Dr. Neil Friedman, MD
What this data tells you about Dr. Friedman
Dr. Neil Friedman is an ophthalmology specialist in Palo Alto, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Friedman performed 2,071 Medicare services across 1,768 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Friedman received a total of $21,144 from 24 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 123 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. Friedman 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. |
608 | $101 | $170 |
| 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. |
520 | $75 | $122 |
| 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. |
215 | $48 | $75 |
| Optic nerve imaging (OCT scan) Imaging of the optic nerve. |
182 | $29 | $51 |
| Retinal imaging (OCT scan) This procedure involves imaging the retina to visualize its structure. It is used to examine the back of the eye. |
108 | $35 | $54 |
| Comprehensive eye exam, new patient A comprehensive examination of the visual system performed for a new patient. |
106 | $114 | $200 |
| Cataract surgery with lens implant Surgical removal of the clouded natural lens of the eye and replacement with an artificial prosthetic lens to restore vision. |
58 | $494 | $711 |
| Corneal topography and eye depth measurement This procedure measures the curvature and depth of the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye. |
56 | $36 | $55 |
| Ultrasound scan of cornea to determine thickness An ultrasound procedure used to measure the thickness of the cornea. |
50 | $8 | $15 |
| 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. |
38 | $48 | $74 |
| Eye drainage system examination An examination of the internal drainage system of the eye to assess how fluid flows and drains from the eye. |
29 | $23 | $36 |
| Pattern electroretinogram (PERG) A test that records the electrical responses of the retina to visual stimuli. The procedure includes interpretation and a written report of the results. |
27 | $66 | $107 |
| Extended eye exam with retinal drawing A detailed examination of the back of the eye that includes creating a drawing of the retina. |
27 | $21 | $31 |
| Eye deviation and range of motion exam An examination to measure eye deviation and assess the range of motion of the eyes. |
22 | $57 | $85 |
| Laser removal of recurring cataract A laser procedure to remove a recurring cataract within the lens capsule. |
14 | $290 | $420 |
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range. |
11 | $63 | $143 |
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 (82%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Total industry engagement is in the top 10% for ophthalmology in CA.
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. Friedman is a mixed practice specialist, with moderate Medicare volume, with consulting-driven industry engagement in the top 10% of CA peers, with 19 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. Friedman experienced with comprehensive eye exam, established patient?
Does Dr. Friedman receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Friedman's costs compare to other ophthalmologists in Palo Alto?
What does Data Coverage mean?
Is this data up to date?
Explore related providers
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.
Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology