Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Luke Cho, MD
Urology Physician · Joliet, IL
Practice pattern: Mixed Practice
— Diverse clinical practice across multiple procedure types
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. 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?
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What this data tells you about Dr. Cho
Dr. Luke Cho is an urology physician in Joliet, IL, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Cho performed 15,127 Medicare services across 5,567 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Cho received a total of $10,473 from 62 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 382 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in urology physician. 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.
✓ 20 years in practice
▲ Top 6% volume in IL
$10,473 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗15,127
Medicare services
Top 6% in IL for urology physician
5,567
Unique beneficiaries
$32
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~756 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botox injection, per unit An injection of onabotulinumtoxinA, a medication used to temporarily relax muscles or reduce gland activity. The dose is measured in units, with this code representing a single unit administered. |
4,030 | $5 | $15 |
| Infectious disease DNA/RNA test A laboratory test that uses a specific technique to detect the genetic material of an organism. This method amplifies the target DNA or RNA to identify the presence of the organism. |
2,679 | $34 | $94 |
| Automated urinalysis An automated laboratory test performed on a urine sample to analyze its chemical and physical properties. The procedure uses machinery to detect various substances and cells within the urine. |
1,879 | $2 | $17 |
| 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. |
1,241 | $89 | $203 |
| Bladder ultrasound after voiding An ultrasound scan performed after urination to measure the amount of urine remaining in the bladder. |
1,152 | $8 | $84 |
| Blood draw (venipuncture) Insertion of a needle into a vein to collect a blood sample. |
793 | $8 | $19 |
| PSA test (prostate cancer screening) | 432 | $18 | $78 |
| 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. |
426 | $66 | $143 |
| Chronic care management, first 20 min/month This service covers the first 20 minutes of clinical staff time directed by a healthcare professional each calendar month to manage chronic conditions. |
233 | $50 | $110 |
| Yeast/candida DNA test A laboratory test that uses an amplified probe technique to detect the presence of Candida species, a type of yeast, in a patient sample. |
207 | $34 | $94 |
| Staphylococcus aureus DNA test A laboratory test that uses DNA amplification to detect the presence of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria in a sample. |
207 | $34 | $94 |
| Group B Strep DNA test A laboratory test that uses DNA amplification to detect the presence of Group B Streptococcus bacteria. |
207 | $34 | $94 |
| Urine culture, bacterial colony count A laboratory test that measures the number of bacteria growing in a urine sample to help identify infections. |
148 | $8 | $43 |
| Cystourethroscopy A diagnostic exam of the bladder and urethra using an endoscope to visually inspect the urinary tract. |
131 | $186 | $742 |
| 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. |
110 | $118 | $287 |
| Ertapenem sodium injection, 500 mg An injection of ertapenem sodium, an antibiotic medication, administered at a dose of 500 mg. |
94 | $11 | $141 |
| Free PSA test A blood test that measures the amount of unbound prostate-specific antigen in the blood. |
73 | $18 | $55 |
| 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. |
73 | $66 | $134 |
| Tissue staining for diagnosis, initial A laboratory test where special stains are applied to tissue slides to help examine the cells and identify specific characteristics. |
63 | $32 | $220 |
| Tissue staining for diagnosis, additional An extra laboratory procedure to apply special stains to tissue slides for detailed examination. |
55 | $25 | $124 |
| Electronic assessment of bladder emptying A test that uses electronic monitoring to evaluate how well the bladder empties urine. |
54 | $7 | $268 |
| Imaging of urinary tract with contrast An imaging test of the urinary tract performed after a contrast agent is injected to enhance visibility of the structures. |
51 | $20 | $398 |
| Initial hospital admission, moderate complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving moderate-level medical decision making, with at least 55 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
51 | $105 | $249 |
| Non-needle muscle activity measurement of bladder and bowel openings This procedure measures and records the electrical activity of muscles at the bladder and bowel openings without using needles. |
50 | $29 | $659 |
| Antimicrobial drug evaluation Assessment of the patient's response to antibiotic, antifungal, or antiviral therapy. |
49 | $7 | $28 |
| Urine culture, bacterial identification A laboratory test that grows and identifies bacteria from a urine sample to detect infections. |
44 | $8 | $37 |
| Cell examination with selective cellular enhancement A laboratory test that examines cells from a specimen using a technique to selectively enhance specific cellular features for detailed analysis. |
41 | $55 | $300 |
| PSA test (prostate cancer screening) A blood test that measures the level of prostate-specific antigen to screen for prostate cancer. |
