Dr. Phillip Kissel, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Kissel
Dr. Phillip Kissel is a neurological surgery specialist in San Luis Obispo, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Kissel performed 542 Medicare services across 468 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Kissel received a total of $6,484 from 8 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 67 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in neurological surgery. 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. Kissel 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 98 | $170 | $500 |
| 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. |
56 | $96 | $250 |
| 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. |
55 | $157 | $950 |
| 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. |
54 | $143 | $350 |
| 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. |
45 | $139 | $423 |
| 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. |
44 | $130 | $350 |
| Upper spine bone removal with nerve release, additional segment Surgical removal of bone from the upper spine to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. This code applies to each additional spinal segment treated beyond the first. |
36 | $203 | $1,100 |
| 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. |
35 | $811 | $4,100 |
| Spinal stabilization device placement, 2-3 segments Surgical placement of a device to stabilize the front of two to three spinal segments. |
24 | $557 | $1,600 |
| Anterior removal of upper spine bone with nerve release, single segment This procedure involves removing a bone from the upper spine through an anterior approach to release pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. It is performed on a single spinal segment. |
24 | $1,365 | $4,600 |
| Anterior cervical spine fusion with disc removal Surgical procedure to fuse upper spine bones through the front of the neck, involving partial removal of the intervertebral disc. |
23 | $499 | $3,000 |
| 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. |
21 | $89 | $250 |
| 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. |
16 | $250 | $800 |
| 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. |
11 | $1,027 | $4,582 |
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. Kissel is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 22% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, 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. Kissel experienced with new patient office visit, complex (60-74 min)?
Does Dr. Kissel receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
How do Dr. Kissel's costs compare to other neurological surgerists in San Luis Obispo?
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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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