Medicare Enrolled
Dr. John Kao, M.D.
Cardiovascular Disease · San Jose, CA
Practice pattern: Remote & Electrophysiology
— Practice combining remote and electrophysiology services
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. Kao 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. Kao
Dr. John Kao is a cardiovascular disease specialist in San Jose, CA, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Kao performed 5,439 Medicare services across 3,366 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Kao received a total of $19,698 from 57 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 689 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in cardiovascular disease. 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. Kao 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.
✓ 20 years in practice
▲ Top 17% volume in CA
$19,698 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗5,439
Medicare services
Top 17% in CA for cardiovascular disease
3,366
Unique beneficiaries
$117
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~272 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
899 | $114 | $200 |
| Electrocardiogram (EKG), 12-lead A standard heart rhythm test using at least 12 leads to record electrical activity. A healthcare provider interprets the results and provides a written report. |
433 | $14 | $100 |
| ECG, 1-3 leads with physician review A simple electrocardiogram recording using one to three leads. A physician reviews the results. |
391 | $6 | $20 |
| Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) An office or outpatient visit for an existing patient lasting between 40 and 54 minutes. This level of service is determined by the total time spent on the date of the encounter. |
344 | $158 | $250 |
| Remote monitoring of implantable heart rhythm device Evaluation of data transmitted remotely from an implantable cardiovascular monitor, such as a loop recorder or subcutaneous cardiac rhythm monitor, over a period up to 30 days. |
328 | $32 | $45 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function. |
294 | $192 | $975 |
| Hospital follow-up visit, high complexity Subsequent hospital inpatient or observation care for an existing patient involving high-level medical decision making, with at least 50 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
270 | $110 | $160 |
| Technetium Tc-99m sestamibi diagnostic injection A diagnostic injection of technetium Tc-99m sestamibi used for imaging studies. |
190 | $78 | $175 |
| Regadenoson injection (Lexiscan) for heart stress test An injection of regadenoson, a medication used to stress the heart during diagnostic testing. |
188 | $42 | $75 |
| Continuous ECG monitoring, up to 30 days Continuous heart rhythm monitoring for up to 30 days, including professional review and reporting of the results. |
173 | $23 | $40 |
| Remote monitoring of implantable heart device, up to 30 days Remote evaluation of an implanted heart or blood vessel monitoring system over a period of up to 30 days. |
172 | $23 | $50 |
| 30-day continuous ECG with patient-triggered event transmission and review This procedure involves continuous electrocardiogram monitoring for up to 30 days, including the transmission of patient-triggered events. A healthcare professional reviews the data and provides a report. |
171 | $942 | $1,500 |
| Remote cardiac rhythm monitor evaluation, up to 30 days Review and analysis of data from a remote cardiac rhythm monitoring system over a period of up to 30 days. |
158 | $23 | $65 |
| Remote pacemaker/defibrillator monitoring, 90 days Remote evaluation of a pacemaker or implantable defibrillator system within 90 days of the last check. |
130 | $25 | $65 |
| Remote pacemaker monitoring, 90 days Remote assessment of a pacemaker system, including single, dual, multiple lead, or leadless devices, performed up to 90 days apart. |
118 | $26 | $55 |
| 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. |
108 | $159 | $300 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram under physician supervision and review. |
104 | $64 | $325 |
| New patient office visit, complex (60-74 min) | 100 | $195 | $400 |
| Nuclear stress test of heart muscle A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow to the heart muscle at rest and during stress using a special camera. |
95 | $471 | $1,450 |
| Office visit for established patient An office visit for an existing patient that may not require the healthcare professional to be present. |
84 | $22 | $45 |
| Sedation by physician, initial 15 minutes Administration of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by the physician performing a procedure. This code covers the initial 15 minutes of sedation for patients aged 5 years or older. |
78 | $11 | $50 |
| Stress echocardiogram with ECG monitoring An ultrasound of the heart performed while monitoring heart rhythm during rest, exercise, or medication-induced stress, followed by a review and report of the findings. |
68 | $238 | $825 |
| Ultrasound guidance for blood vessel access Use of ultrasound imaging to help locate and access a blood vessel. This guidance assists healthcare providers in performing procedures such as inserting IV lines or drawing blood. |
67 | $12 | $50 |
| Nuclear stress test with CT scan A nuclear medicine imaging test that evaluates blood flow in the heart muscle at rest and during stress, performed alongside a concurrent CT scan. |
53 | $82 | $150 |
