OpenMedicare
Start Here
Explore
Fraud
Investigations
Data
Tools
About

Footer

OpenMedicare

Independent Medicare data journalism

Sister Sites

  • OpenMedicaid
  • OpenFeds
  • OpenSpending

Explore

  • Providers
  • Procedures
  • States
  • Specialties
  • Search

Fraud Analysis

  • Still Out There (AI)
  • Fraud Overview
  • Fraud Watchlist
  • Deep Dive Profiles
  • Impossible Numbers
  • Report Fraud

Investigations

  • The Algorithm Knows
  • How We Built the Model
  • Internal Medicine Crisis
  • Florida & California Fraud
  • Million Dollar Flagged
  • All Investigations

Tools

  • Provider Lookup
  • Compare
  • Cost Calculator
  • Your Medicare Dollar
  • Downloads

About

  • About OpenMedicare
  • Methodology
  • Glossary
  • Data Sources
  • API Docs
  • Updates
Data Sources: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data
Disclaimer: This site is an independent journalism project. Data analysis and editorial content are not affiliated with or endorsed by CMS or any government agency. All spending figures are based on publicly available Medicare payment records.
Sister Sites: OpenMedicaid ยท OpenFeds ยท OpenSpending

ยฉ 2026 OpenMedicare. Independent data journalism. Built by TheDataProject.ai

Methodologyโ€ขDownload Data
  1. Home
  2. Providers
  3. Michael Lai
๐Ÿ‘๏ธ
MDIndividual

Michael Lai, MD

NPI: 1962432260
Chevy Chase, MD
10 years of data
Ophthalmology
$27.7M
Total Payments
154
Beneficiaries
187.3K
Services
2.42x
Markup Ratio

Peer Comparison

99th
percentile in specialty
This provider$27.7M
Specialty median$383.7K

๐Ÿ“‹ Key Findings

1Billed $27.7M over 10 years
22.42x markup ratio (above median)
399th percentile in Ophthalmology by payments
475 services/day โ€” unusually high
59 procedures with >3x markup

This provider averages 75 services per working day

Based on 187.3K total services over 10 years (250 working days/year). Learn about impossible service volumes โ†’

๐Ÿ”Ž Data Analysis

This provider's $27.7M in total Medicare payments ranks in the 99th percentile of Ophthalmology providers nationally.

Averaging 75 services per working day raises questions about billing patterns.

Medicare payments to this provider grew 118% from 2014 to 2023.

AI-generated analysis based on Medicare payment data.

Annual Medicare Payments

Annual Services Provided

Avg Payment per Service

Markup Ratio Over Time

Submitted Charges vs. Medicare Payments

Average per-service amounts submitted by the provider compared to what Medicare actually paid โ€” the gap represents the markup.

YearAvg SubmittedAvg PaidMarkup RatioGap per ServiceTotal PaymentsServicesBeneficiaries
2014$210.41$124.391.69x$86.02$1.9M15.4K16
2015$213.22$124.461.71x$88.76$2.0M16.4K18
2016$196.96$113.731.73x$83.23$1.8M16.2K16
2017$197.79$114.091.73x$83.70$1.9M16.7K16
2018$220.08$128.361.71x$91.72$2.5M19.1K16
2019$238.61$140.201.70x$98.41$2.9M20.8K14
2020$354.81$193.781.83x$161.03$3.3M16.9K16
2021$463.56$191.362.42x$272.20$3.4M18.0K13
2022$613.83$184.793.32x$429.04$3.8M20.4K14
2023$658.35$152.834.31x$505.52$4.2M27.3K15

Top Procedures (20)

