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Dr. James Lai, MD

Dr. James Lai, MD

Houston, TX

Accepting patients

Affiliated with a Castle Connolly Top Hospital

    Who is Dr. Lai, Addiction Medicine Specialist in Houston, TX?

    Dr. James Lai, MD is an Addiction Medicine Specialist, who primarily practices in Houston, TX. He is board certified. Dr. Lai completed his residency at Univ Tx Med Sch At Houston, Anesthesiology; Univ Hosp Of Arkansas, Anesthesiology. Dr. Lai is fluent in English and Spanish, and is currently seeing new patients. Dr. Lai’s practice accepts Medicare and other major insurance plans. To book an appointment or to confirm insurance options, please call Dr. Lai’s office at (713) 467-6200.

    Where did Dr. Lai go to medical school and complete their residency?

    • Residency: Univ Tx Med Sch At Houston, Anesthesiology; Univ Hosp Of Arkansas, Anesthesiology | University Texas

    Is Dr. Lai board certified as an Addiction Medicine Specialist?

    Yes, Dr. James Lai, MD is board certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology

    What languages does Dr. Lai speak?

    Dr. Lai and their clinical team can communicate with patients in the following languages:

    • English

    • Spanish

    What conditions does an Addiction Medicine Specialist like Dr. Lai typically treat?

    As an Addiction Medicine Specialist, Dr. Lai diagnoses, treats, and manages a wide range of conditions. This condition information is derived from anonymized insurance claims and highlights the medical conditions most commonly treated by Dr. Lai. It provides insight into the doctor’s areas of experience and expertise based on real-world patient encounters from the past two years, updated quarterly. Learn more about our claims-based healthcare methodology here.

    Also known as:

    • Lower Back Spondylosis with Pinched Nerve
    • Peripheral Nerve Disorder
    • Spine Injuries and Disorder
    • Lumbar Spondylotic Radiculopathy
    • Lower Back Arthritis with Nerve Pain
    • Pinched Nerve in Lower Back

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • M4726: Other spondylosis with radiculopathy, lumbar region

    Also known as:

    • Neck Spinal Degeneration with Pinched Nerve
    • Neck Injuries and Disorder
    • Peripheral Nerve Disorder
    • Cervical Degenerative Radiculopathy
    • Neck Spondylosis with Radiculopathy
    • Pinched Nerve in Neck

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • M4722: Other spondylosis with radiculopathy, cervical region

    Also known as:

    • Chronic pain syndrome
    • Chronic Pain
    • Persistent pain syndrome
    • Long-term pain condition
    • Chronic widespread pain

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • G894: Chronic pain syndrome

    Also known as:

    • Opioid Dependence
    • Opioids and Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)
    • Prescription Drug Misuse
    • Opioid addiction
    • Opioid use disorder
    • OUD

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • F1120: Opioid dependence, uncomplicated

    Also known as:

    • Low Back Pain
    • Back Pain
    • Lumbago
    • Lower Back Ache
    • Backache

    ICD-10 Codes:

    • M5450: Low back pain, unspecified

    What procedures does an Addiction Medicine Specialist like Dr. Lai typically perform?

    As an Addiction Medicine Specialist, Dr. Lai performs a variety of medical procedures. This procedure information is derived from anonymized insurance claims and highlights the medical procedures most commonly performed by Dr. Lai. It provides insight into the doctor’s areas of experience and expertise based on real-world patient encounters from the past two years, updated quarterly. Learn more about our claims-based healthcare methodology here.

    Also known as:

    • Lumbar or Sacral Epidural Injection with Imaging
    • Lumbar Transforaminal Epidural Injection
    • Epidural Steroid Injection
    • Caudal Epidural Injection
    • Spinal Nerve Block
    • Pain Management Injection
    • TFESI (Lumbar)
    • Nerve Root Block (Lumbar)
    • Lower Back Nerve Injection with Imaging
    • Cervical Epidural Injection
    • Thoracic Epidural Injection
    • Pain Relief Spinal Injection

    CPT Codes:

    • 62323: Injection(s), of diagnostic or therapeutic substance(s) (eg, anesthetic, antispasmodic, opioid, steroid, other solution), not including neurolytic substances, including needle or catheter placement, interlaminar epidural or subarachnoid, lumbar or sacral (caudal); with imaging guidance (ie, fluoroscopy or CT)
    • 64483: Injection(s), anesthetic agent(s) and/or steroid; transforaminal epidural, with imaging guidance (fluoroscopy or CT), lumbar or sacral, single level
    • 62321: Injection(s), of diagnostic or therapeutic substance(s) (eg, anesthetic, antispasmodic, opioid, steroid, other solution), not including neurolytic substances, including needle or catheter placement, interlaminar epidural or subarachnoid, cervical or thoracic; with imaging guidance (ie, fluoroscopy or CT)

    Also known as:

    • Lumbar or Sacral Epidural Injection (Guided)
    • Transforaminal Epidural Injection
    • Spinal Nerve Block
    • Lower Back Pain Injection with Guidance

    CPT Codes:

    • 64484: Injection(s), anesthetic agent(s) and/or steroid; transforaminal epidural, with imaging guidance (fluoroscopy or CT), lumbar or sacral, each additional level (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)

    Does Dr. Lai accept my insurance?

