Spine surgeon lands on Forbes billionaires list

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Forbes’ annual World’s Billionaires list for 2026 includes a retired spine surgeon among several healthcare leaders.

The rankings were developed using stock prices and exchange rates from March 1, according to Forbes.

Gary Michelson, MD, was ranked 2,274 of all 3,428 billionaires on the list. His net worth remained the same as in 2024 at $1.8 billion. His net worth remained the same as in 2025 at $1.8 billion. 

Dr. Michelson has more than 340 U.S. patents for orthopedic and spine surgery, and he became a billionaire in 2005 when he reached at settlement with Medtronic. He’s used his wealth to create several nonprofits to support animal welfare, medical research and education.

Dr. Michelson was also included on Forbes’ 2025 list.

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