| PET scan of heart muscle blood flow A nuclear medicine imaging test that uses positron emission tomography (PET) to evaluate blood flow within the heart muscle. |
53 | $27 | $45 |
| Exercise or drug-induced heart stress test with ECG A heart stress test performed using exercise or medication while monitoring the electrocardiogram, with physician review of the results. |
53 | $13 | $50 |
| Ultrasound of head and neck blood flow, bilateral An ultrasound exam that uses sound waves to visualize and assess blood flow in the vessels of both the head and the neck. |
53 | $205 | $425 |
| Cardiac catheterization | 44 | $189 | $900 |
| 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. |
42 | $188 | $385 |
| Ultrasound of heart blood vessel or graft An ultrasound exam to evaluate blood flow in a heart blood vessel or graft, including a radiologist's review of the initial vessel. |
27 | $81 | $250 |
| 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. |
27 | $73 | $120 |
| Pacemaker programming, dual lead system Adjustment and configuration of a dual-lead pacemaker device to ensure proper operation and settings. |
22 | $76 | $125 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 45 and 59 minutes. This code covers the total time spent by the physician or qualified healthcare professional on the date of the encounter. |
21 | $161 | $325 |
| Radiologist review of arm or leg artery images A radiologist reviews images of the arteries in one or both arms or legs to assess blood flow and vessel health. |
18 | $82 | $125 |
| Stent placement and plaque removal in one vessel A procedure to clear plaque and blood clots from a single blood vessel, followed by the insertion of a stent and/or balloon dilation to keep the vessel open. |
14 | $560 | $2,000 |
| Ultrasound of leg arteries or grafts An imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the blood vessels in the legs or any surgical grafts present. |
14 | $245 | $475 |
| Complete ultrasound of abdomen and pelvis blood flow This procedure uses sound waves to create images of blood flow in the arteries and veins of the abdomen and pelvis. It evaluates the rate and direction of blood movement within these vessels. |
13 | $287 | $575 |
| Insertion of tube in right and left heart chambers and coronary artery for diagnosis with review by radiologist | 11 | $292 | $950 |
| Aortography with contrast and radiologist review An imaging procedure using contrast dye to visualize the aorta above the heart valve, including professional review by a radiologist. |
11 | $32 | $150 |
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.
11.4% high complexity
17.0% medium
71.6% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$19,698
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $2,814/year across 7 years
Top 17% in CA for cardiovascular disease
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
57
Companies
689
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
$19,583 (99.4%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$115 (0.6%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$2,669
2023
$2,621
2022
$2,408
2021
$1,896
2020
$2,493
2019
$4,358
2018
$3,253
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$468
Abbott Laboratories
$361
Amgen Inc.
$216
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$199
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$182
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$153
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$132
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$108
Boston Scientific Corporation
$89
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$88
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$86
PFIZER INC.
$83
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$80
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$67
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$62
Novo Nordisk Inc
$59
Philips North America LLC
$51
BIOTRONIK INC.
$44
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$30
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$25
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$24
HEARTFLOW, INC.
$23
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$22
Kestra Medical Technology Services, Inc.
$17
Top 3 companies account for 39.1% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
BIOTRONIK INC.
$2,245
Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
$1,772
Amgen Inc.
$1,549
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$1,508
Abbott Laboratories
$1,140
Boston Scientific Corporation
$1,082
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$933
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
$804
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$697
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
$577
PFIZER INC.
$540
Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.
$468
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$444
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
$376
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
$359
Bardy Diagnostics, Inc.
$311
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$308
ABIOMED
$273
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
$264
Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
$244
Chiesi USA, Inc.
$233
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$230
Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
$224
Inari Medical, Inc.
$224
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$211
ShockWave Medical, Inc
$199
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals International, plc
$182
Medtronic, Inc.
