Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Paul Ackerman, M.D.
Neurological Surgery · Chicago, IL
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
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. Ackerman 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. Ackerman
Dr. Paul Ackerman is a neurological surgery specialist in Chicago, IL, with 17 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Ackerman performed 1,448 Medicare services across 1,041 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Ackerman received a total of $9,155 from 39 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 227 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. Ackerman 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.
✓ 17 years in practice
▲ Top 4% volume in IL
$9,155 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗1,448
Medicare services
Top 4% in IL for neurological surgery
1,041
Unique beneficiaries
$208
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~85 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical care, first 30-74 min Emergency medical care for a critically ill or injured patient lasting between 30 and 74 minutes. This service involves direct patient care and medical decision making to stabilize the patient. |
285 | $185 | $478 |
| 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. |
186 | $102 | $180 |
| Additional 30 minutes of critical care This code represents an additional 30 minutes of critical care services provided beyond the initial critical care time period. |
154 | $93 | $215 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 125 | $180 | $400 |
| Spinal fusion of additional segment A surgical procedure to join an additional section of the spine to the existing fusion. This is performed as a separate or subsequent step to stabilize more of the spinal column. |
119 | $259 | $2,194 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, moderate complexity Follow-up hospital visit for an existing patient involving moderate medical decision making. The visit requires at least 35 minutes of time spent on the date of service. |
115 | $68 | $180 |
| Spine fusion with cage or mesh device insertion A surgical procedure to fuse spine bones by inserting a cage or mesh device into the disc space. |
79 | $185 | $3,714 |
| 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. |
42 | $156 | $2,484 |
| 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. |
42 | $146 | $450 |
| Computer-assisted spinal procedure A surgical or diagnostic procedure involving the spine that utilizes computer technology to assist with planning, navigation, or execution. |
35 | $224 | $674 |
| Spinal stabilization device placement, 3-6 segments Surgical placement of a device to stabilize three to six vertebrae in the back. |
34 | $475 | $5,611 |
| 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. |
29 | $624 | $7,616 |
| Partial bone removal of additional lower back spine segment during fusion This procedure involves the partial removal of bone from an additional segment of the lower spine to release the spinal cord or nerves. It is performed as part of a spinal fusion surgery in the lower back. |
21 | $174 | $406 |
| Lower back spinal fusion with bone and disc removal A surgical procedure to fuse vertebrae in the lower back. It involves removing part of the spine bone and a disc to stabilize the area. |
19 | $990 | $6,295 |
| Continuous intraoperative neurophysiology monitoring, remote Remote monitoring of nerve and brain function during surgery, billed in 15-minute increments. |
19 | $27 | $62 |
| Electromyography of 2 extremities A test that measures the electrical activity in the muscles of two arms or legs. It helps evaluate nerve and muscle function. |
18 | $67 | $157 |
| Fusion of spine in lower back | 17 | $910 | $6,125 |
| Spinal stabilization device placement, 7-12 segments Surgical placement of a device to stabilize the back involving 7 to 12 spine bone segments. |
17 | $547 | $8,369 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with nerve release during fusion This procedure involves removing part of the bone in a single segment of the lower spine to release the spinal cord or nerves, performed during a spinal fusion. |
16 | $168 | $532 |
| Spinal fusion with partial bone and disc removal A surgical procedure to join additional segments of the spine. It involves the partial removal of spine bone and disc tissue. |
15 | $358 | $2,693 |
| Spinal fusion with disc removal and nerve release, 1 disc This surgery connects two or more vertebrae in the upper spine to stabilize the area. It involves removing a damaged disc and relieving pressure on the spinal cord or nerve. |
13 | $824 | $9,815 |
| Spinal fusion of neck, posterior approach A surgical procedure to join two or more vertebrae in the cervical spine using a back approach to stabilize the neck. |
12 | $524 | $5,521 |
| Spinal fusion, upper back A surgical procedure to join two or more vertebrae in the upper back to eliminate motion between them. |
12 | $466 | $6,334 |
| Placement of stabilizing device to back of 1 spine bone in neck A procedure involving the placement of a stabilizing device on the back of a single vertebra in the neck. |
12 | $467 | $6,150 |
| Office visit for established patient An office visit for an existing patient that may not require the healthcare professional to be present. |
12 | $16 | $120 |
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.
22.3% high complexity
0.0% medium
77.7% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$9,155
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,308/year across 7 years
Top 31% in IL for neurological surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
39
Companies
227
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.
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$7,404 (80.9%)
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$1,596 (17.4%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$155 (1.7%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$515
2023
$1,494
2022
$1,123
2021
$2,377
2020
$1,134
2019
$1,399
2018
$1,112
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Stryker Corporation
$116
Globus Medical, Inc.
