Steve Lai, MD
NPI 1053377580 · Hospice and Palliative Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician · Palo Alto, CA
Enrolled with Medicare as Practitioner - Hospice/Palliative Care · source: CMS PECOS Public Provider Enrollment (2026.04.01)
Provider details
- NPI number
- 1053377580
- Entity type
- Individual
- Primary specialty
- Hospice and Palliative Medicine (Internal Medicine) PhysicianAllopathic & Osteopathic Physicians
- Credential
- MD
- Sex
- Male
- Sole proprietor
- No
- License
- A77926 (CA)
Specialties & taxonomies
Allopathic & Osteopathic Physicians
Allopathic & Osteopathic Physicians
Profile Score
A profile completeness & documented-activity index — NOT a quality, outcomes, or patient-satisfaction rating.
- Registry tenure25% of score
20 yrs in NPPES registry
- Profile completeness25% of score
100% of core fields populated
- Practice footprint15% of score
1 documented practice location
- Medicare service volume (vs. specialty peers)25% of score
380 Medicare services, 2024 (ranked within specialty)
- Open Payments transparency10% of score
Has Open Payments disclosures (2024)
Medicare volume is ranked against active providers in the same specialty. Signals a provider has no public data for (e.g. Medicare claims) are left out of the score entirely — never counted as zero — so providers without that data are not penalized. See the full formula and weights in our .
What this provider does (Medicare)
Based on Medicare fee-for-service claims, 2024; not all care is captured.
| Service (HCPCS) | Medicare services | Typical Medicare-allowed (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Advance Care Planning, First 30 Minutes99497 | 90 | $96 |
| Residence Visit for Established Patient With High Level of Medical Decision Making, Per Day, If Using Time, at Least 60 Minutes99350 | 60 | $212 |
| Residence Visit for Established Patient With Moderate Level of Medical Decision Making, Per Day, If Using Time, at Least 40 Minutes99349 | 58 | $146 |
| Established Patient Office Or Other Outpatient Visit With High Level of Medical Decision Making, If Using Time, 40 Minutes Or More99215 | 41 | $215 |
| Residence Visit for New Patient With High Level of Medical Decision Making, Per Day, If Using Time, at Least 75 Minutes99345 | 32 | $232 |
| Established Patient Office Or Other Outpatient Visit With Moderate Level of Decision Making, If Using Time, 30 Minutes Or More |
What this provider prescribes (Medicare Part D)
Top drugs by Medicare Part D claim volume, 2024 · 9 distinct drugs on file.
| Drug | Part D claims (2024) | Beneficiaries |
|---|---|---|
| Quetiapine Fumarate | 42 | 11 |
| Prednisone | 31 | — |
| Escitalopram Oxalate | 17 | — |
| Losartan Potassium | 15 | — |
| Trazodone Hcl | 13 | — |
| Olanzapine | 12 | — |
| Citalopram Hydrobromidebrand: Citalopram Hbr |
Transparency — industry payments
Based on CMS Open Payments, 2024; not all care is captured.
$21 across 1 record (Open Payments 2024)
Open Payments discloses payments and transfers of value (meals, travel, consulting, research, royalties) from drug and device makers to providers. This is a transparency signal, not a verdict — such payments are legal and common, and their presence is neither an endorsement nor a criticism. Source: CMS Open Payments, program year 2024.
Practice location
Mailing address
Registry dates
- Enumerated
- 2006-04-24
- Last updated
- 2020-05-28
- Certified
- 2020-05-28
Source: CMS NPPES Data Dissemination (June 2026). NPI Central is not affiliated with CMS. Data is provided as-is from the public registry.