Medicare Enrolled

Dr. Ki Cho, M.D.

Internal Medicine · Santa Clara, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology — Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Low-engagement
2344 EL CAMINO REAL, Santa Clara, CA 95050
4082491212
In practice since 2006 (19 years)
NPI: 1225122880 verify on NPPES ↗
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. Cho 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 →
Are you Dr. Cho? Request a correction or review of any data shown here. Provider portal →

What this data tells you about Dr. Cho

Dr. Ki Cho is an internal medicine specialist in Santa Clara, CA, with 19 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Cho performed 6,261 Medicare services across 3,024 unique beneficiaries.

Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Cho received a total of $2,063 from 17 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 240 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in internal medicine. 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. Cho 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.

✓ 19 years in practice ▲ Top 4% volume in CA $2,063 industry payments

Medicare Practice Summary

Medicare Utilization ↗
6,261
Medicare services
Top 4% in CA for internal medicine
3,024
Unique beneficiaries
$67
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~330 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
Telephone medical discussion, 5-10 minutes
A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 5 and 10 minutes to discuss medical matters.
1,393 $30 $67
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.
1,167 $114 $260
Telephone medical discussion, 11-20 minutes
A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 11 and 20 minutes.
1,126 $48 $147
Blood draw (venipuncture)
Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample.
439 $8 $10
Office visit, established patient (20-29 min)
An office visit for an existing patient lasting between 20 and 29 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition.
356 $82 $160
Blood glucose test using hand-held instrument
A test that measures the level of sugar in the blood using a portable device. The result helps monitor blood glucose levels.
316 $3 $10
Annual wellness visit, follow-up
A follow-up annual wellness visit that includes a personalized prevention plan of service.
248 $156 $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.
170 $13 $60
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.
162 $185 $570
Echocardiogram, transthoracic
An ultrasound of the heart that uses color to show blood flow, rate, direction, and valve function.
151 $169 $650
Bone density scan (DEXA)
A test that uses low-dose X-rays to measure bone mineral density in the hip, pelvis, and spine. It helps assess bone strength and risk of fractures.
115 $51 $260
Complete ultrasound of abdomen
A diagnostic imaging test that uses sound waves to create detailed pictures of the organs and structures within the abdomen.
112 $118 $280
Flu vaccine administration
This procedure involves the administration of the influenza virus vaccine. It covers the process of delivering the vaccine to the patient.
104 $37 $40
Flu vaccine, high-dose
High-dose seasonal influenza vaccine for adults aged 65 and older. Contains four times the antigen of standard-dose flu vaccines (60 mcg per strain), split-virus formulation, preservative-free, single-dose syringe.
101 $72 $100
Chest X-ray, 2 views
An X-ray imaging test of the chest that captures two different angles to visualize the lungs, heart, and chest wall.
66 $34 $65
Ultrasound of head and neck soft tissue
This procedure uses sound waves to create images of the soft tissues in the head and neck area. It allows for the visualization of structures beneath the skin without using radiation.
53 $112 $210
Home health agency supervision, complex multidisciplinary care
Supervision by a physician or allowed practitioner for a patient receiving Medicare-covered services from a participating home health agency. This involves complex and multidisciplinary care modalities, with the patient not present during the supervision.
45 $98 $250
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.
38 $256 $750
Complete pelvic ultrasound
An imaging test using sound waves to create pictures of the organs and structures within the pelvis.
31 $81 $240
Urinalysis, manual
A manual laboratory examination of a urine sample to check for various substances and cells.
29 $3 $10
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.
28 $137 $350
Colonoscopy
A diagnostic exam of the large bowel using a flexible endoscope to visualize the interior of the colon.
11 $281 $830
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.
2.4% high complexity
6.5% medium
91.1% routine

Industry Payment Transparency

Open Payments through 2024 ↗
$2,063
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $295/year across 7 years
Top 25% in CA for internal medicine
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
17
Companies
240
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
$2,063 (100.0%)

Payment trend by year

Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

2024
$272
2023
$68
2022
$151
2021
$26
2020
$244
2019
$637
2018
$666

Payments by company (2024)

Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
ABBVIE INC.
$272
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
$799
ABBVIE INC.
$406
Amarin Pharma Inc.
$339
Allergan Inc.
$189
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.
$80
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$64
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc
$35
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$24
Genentech USA, Inc.
$21
Novo Nordisk Inc
$17
Amgen Inc.
$16
PFIZER INC.
$16
AbbVie Inc.
$14
SANOFI PASTEUR INC.
$11
SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
$11
Horizon Pharma plc
$11
AbbVie, Inc.
$11
Top 3 companies account for 74.8% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ADACEL · ANORO · ANORO ELLIPTA · BYSTOLIC · CHANTIX · CREON · Creon · DUZALLO · FARXIGA · LINZESS · LOKELMA · NAMZARIC · PENNSAID · Ranexa · Repatha · SHINGRIX · SOLIQUA · SYMBICORT · VIBERZI · VRAYLAR · Vascepa · Vemlidy · Veozah · Xofluza · ZENPEP
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 (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.

Looking for an internal medicine specialist in Santa Clara?
Compare internal medicine physicians in the Santa Clara area by procedure volume, costs, and industry payment transparency.
Browse internal medicine physicians nearby

Geographic Context

Internal medicine physicians within 10 mi
2,357
Per 100K population
123.8
County median income
$159,674
Nearest hospital
KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL-SANTA CLARA
1.8 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. Cho is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 4% in CA), with low-engagement industry engagement, with 19 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. Cho experienced with telephone medical discussion, 5-10 minutes?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Cho performed 1,393 telephone medical discussion, 5-10 minutes 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. Cho receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Cho received a total of $2,063 from 17 companies across 240 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. Cho's costs compare to other internal medicine physicians in Santa Clara?
Dr. Cho's average Medicare payment per service is $67. 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. Cho) 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 →
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.

Provider corrections: Provider portal · Privacy questions: Privacy Policy · Terms: Terms of Use · Methodology: Methodology

Data Disclaimer — Data sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), Open Payments program, Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data, and Provider Enrollment & Certification data (PECOS). Published under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This website is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by CMS, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Data may contain errors as reported to CMS by providers and reporting entities. Payments from industry are legal and do not indicate wrongdoing. Medicare data reflects only patients aged 65+ or those with qualifying disabilities. For corrections, contact CMS directly. This information does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a healthcare provider. Procedure descriptions use plain language and do not reference CPT® codes, which are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. Full methodology → · Report a data error → · Privacy policy →