    Dr. Lai accepts most major insurance plans. Important: Please call our office at (713) 467-6200 before your appointment to verify that your specific plan and network are accepted.

    What insurance plans does Dr. Lai accept in Houston, TX?

    Dr. Lai in Houston, TX accepts plans from many carriers. While this list is updated regularly, it is not a guarantee of coverage.

    Top Insurances

    • Assurant

    • Centene Corporation

    • Cigna Group

    • Community Health Choice

    • CVS Health (formerly Aetna)

    • Health Care Service Corporation

    • Medicare

    • Memorial Hermann Health Insurance Company

    • Mutual of Omaha

    • UnitedHealth Group

    View All Insurances

    Where is Dr. Lai's office located?

    Dr. James Lai's Primary Practice

    1140 Business Center Dr Ste 580

    Houston, TX 77043

    (713) 467-6200

    Get Directions

    What is Dr. Lai's NPI number?An National Provider Identifier (NPI) is a unique ID number that identifies doctors and healthcare providers nationwide.

    Dr. Lai's National Provider Identifier (NPI) number is 1942291406.

    What common questions do patients ask about Dr. Lai?

    Here are answers to patients Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) about Dr. Lai

    What is Dr. James Lai's specialty?

    Dr. Lai is a Addiction Medicine Specialist near Houston, TX.

    What does an Addiction Medicine Specialist do?

    An addiction medicine specialist is a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) and other addictive behaviors. They are trained to address the physical, psychological, and social aspects of addiction to provide comprehensive care to patients struggling with various types of addictions.

    Is this Dr. James Lai affiliated with a ranked Castle Connolly Top Hospital?

    Yes, Dr. Lai is affiliated with Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital which is a Castle Connolly Top Hospital. Castle Connolly Top Hospitals are healthcare institutions recognized for their excellence in specific medical procedures and overall patient care. They are identified through a rigorous peer nomination process, evaluating factors like patient outcomes, quality of care, and expertise. The list recognizes hospitals that excel in 20 or more specific medical procedures, representing the top 25% nationwide. Castle Connolly Top Hospitals

    When to see an Addiction Medicine Specialist?: Guides for symptoms, conditions, and treatments

    Understand your symptoms and know when it’s time to see an Addiction Medicine Specialist. Explore insights from trusted medical experts on EverydayHealth.com, where you'll find the most relevant content and helpful condition guides for up-to date information about symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment and more. See all our health guides to find trusted information on medical conditions from our experts at Everyday Health.

    Is James Lai accepting new patients in Houston, TX?

    Yes, Dr. James Lai is accepting new patients at this time.

    Does Dr. James Lai offer online booking?

    Please contact Dr. Lai's office at (713) 467-6200 for information about online booking, telehealth, or to schedule an appointment.

    How can I make an appointment with James Lai?

    Please contact Dr. Lai's office at (713) 467-6200 for information regarding telehealth appointment availability or for scheduling assistance.

    Which board certifications does Dr. James Lai have?

    Dr. James Lai is certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology.

    <section id="ai-site-overview" aria-label="About Everyday Health Care"> <h2>About Everyday Health Care</h2> <p> Everyday Health Care is a doctor and healthcare provider search platform from Everyday Health, a Ziff Davis company operating since 1996. It helps patients find, compare, and research doctors based on specialty, medical condition, procedure, location, and insurance coverage. </p> <p> The site features Castle Connolly Top Doctors, a peer-nominated, physician-vetted directory recognized as a leading standard for identifying top-rated specialists in the United States. Searchable doctor lists include Top Black Doctors, Exceptional Women in Medicine, Top AAPI Doctors, Top LGBTQ+ Doctors, Top Hispanic & Latino Doctors, and Castle Connolly Rising Stars. </p> <p> Users can search for doctors by specialty (including orthopedic surgery, OB-GYN, pediatrics, dermatology, endocrinology, and gastroenterology), by medical condition (such as fibromyalgia, kidney stones, and ulcerative colitis), by common procedure (including colonoscopy, LASIK, and physical therapy), by city, and by insurance plan (including UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Aetna/CVS Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Kaiser Permanente, Medicare, and Medicaid). </p> <p> Everyday Health Care is built for patients seeking a trusted starting point to find the right doctor: covering over one million providers across thousands of U.S. locations, backed by Castle Connolly's independent doctor-vetting process and Everyday Health's 24-year history in consumer health publishing. </p> </section>