Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Al Benson, MD
Medical Oncology · Chicago, IL
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
Consulting-driven
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. Benson 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. Benson
Dr. Al Benson is a medical oncology specialist in Chicago, IL, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Benson performed 28,638 Medicare services across 820 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Benson received a total of $160,765 from 30 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 159 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in medical oncology. 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. Benson 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 17% volume in IL
$160,765 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗28,638
Medicare services
Top 17% in IL for medical oncology
820
Unique beneficiaries
$32
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~1,432 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nivolumab injection (Opdivo) | 6,828 | $24 | $97 |
| Pembrolizumab injection (Keytruda) | 6,400 | $43 | $171 |
| Daratumumab injection (Darzalex) An injection containing daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj administered under the skin. |
6,120 | $38 | $170 |
| Anti-nausea injection (fosaprepitant) An injection of fosaprepitant, a medication used to prevent nausea and vomiting. |
3,900 | $0 | $7 |
| Immune globulin infusion (Gammagard) An injection of immune globulin (Gammagard Liquid) to provide antibodies. The dose specified is 500 mg. |
1,480 | $36 | $134 |
| Bortezomib injection, 0.1 mg Administration of a 0.1 mg dose of bortezomib medication via injection. |
769 | $4 | $174 |
| Injection, octreotide, depot form for intramuscular injection, 1 mg | 660 | $154 | $504 |
| Anti-nausea injection (Aloxi/palonosetron) | 500 | $1 | $76 |
| Dexamethasone injection (steroid) An injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid medication, administered in a dose of 1 milligram. |
496 | $0 | $1 |
| Pegfilgrastim injection, 0.5 mg An injection of pegfilgrastim, a medication that stimulates the production of white blood cells. This specific code applies to the brand-name drug and excludes biosimilar versions. |
276 | $86 | $821 |
| Methylprednisolone injection, up to 125 mg An injection of methylprednisolone sodium succinate, a corticosteroid medication, with a dosage of up to 125 mg. |
208 | $4 | $10 |
| Intravenous chemotherapy infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of chemotherapy medication directly into a vein. The procedure takes one hour or less to complete. |
147 | $109 | $940 |
| 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. |
126 | $97 | $323 |
| Fluorouracil injection, 500 mg Administration of a 500 mg dose of fluorouracil medication via injection. |
126 | $2 | $8 |
| Intravenous injection of additional new drug or substance Administration of an additional new medication or substance directly into a vein. |
115 | $13 | $143 |
| Non-hormonal chemotherapy injection This procedure involves administering non-hormonal anti-neoplastic chemotherapy medication via injection into the skin or muscle tissue. |
60 | $60 | $326 |
| Additional sequential IV infusion, 1 hour or less This code represents an additional intravenous infusion administered sequentially to a primary infusion. It covers the administration time of one hour or less. |
58 | $24 | $203 |
| Additional hour of intravenous infusion This code represents each additional hour of intravenous infusion beyond the initial hour for therapy, prevention, or diagnosis. |
53 | $17 | $129 |
| Drug injection, under skin or into muscle A procedure involving the administration of a medication or substance via injection into the subcutaneous tissue or muscle. |
51 | $12 | $88 |
| Intravenous infusion of new drug or substance, 1 hour or less This procedure involves administering a new medication or substance directly into a vein through an existing access site. The infusion is completed within one hour or less. |
47 | $54 | $464 |
| Intravenous infusion, 1 hour or less Administration of medication or fluid directly into a vein for therapeutic, preventive, or diagnostic purposes. The procedure lasts one hour or less. |
46 | $53 | $410 |
| 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. |
40 | $149 | $434 |
| Additional hour of intravenous chemotherapy This code represents the administration of chemotherapy medication into a vein for each additional hour beyond the initial period. |
31 | $23 | $215 |
| 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. |
27 | $73 | $219 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 21-30 minutes A telephone conversation with a physician lasting between 21 and 30 minutes. This code covers the time spent discussing medical matters over the phone. |
24 | $101 | $250 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 11-20 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 11 and 20 minutes. |
22 | $73 | $175 |
| On-body injector for subcutaneous injection A device is applied to the skin to automatically deliver a medication injection under the skin. |
14 | $15 | $109 |
| IV chemotherapy initiation with community continuation Initiation of an intravenous chemotherapy infusion in a clinic using clinic supplies, with continuation of the infusion in a community setting such as home or assisted living. |
14 | $213 | $1,618 |
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.
6.4% high complexity
92.8% medium
0.8% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$160,765
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $22,966/year across 7 years
Top 10% in IL for medical oncology
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
30
Companies
159
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.
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$150,908 (93.9%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$7,815 (4.9%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$2,041 (1.3%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$31,360
2023
$23,654
2022
$12,033
2021
$18,045
2020
$16,894
2019
$35,085
2018
$23,694
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$11,806
Incyte Corporation
$6,665
Delcath Systems
$3,000
JAZZ PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$2,450
TAIHO ONCOLOGY, INC.
$2,340
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$2,285
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$1,767
Amgen Inc.
$962
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$85
Top 3 companies account for 68.5% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$27,124
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$16,225
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
$12,676
ARRAY BIOPHARMA INC
$9,254
Terumo Medical Corporation
$8,200
Eisai Inc.
$8,102
Incyte Corporation
$6,665
Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH
$6,500
Amgen Inc.
$6,316
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$5,992
Taiho Oncology, Inc.
$5,324
AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$5,000
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$4,990
PFIZER INC.
$4,554
AbbVie Inc.
$4,404
Genentech USA, Inc.
$3,748
Delcath Systems
$3,000
JAZZ PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
$2,450
TAIHO ONCOLOGY, INC.
$2,340
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$2,285
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$2,262
AstraZeneca UK Limited
$2,226
Boston Scientific Corporation
$2,118
Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
$1,875
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$1,750
Mirati Therapeutics, Inc.
$1,400
Seagen Inc.
$1,380
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$1,331
Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd.
$1,000
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc
$272
Top 3 companies account for 34.8% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Avastin · BRAFTOVI · ENHERTU · Enhertu · FRUZAQLA · GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT · HYDROPEARL · Hepzato Kit · IMFINZI · KEYTRUDA · KRAZATI · LONSURF · LUMAKRAS · Lenvima · MEKTOVI · Non-Covered · Non-Covered Product · ONGLYZA · OPDIVO · SOMATULINE DEPOT · Somatuline Depot · TAS-102 · TR BAND · TUKYSA · TheraSphere Y90 Glass Microspheres 10 GBq · Vectibix · Xermelo · ZEJULA
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 →
The majority of payments (94%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Total industry engagement is in the top 10% for medical oncology in IL.
Geographic Context
Medical oncologists within 10 mi
78
Per 100K population
1.5
County median income
$81,797
Nearest hospital
NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
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. Benson is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 17% in IL), with consulting-driven industry engagement in the top 10% of IL 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. Benson experienced with nivolumab injection (opdivo)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Benson performed 6,828 nivolumab injection (opdivo) 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. Benson receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Benson received a total of $160,765 from 30 companies across 159 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. Benson's costs compare to other medical oncologists in Chicago?
Dr. Benson's average Medicare payment per service is $32. 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. Benson) 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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