$94
Kerecis Limited
$70
SI-BONE, INC.
$59
DJO, LLC
$49
Augmedics Inc.
$34
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$32
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$25
Chiesi USA, Inc.
$19
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$18
Top 3 companies account for 54.4% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
NuVasive, Inc.
$3,736
Stryker Corporation
$864
Medtronic, Inc.
$654
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$490
LeMaitre Vascular, Inc.
$369
K2M, Inc.
$354
Globus Medical, Inc.
$334
SI-BONE, INC.
$281
Providence Medical Technology, Inc.
$267
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$228
Chiesi USA, Inc.
$202
Longeviti Neuro Solutions LLC
$167
SI-BONE, Inc.
$154
CSL Behring
$89
X-spine Systems, Inc.
$88
Abbott Laboratories
$86
Orthofix Medical, Inc.
$74
Kerecis Limited
$70
Carlsmed, Inc.
$57
DJO, LLC
$49
Augmedics Inc.
$45
CHIESI USA, INC.
$43
Ethicon US, LLC
$40
OsteoCentric Technologies, Inc.
$39
Wenzel Spine, Inc.
$37
KCI USA, Inc.
$36
Surgalign Spine Technologies, Inc.
$34
Intrinsic Therapeutics
$33
UCB, Inc.
$31
Integra LifeSciences Corporation
$31
Relievant Medsystems, Inc.
$31
7D Surgical ULC
$25
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$25
Phadia US Inc.
$19
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$18
Theragen, Inc.
$17
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$13
Misonix Inc
$13
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 57.4% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
7D Surgical System · ALIF · ALTERA · ANASTOCLIP · ANASTOCLIP GC 8CM (MEDIUM) · ANDEXXA · ARTEGRAFT VASCULAR GRAFT · ActaStim-S · Anatomic PEEK · Archon · AttraX · BARRICAID ACD (ANNULAR CLOSURE DEVICE) · BEXSERO · BIO DBM · BRIDION · Bendini · Biomet SpinalPak · BoneScalpel · CAPRI · CAPRI Corpectomy Cage System · CASCADIA · CASCADIA Interbody System · CAVUX Cervical Cage · CD HORIZON · CD HORIZON SPINAL SYSTEM · CLEARFIT · CLEVIPREX · CLEVIPREX 25MG/50ML · CMF · CODMAN CERTAS · COFLEX · COHERE · CONDUIT · CONFIDENCE SPINAL CEMENT SYSTEM · CREO MCS · Catalyft · Cervical-STIM · Cervical-Stim Osteogenesis Stimulator · DURAMATRIX · ELSA · EVEREST SPINAL SYSTEM · EVEREST Spinal System · EXPEDIUM · FIBERGRAFT Aeridyan Matrix · FIBERGRAFT BG MORSELS · FormaGraft · GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION · General K2M Product Discussion · Graft Delivery System · ILIF · INDEPENDENCE · INFINITY OCT System · INTELLIS · ImmunoCAP · Intracept · Kcentra · Kerecis Omega3 SurgiClose · M6-C · MESA Spinal System · MOJAVE · MONUMENT · MaXcess · Modulus · N/A · NVM5 · O-ARM-Spine · OSTEOCOOL RF ABLATION · OsteoCentric 4.0 x 130mm LOCKING BONE SCREW FASTENER ST · Osteocel · PASS LP · PIVOX Oblique Lateral Spinal System · PLIF · PRESTIGE · PREVENA · PROCLAIM · Physio-Stim Osteogenesis Stimulator · Proclaim Family of SCS IPGs · Propel · RELINE · SECURESTRAP · SERRATO · SPINEJACK · STRATAFIX · SUSTAIN IR · SYMPHONY · SYNCHROMEDII · SYNFIX · SYNTHECEL · T2 STRATOSPHERE · TLIF · TLX · TRITANIUM · UNID_PASS · UNIVERSAL NEURO 3 · VIPER · VITOSS · Vanta · VariLift · Varilift · VersaTie · Vimpat · VuePoint · X-Core Mini · XIA · XLIF · Xvision · aprevo · iFuse Implant · iGA
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 →
Most payments (81%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Neurological surgerists within 10 mi
233
Per 100K population
4.5
County median income
$81,797
Nearest hospital
AMITA HEALTH RESURRECTION MEDICAL CENTER
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. Ackerman is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 4% in IL), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 17 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. Ackerman experienced with critical care, first 30-74 min?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Ackerman performed 285 critical care, first 30-74 min 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. Ackerman receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Ackerman received a total of $9,155 from 39 companies across 227 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. Ackerman's costs compare to other neurological surgerists in Chicago?
Dr. Ackerman's average Medicare payment per service is $208. 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. Ackerman) 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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