Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Robert Eastlack, M.D.
Orthopedic Surgery · La Jolla, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Mixed 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. Eastlack 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. Eastlack
Dr. Robert Eastlack is an orthopedic surgery specialist in La Jolla, CA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Eastlack performed 1,902 Medicare services across 1,461 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Eastlack received a total of $2,878,165 from 52 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 1015 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in orthopedic surgery. The majority of payments are classified as financial or ownership interests (royalties, licensing fees, or investment interests). Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Eastlack 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 30% volume in CA
$2,878,165 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,902
Medicare services
Top 30% in CA for orthopedic surgery
1,461
Unique beneficiaries
$271
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~95 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
512 | $146 | $491 |
| 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. |
278 | $98 | $350 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 118 | $178 | $598 |
| Spine fusion with cage or mesh device insertion A surgical procedure to fuse spine bones by inserting a cage or mesh device into the disc space. |
110 | $204 | $922 |
| Spinal fusion of additional segment A surgical procedure to join an additional section of the spine to the existing fusion. This is performed as a separate or subsequent step to stabilize more of the spinal column. |
105 | $299 | $1,357 |
| 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. |
70 | $72 | $248 |
| Fusion of spine in lower back | 57 | $1,078 | $5,861 |
| Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg | 55 | $6 | $26 |
| Anterior lumbar interbody fusion with partial disc removal A surgical procedure to fuse the lower spine bones by accessing the area through the abdomen and partially removing a spinal disc. |
54 | $509 | $4,615 |
| Placement of stabilizing device to back of 1 spine bone in neck A procedure involving the placement of a stabilizing device on the back of a single vertebra in the neck. |
39 | $598 | $2,716 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
38 | $59 | $283 |
| Partial spine bone removal with nerve release, 1 interspace This procedure involves removing part of the spine bone, re-exploring the area, and releasing the lower spinal cord or nerves, along with removing a disc at one spinal level. |
36 | $1,188 | $7,376 |
| Additional spine bone segment removal Surgical removal of an additional segment of bone from the spine during the same procedure. |
32 | $284 | $1,288 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with nerve release A surgical procedure involving the partial removal of spinal bone to release pressure on the lower spinal cord or nerves, and/or the removal of a spinal disc. |
31 | $720 | $7,109 |
| 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. |
30 | $143 | $520 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an existing patient involving moderate medical decision making. The visit requires at least 35 minutes of time spent on the date of service. |
30 | $65 | $187 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with nerve release, each additional segment This procedure involves the partial removal of spinal bone to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. It is billed for each additional spinal segment treated beyond the initial segment. |
28 | $159 | $723 |
| Spinal stabilization device placement, 3-6 segments Surgical placement of a device to stabilize three to six vertebrae in the back. |
26 | $602 | $2,728 |
| Anterior spinal fusion with partial disc removal, each additional disc This procedure involves fusing spine bones together through an incision in the front of the body, with partial removal of the disc, for each additional disc treated. |
23 | $216 | $1,033 |
| Spinal fusion with disc removal and nerve release, 1 disc This surgery connects two or more vertebrae in the upper spine to stabilize the area. It involves removing a damaged disc and relieving pressure on the spinal cord or nerve. |
21 | $1,270 | $6,208 |
| Spinal stabilization device placement, 2-3 segments Surgical placement of a device to stabilize the front of two to three spinal segments. |
21 | $546 | $2,596 |
| Release of lower spinal cord or nerves, single segment A surgical procedure to free the lower spinal cord or nerves from surrounding tissue at a single spinal level. |
21 | $835 | $5,777 |
| Imaging guidance for procedure, 60 minutes or less Use of imaging technology to guide a medical procedure. This service lasts 60 minutes or less. |
21 | $13 | $80 |
| 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. |
21 | $141 | $453 |
| Reinsertion of spinal fixation device This procedure involves the reinsertion of a device used to stabilize the spine. It is performed to restore spinal fixation. |
19 | $550 | $4,710 |
| Additional spinal bone removal and nerve release This procedure involves the partial removal of spine bone to release the spinal cord or nerves, along with disc removal, for each additional spinal level treated. |
19 | $262 | $1,331 |
| Trigger point injection, 1-2 muscles A procedure involving the injection of medication into one or two specific muscles to treat trigger points. |
17 | $43 | $208 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with nerve release, 1 segment A surgical procedure involving the partial removal of a bone segment in the spine to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. This is performed on a single spinal segment. |
16 | $631 | $3,985 |
| Spinal fusion exploration A surgical procedure to examine the site of a previous spinal fusion. The surgeon inspects the area to assess the status of the fusion and surrounding structures. |
15 | $382 | $3,055 |
| Insertion of instrumentation to pelvic bones A surgical procedure involving the placement of hardware or devices into the pelvic bones. |
14 | $277 | $1,258 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity Subsequent hospital inpatient or observation care for an existing patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 50 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
13 | $98 | $269 |
| Open sacroiliac joint fusion with bone graft A surgical procedure to fuse the sacroiliac joint between the spine and pelvis using an open technique and bone graft. |
12 | $1,386 | $8,869 |
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.
