVEYIS · KISUNLA · KYNMOBI · Leqembi · MYOBLOC · Motegrity · NEXFRAME · NORTHERA · NOURIANZ · NUPLAZID · NURTEC ODT · Neupro · Nourianz · ONGENTYS · ONGENTYS 50MG CAPSULES 30 · Ongentys · PERCEPT PC BRAINSENSE · Percept · QULIPTA · RADICAVA · RNS Neurostimulator Kit · RYTARY · SenSight · THERAPIES · Trudhesa · UBRELVY · ULTOMIRIS · VERCISE · VYALEV · XADAGO · XEOMIN · Xadago · Xeomin · ZAVZPRET
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 →
The majority of payments (95%) are for speaking programs and promotional activities, which reflect participation in industry-sponsored educational or marketing events. This is common in neurology and does not inherently indicate bias, but patients may wish to be aware. Total industry engagement is in the top 0% for neurology in CA.
Geographic Context
Neurologists within 10 mi
208
Per 100K population
6.6
County median income
$113,702
Nearest hospital
HOAG ORTHOPEDIC INSTITUTE
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. Thakkar is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 0% in CA), with speaking/promotional industry engagement in the top 0% of CA peers, with 17 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. Thakkar experienced with botox injection, per unit?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Thakkar performed 113,500 botox injection, per unit 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. Thakkar receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Thakkar received a total of $1,979,642 from 46 companies across 3,319 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. Thakkar's costs compare to other neurologists in Irvine?
Dr. Thakkar's average Medicare payment per service is $9. 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. Thakkar) 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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