$177
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$177
Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
$175
Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
$152
Medtronic USA, Inc.
$132
Shockwave Medical, Inc
$131
Biosense Webster, Inc.
$125
ASAHI INTECC USA, INC.
$125
Penumbra, Inc.
$113
AtriCure, Inc.
$111
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$100
ZOLL Services LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LifeCor Corp)
$97
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$78
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$68
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$59
Novo Nordisk Inc
$59
Akcea Therapeutics, Inc.
$55
Philips North America LLC
$51
Lundbeck LLC
$46
Terumo Medical Corporation
$40
ATRICURE, INC.
$34
Baxter Healthcare
$32
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
$24
HEARTFLOW, INC.
$23
CARDIVA MEDICAL, INC.
$22
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$22
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
$20
HeartFlow, Inc.
$20
Kestra Medical Technology Services, Inc.
$17
Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$17
Top 3 companies account for 28.3% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
(5044) MCOT · (5050) Ext Holter · (6571) Eagle Eye · (6575) Coronary Undivided · (7999) SRC Undivided · (8333) IGT D Coronary · (9266) ELCA · (P88) IGT Devices FM · AMVIA EDGE · ASAHI PTCA Guide Wire · ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION SYSTEM · AVVIGO Guidance System · Arcalyst · Assure WCD · Assurity Pacemaker · BIOMONITOR · BRILINTA · BioMonitor · CAMZYOS · CARDIOMEMS · CARDIVA VASCADE MVP VVCS 6-12F · CHANTIX · CONFIRM RX · COREVALVE EVOLUT R · CardioMEMS HF System · Carnation Ambulatory Monitor · Carto 3 System · Confirm Rx · CoreValve Evolut · Corlanor · Coronary Orbital Atherectomy System · DIAMONDBACK CORONARY · Diamondback Coronary · Diamondback Peripheral · EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE (THV) · ELIQUIS · ENTRESTO · EVKEEZA · Edora 8 DR-T · Edwards SAPIEN 3 Transcatheter Heart Valve · Edwards SAPIEN 3 Ultra Transcatheter Heart Valve · Epi-Sense Guided Coagulation System with VisiTrax · FARXIGA · FFRct · FLOWTRIEVER CATHETER · GENERAL STENTS · GENERAL STRUCTURAL HEART · GENERAL STENTS · HEARTRAIL · HeartMate · Hillrom - Cardiac Ambulatory Monitor · Hillrom - Carnation Ambulatory Monitor · IGT Devices Und · INFINITY OCT System · Impella · Indigo System · JARDIANCE · JUXTAPID · KENGREAL · Kerendia · LEQVIO · LEXISCAN · LOKELMA · Letairis · Lexiscan · LifeVest · Livalo · Lutonix Drug Coated Balloon · MERLIN@HOME · MITRACLIP · MULTAQ · Micra · Mitra Clip system · MitraClip System · Models · NEXLETOL · NORTHERA · ONPATTRO · OPSUMIT · OPSUMIT MACITENTAN · OPTIS · PK Papyrus · PRALUENT · PRALUENT ALIROCUMAB INJECTION · Peripheral Orbital Atherectomy System · Repatha · Reveal LINQ · Rivacor · Rybelsus · S · SAMSCA · STINGRAY · SYNERGY · Shockwave IVL System with the Shockwave C2 Coronary IVL Catheter · Solia · TEGSEDI · TurboHawk · UPTRAVI · VERQUVO · VYNDAMAX · VYNDAQEL · Vascepa · Vascular Lithotripsy · WATCHMAN · WATCHMAN Access System · WATCHMAN FLX · WOLVERINE · XARELTO · ZIO XT Patch
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 (99%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Cardiologists within 10 mi
205
Per 100K population
10.8
County median income
$159,674
Nearest hospital
GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL
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. Kao is a remote & electrophysiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 17% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 17% of CA peers, with 20 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. Kao experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Kao performed 899 office visit, established patient (30-39 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. Kao receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Kao received a total of $19,698 from 57 companies across 689 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. Kao's costs compare to other cardiologists in San Jose?
Dr. Kao's average Medicare payment per service is $117. 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. Kao) 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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