20.9% high complexity
6.9% medium
72.2% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$2,878,165
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $411,166/year across 7 years
Top 1% in CA for orthopedic surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
52
Companies
1,015
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.
Financial / Ownership
Ownership or investment interests, royalties, and licensing fees
$1,905,759 (66.2%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$945,547 (32.9%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$15,230 (0.5%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$11,630 (0.4%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$809,045
2023
$633,527
2022
$536,415
2021
$216,589
2020
$216,000
2019
$247,170
2018
$219,418
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
SI-BONE, INC.
$299,014
Globus Medical, Inc.
$295,242
Orthofix Medical, Inc.
$154,792
Aesculap Implant Systems, LLC
$22,832
Kuros Biosciences USA, Inc
$10,824
OsteoCentric Technologies, Inc.
$6,839
Medtronic, Inc.
$5,427
Neo Spine USA, Inc.
$5,003
SMAIO SA
$3,466
Amgen Inc.
$2,241
SMAIO USA CORPORATION
$1,241
Alphatec Spine, Inc
$722
Curiteva, Inc.
$554
SPINAL ELEMENTS, INC.
$269
Intrinsic Therapeutics
$268
MML US, Inc.
$192
Carbofix Spine Inc
$78
Medical Device Business Services, Inc.
$35
XTANT MEDICAL INC
$6
Top 3 companies account for 92.6% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
NuVasive, Inc.
$1,059,130
SI-BONE, INC.
$516,735
Globus Medical, Inc.
$325,355
Orthofix Medical, Inc.
$264,658
Aesculap Implant Systems, LLC
$164,146
SI-BONE, Inc.
$152,926
SeaSpine Orthopedics Corporation
$92,024
SEASPINE ORTHOPEDICS CORPORATION
$79,583
Stryker Corporation
$55,819
SPINAL ELEMENTS, INC.
$18,611
K2M, Inc.
$17,434
Medtronic, Inc.
$16,476
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$14,772
BAXTER HEALTHCARE
$13,615
Kuros Biosciences USA, Inc
$10,989
Silony Medical Corp.
$10,807
Neo Spine USA Inc
$10,266
Radius Health, Inc.
$7,179
Medical Device Business Services, Inc.
$7,047
OsteoCentric Technologies, Inc.
$6,839
Synthes GmbH
$5,826
Neo Spine USA, Inc.
$5,003
SMAIO SA
$3,466
Premia Spine, Ltd.
$3,200
Biedermann Motech, Inc.
$2,704
Amgen Inc.
$2,425
Titan Spine, LLC
$2,032
Lilly USA, LLC
$1,948
MML US, Inc.
$1,430
SMAIO USA CORPORATION
$1,241
Alphatec Spine, Inc
$1,168
Curiteva, Inc.
$772
Pacira Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
$663
Bioventus LLC
$283
Intrinsic Therapeutics
$268
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$249
Medicrea USA, Corp.
$205
Surgalign Spine Technologies, Inc.
$193
Integrity Implants Inc.
$168
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
$125
Relievant Medsystems, Inc.
$89
Carbofix Spine Inc
$78
Nevro Corp.
$41
Medacta USA, Inc.
$35
Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.
$26
Ethicon US, LLC
$26
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$21
INSYS Therapeutics Inc
$19
Allergan Inc.
$18
Baxter Healthcare
$17
Life Spine, Inc.
