Dr. Joel Solano, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Solano
Dr. Joel Solano is an ophthalmology specialist in Palm Desert, CA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Solano performed 5,698 Medicare services across 3,250 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Solano received a total of $6,509 from 6 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 9 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in ophthalmology. The majority of payments are for consulting, which typically reflects recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Solano 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive eye exam, established patient A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a patient who has previously been seen by the provider. |
2,481 | $97 | $266 |
| Tear duct plug insertion A procedure to insert a small plug into the tear duct opening to help retain tears on the eye surface. |
1,015 | $151 | $810 |
| Retinal photography (fundus photo) This procedure involves taking photographs of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. It is used to document the condition of the eye's interior structures. |
602 | $24 | $79 |
| Eye exam, established patient, focused A limited examination of the visual system for an existing patient. The provider focuses on a specific eye-related concern or symptom. |
380 | $69 | $189 |
| Retinal angiography with dye injection This procedure uses a special camera to examine the blood vessels in the retina after a dye has been injected into the body. |
358 | $100 | $293 |
| Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan) Imaging of the optic nerve. |
299 | $27 | $77 |
| Visual field test, extended A test that maps your complete field of vision to detect blind spots or peripheral vision loss. Extended testing provides a more detailed assessment than a standard visual field exam. |
156 | $24 | $69 |
| 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. |
110 | $112 | $344 |
| Ultrasound scan of cornea to determine thickness An ultrasound procedure used to measure the thickness of the cornea. |
97 | $7 | $24 |
| Corneal topography and eye depth measurement This procedure measures the curvature and depth of the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye. |
80 | $14 | $39 |
| Laser removal of recurring cataract A laser procedure to remove a recurring cataract within the lens capsule. |
63 | $271 | $759 |
| Eyelash removal with forceps This procedure involves the manual removal of eyelashes using forceps. It is a mechanical extraction method performed on the eyelid area. |
57 | $18 | $68 |
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 ›
The majority of payments (98%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers.
Geographic Context
4.8 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. Solano is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 17% in CA), with consulting-driven industry engagement in the top 20% 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
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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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