Dr. Kunal Desai, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Desai
Dr. Kunal Desai is an anesthesiology specialist in Los Angeles, CA, with 14 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Desai performed 431 Medicare services across 427 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Desai received a total of $261 from 6 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 8 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in anesthesiology. 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.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anesthesia for x-ray or radiation therapy Administration of anesthesia during x-ray or radiation therapy procedures. |
50 | $79 | $1,065 |
| Anesthesia for colonoscopy Administration of anesthesia during an examination of the colon using an endoscope. |
37 | $77 | $615 |
| Arterial line insertion A tube is inserted into an artery through the skin to allow for blood sampling or infusion. |
37 | $36 | $300 |
| Anesthesia for endoscopic procedure on esophagus, stomach, or upper small bowel Administration of anesthesia during an endoscopic procedure involving the esophagus, stomach, or upper small bowel. |
30 | $60 | $807 |
| Anesthesia for cataract/lens surgery Administration of anesthesia during eye lens surgery. This code covers the anesthetic service provided for the procedure. |
29 | $52 | $705 |
| Anesthesia for bowel endoscopy Administration of anesthesia during a procedure to examine the small and large bowel using an endoscope. |
27 | $76 | $978 |
| Anesthesia for skin procedures on arms, legs, or front body This code covers anesthesia services provided for surgical procedures performed on the skin of the arms, legs, or anterior trunk. |
22 | $70 | $938 |
| Anesthesia for lower abdomen procedure Administration of anesthesia for surgical procedures performed on the lower abdomen. |
20 | $141 | $1,832 |
| Anesthesia for upper abdomen procedure Administration of anesthesia for surgical procedures performed on the upper abdomen. |
18 | $158 | $2,071 |
| Anesthesia for heart electrical activity assessment Administration of anesthesia during a procedure to evaluate the electrical activity of the heart. |
17 | $217 | $2,798 |
| Anesthesia for forearm, wrist, and hand procedure This code covers the administration of anesthesia for surgical procedures involving the nerves, muscles, tendons, and tissues of the forearm, wrist, and hand. |
17 | $50 | $701 |
| Anesthesia for closed chest procedure Administration of anesthesia for a closed surgical procedure involving the chest. |
16 | $104 | $1,387 |
| Anesthesia for large bowel endoscopy Administration of anesthesia during a procedure to examine the large bowel using an endoscope. |
16 | $59 | $696 |
| Anesthesia for permanent pacemaker insertion Administration of anesthesia during the surgical procedure to implant a permanent heart pacemaker. |
15 | $121 | $1,575 |
| Anesthesia for total knee replacement Administration of anesthesia during a total knee joint replacement procedure. |
15 | $141 | $1,862 |
| Anesthesia for lower leg, ankle, or foot bone procedure Administration of anesthesia during surgical procedures involving the bones of the lower leg, ankle, or foot. |
15 | $93 | $1,282 |
| Ultrasound guidance for blood vessel access Use of ultrasound imaging to help locate and access a blood vessel. This guidance assists healthcare providers in performing procedures such as inserting IV lines or drawing blood. |
15 | $12 | $100 |
| Femoral nerve injection with anesthetic and/or steroid An injection of an anesthetic agent and/or steroid into the femoral nerve in the thigh. This procedure delivers medication directly to the nerve. |
13 | $42 | $1,303 |
| Anesthesia for total hip replacement Administration of anesthesia during a total hip replacement surgery. This code covers the anesthetic services provided for the procedure. |
11 | $143 | $1,937 |
| Anesthesia for blood flow shunt placement or revision This code covers the administration of anesthesia during the surgical placement or revision of a blood flow shunt. |
11 | $114 | $1,514 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2024)
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
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 mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 9% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
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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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