$8
XTANT MEDICAL INC
$6
Top 3 companies account for 66.1% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
10MM · 7D Surgical FLASH Frame · 7D Surgical System · ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC · ADVANCED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT · ALIF · ANTERALIGN SPINAL SYSTEM WITH TITAN NANOLOCK SURFACE TECHNOLOGY · ARCADIUS XP L · ATLANTIS ANTERIOR CERVICAL PLATE SYSTEM · Accell Evo3 · Archon · Atoll · AttraX · BARRICAID ACD (ANNULAR CLOSURE DEVICE) · Bendini · Biomet SpinalPak · Bonescalpel · CD HORIZON · CD HORIZON SPINAL SYSTEM · COFLEX INTERLAMINAR TECHNOLOGY · COHERE · CONDUIT · Cabo · Cervical-Stim Osteogenesis Stimulator · CoRoent · DALVANCE · ENDOSKELETON TL NANOLOCK SURFACE TECHNOLOGY · ENNOVATE · ENNOVATE SPINAL SYSTEM · ES2 · EVENITY · EVEREST · EVEREST MI · EVEREST SPINAL SYSTEM · EVEREST XT · Enbrel · Excelsius - GPS · Excelsius Deformity · ExcelsiusGPS Robotic Navigation System · Exogen Ultrasound Bone Healing System · Exparel · Explorer TO · FLOSEAL · FORTEO · GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION · General K2M Product Discussion · Graft Delivery System · Gruve · Hollywood NanoMetalene · IFUSE IMPLANT · IFUSE IMPLANT SYSTEM · Intracept · Invictus OPEN · JOURNEY II · KYPHON Balloon Kyphoplasty · KYPHON EXPRESS II KYPHOPAK TRAY · Karma · LLIF · M6-C · M6-C Artificial Cervical Disc · MAGNETOS · MAZOR X SYSTEM · MOSS VRS MIS Spinal System · MOSS100 Pedicle Screw System · MaXcess-C · Manta Ray · Mariner · Mariner MIS · Mazor X Stealth Edition · MectaLif · Medical Device · Medical Devices · Modulus · Multilocking · Multiple Products · N/A · NAV - SPINEMAP 3D NAVIGATION SOFTWARE AND INSTRUMENTATION · NAVLOCK · NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT · NVM5 · NanoMetalene Technology · Nautilus · Neo Pedicle Screw System · NewPort · Newport Complex MIS · No Related Product · NorthStar · NorthStar OCT · OsteoCentric 4.0 x 130mm LOCKING BONE SCREW FASTENER ST · OsteoStrand · OsteoStrand Plus · Osteocel · Other - Miscellaneous · PASS-LP · PLYMOUTH · PRESTIGE LP CERVICAL DISC SYSTEM · Plateau C · Plymouth · Pro-Link · ProLift · Pulse · RELINE · ReActiv8 · Reef TA · Regatta · SUBSYS · SURGICEL Family of Absorbable Hemostats · SYNVISC-ONE · Senza Spinal Cord Stimulation System · Shoreline · Shoreline ACS · Shoreline ASC · Sierra · Simplify Cervical Artificial Disc · Skipjack · Spine & Trauma 3D Navigation · Strand · TITAN ENDOSKELETON · TLIF · TOPS · Tymlos · UNID_PASS · Vu aPOD Prime NanoMetalene · VuePoint · WaveForm TA · XLIF · Zilretta · iFuse Implant · iGA · nanoLOCK-C · nanoLOCK-L
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 →
Payments are distributed across multiple categories with no single dominant type. Total industry engagement is in the top 1% for orthopedic surgery in CA.
Geographic Context
Orthopedic surgeons within 10 mi
275
Per 100K population
8.4
County median income
$102,285
Nearest hospital
SCRIPPS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL LA JOLLA
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. Eastlack is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 30% in CA), with mixed engagement industry engagement in the top 1% 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. Eastlack experienced with office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Eastlack performed 512 office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) 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. Eastlack receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Eastlack received a total of $2,878,165 from 52 companies across 1,015 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. Eastlack's costs compare to other orthopedic surgeons in La Jolla?
Dr. Eastlack's average Medicare payment per service is $271. 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. Eastlack) 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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