J0178Injection, aflibercept, 1 mg
$14.4M
19.7K services$732.88/svc2.01x markup
J2778Injection, ranibizumab, 0.1 mg
$4.1M
15.9K services$257.40/svc2.43x markup
92014Established patient complete exam of visual system
$3.3M
31.2K services$104.84/svc1.88x markup
67028Injection of drug into eyeโš  5.2x markup
$1.5M
14.5K services$101.36/svc5.21x markup
92134Imaging of retinaโš  4.6x markup
$1.2M
33.0K services$37.18/svc4.62x markup
92226Examination of eye by ophthalmoscope with retinal drawing
$702.0K
31.4K services$22.39/svc2.11x markup
99214Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 30-39 minutes
$424.4K
4.3K services$99.07/svc2.00x markup
99204New patient office or other outpatient visit, 45-59 minutes
$292.7K
2.2K services$132.45/svc1.93x markup
92235Exam of retinal blood vessels using a special camera after injection of a dye
$282.5K
3.1K services$90.07/svc2.41x markup
J3590Unclassified biologicsโš  3.1x markup
$256.5K
104 services$2.5K/svc3.07x markup
92250Photography of the retina
$230.0K
3.9K services$58.33/svc2.09x markup
J2777Injection, faricimab-svoa, 0.1 mgโš  4.6x markup
$195.5K
7.3K services$26.92/svc4.64x markup
92202Extended exam of the back part of the eye with optic nerve drawingโš  5.9x markup
$151.7K
10.9K services$13.95/svc5.91x markup
Q5128Injection, ranibizumab-eqrn (cimerli), biosimilar, 0.1 mgโš  4.6x markup
$139.3K
647 services$215.32/svc4.63x markup
J9035Injection, bevacizumab, 10 mg
$135.3K
2.3K services$58.88/svc1.66x markup
J3490Unclassified drugsโš  3.1x markup
$105.9K
59 services$1.8K/svc3.14x markup
67036Removal of eye fluid (vitreous) between the lens and retinaโš  3.2x markup
$76.5K
98 services$780.60/svc3.21x markup
92225Examination of eye by ophthalmoscope with retinal drawing
$70.4K
2.9K services$24.21/svc2.18x markup
92201Extended exam of the back part of the eye with retinal drawingโš  4.1x markup
$57.1K
2.7K services$21.31/svc4.08x markup
765122d ultrasound scan of eye tissue and structures
$26.5K
373 services$71.04/svc2.83x markup
Show detailed table โ–พ
CodeDescriptionServicesPaymentsAvg/ServiceMarkup
J0178Injection, aflibercept, 1 mg19.7K$14.4M$732.882.01x
J2778Injection, ranibizumab, 0.1 mg15.9K$4.1M$257.402.43x
92014Established patient complete exam of visual system31.2K$3.3M$104.841.88x
67028Injection of drug into eye14.5K$1.5M$101.365.21x
92134Imaging of retina33.0K$1.2M$37.184.62x
92226Examination of eye by ophthalmoscope with retinal drawing31.4K$702.0K$22.392.11x
99214Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 30-39 minutes4.3K$424.4K$99.072.00x
99204New patient office or other outpatient visit, 45-59 minutes2.2K$292.7K$132.451.93x
92235Exam of retinal blood vessels using a special camera after injection of a dye3.1K$282.5K$90.072.41x
J3590Unclassified biologics104$256.5K$2.5K3.07x
92250Photography of the retina3.9K$230.0K$58.332.09x
J2777Injection, faricimab-svoa, 0.1 mg7.3K$195.5K$26.924.64x
92202Extended exam of the back part of the eye with optic nerve drawing10.9K$151.7K$13.955.91x
Q5128Injection, ranibizumab-eqrn (cimerli), biosimilar, 0.1 mg647$139.3K$215.324.63x
J9035Injection, bevacizumab, 10 mg2.3K$135.3K$58.881.66x
J3490Unclassified drugs59$105.9K$1.8K3.14x
67036Removal of eye fluid (vitreous) between the lens and retina98$76.5K$780.603.21x
92225Examination of eye by ophthalmoscope with retinal drawing2.9K$70.4K$24.212.18x
92201Extended exam of the back part of the eye with retinal drawing2.7K$57.1K$21.314.08x
765122d ultrasound scan of eye tissue and structures373$26.5K$71.042.83x

Markup Analysis

Charge-to-Payment Ratio

2.42x

This provider submits charges 2.42 times higher than what Medicare actually pays.

What This Means

A markup ratio of 2.42x means for every $100 Medicare pays, this provider initially charges $242. This is higher than the national average.

Location

Chevy Chase, MD

Provider Verification

Always verify provider credentials and location before scheduling appointments. This data reflects Medicare payments and may not include all practice locations.

Similar Providers

Other Ophthalmology providers in MD for peer comparison.

Michael Lai (you)
$27.7M
Michael Elman, M.D.
$68.5M
David Warrow, M.D.
$65.5M
Raymond Sjaarda, M.D.
$47.2M
Allen Hu, MD
$45.7M
James Rial, M.D.
$45.2M
Show detailed table โ–พ
ProviderLocationTotal PaymentsStatus
Michael Elman, M.D.Baltimore, MD$68.5Mโœ“ Clear
David Warrow, M.D.Hagerstown, MD$65.5Mโœ“ Clear
Raymond Sjaarda, M.D.Baltimore, MD$47.2Mโœ“ Clear
Allen Hu, MDHagerstown, MD$45.7Mโœ“ Clear
James Rial, M.D.Salisbury, MD$45.2Mโœ“ Clear

Related

Browse
โ† Back to Provider Directory
State
All providers in MD โ†’
Specialty
All Ophthalmology providers โ†’
Tool
Compare this provider โ†’
Analysis
Fraud Watchlist โ†’
Search
Search all providers โ†’

Share This Provider

Share this provider's Medicare payment information

Share:

Data Sources

  • โ€ข Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
  • โ€ข Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data (2014-2023)
  • โ€ข National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES)

Last Updated: February 2026 (data through 2023, the latest CMS release)

Note: All data is from publicly available Medicare records. OpenMedicare is an independent journalism project not affiliated with CMS.

Believe this data is inaccurate? Dispute this data