40 | $19 | $37 |
| Cystoscopy with chemical ablation of bladder A procedure where a camera is used to examine the bladder and a chemical agent is applied to destroy abnormal tissue. |
36 | $314 | $1,156 |
| Bladder irrigation and/or instillation This procedure involves flushing the bladder with fluid to clear it or introducing medication directly into the bladder. |
33 | $31 | $369 |
| Transrectal ultrasound of the pelvis An ultrasound imaging procedure where a probe is inserted into the rectum to visualize pelvic structures. |
33 | $115 | $445 |
| Ultrasound guidance for needle placement Use of ultrasound imaging to guide the precise placement of a needle during a medical procedure. |
32 | $49 | $526 |
| Complex urodynamic pressure flow study A test that measures the pressure of urine flow in the bladder during voiding to evaluate how well the bladder and urethra are functioning. |
31 | $277 | $1,054 |
| Ureteral stent insertion via endoscope A flexible tube is inserted into the ureter using an endoscope to keep the passage open and allow urine to flow from the kidney to the bladder. |
29 | $113 | $1,499 |
| Drug injection, under skin or into muscle A procedure involving the administration of a medication or substance via injection into the subcutaneous tissue or muscle. |
29 | $11 | $66 |
| Prostate gland biopsy A procedure to remove small samples of tissue from the prostate gland for laboratory examination. |
28 | $204 | $670 |
| Initial hospital admission, low complexity Initial hospital inpatient or observation care for a new patient involving straightforward or low-level medical decision making, with at least 40 minutes total time on the date of the encounter. |
28 | $68 | $191 |
| Implantable tissue marker, each A small marker is implanted into tissue to serve as a reference point for future medical imaging or procedures. |
26 | $118 | $685 |
| Abdominal device insertion with pressure and urine flow study A procedure involving the placement of a device into the abdomen, accompanied by a study to measure pressure and urine flow rate. |
23 | $152 | $597 |
| Prostate needle biopsy pathology exam Laboratory examination of prostate tissue samples obtained via needle biopsy. The pathologist inspects the tissue both visually and under a microscope to identify any abnormalities. |
23 | $302 | $2,843 |
| Endoscopic removal of foreign body, stone, or stent from urethra or bladder A procedure to remove a foreign object, stone, or stent from the urethra or bladder using an endoscope. The endoscope is a thin tube with a camera inserted into the urinary tract to locate and extract the item. |
22 | $258 | $885 |
| Ureteral stone crushing with stent insertion An endoscope is used to break up a stone in the ureter, followed by the placement of a stent to keep the ureter open. |
22 | $345 | $1,950 |
| Subcutaneous or intramuscular chemotherapy injection This procedure involves administering anti-cancer hormonal medication through an injection into the tissue under the skin or into a muscle. |
22 | $26 | $164 |
| 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. |
18 | $145 | $318 |
| Laser prostate fragmentation with bleeding control This procedure uses a laser to break up prostate tissue and control bleeding through an endoscope. |
14 | $683 | $3,530 |
| Other procedure on male genital system A surgical or medical intervention performed on the male genital organs that does not fall under other specific categories. |
14 | $225 | $1,086 |
| Injection of biodegradable material next to prostate A procedure involving the injection of a biodegradable substance into the tissue surrounding the prostate gland. |
13 | $2,493 | $9,369 |
| Prostate radiation therapy device placement A device is placed in the prostate to facilitate radiation therapy. This procedure involves positioning the device to aid in the delivery of radiation treatment. |
13 | $65 | $660 |
| Urinalysis with microscopic exam A urine test performed manually that includes examining the sample under a microscope to check for abnormalities. |
13 | $3 | $22 |
| Bladder biopsy using endoscope A procedure to remove a small tissue sample from the bladder using a thin, flexible tube with a camera. The sample is then examined to check for abnormalities. |
12 | $305 | $1,302 |
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.
0.7% high complexity
36.6% medium
62.7% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$10,473
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $1,496/year across 7 years
Top 16% in IL for urology physician
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
62
Companies
382
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
$9,906 (94.6%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$503 (4.8%)
Other
Charitable contributions, space rental, and other categories
$63 (0.6%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$885
2023
$1,497
2022
$2,015
2021
$1,115
2020
$805
2019
$3,233
2018
$923
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$148
COLOPLAST CORP
$90
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$60
LANTHEUS MEDICAL IMAGING, INC.
$55
Verity Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$52
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$40
Olympus America Inc.
$36
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$35
Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc.
$34
Dendreon Pharmaceuticals LLC
$33
ABBVIE INC.
$32
Tempus AI, Inc
$30
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$30
180 Medical, Inc.
$28
Laborie Medical Technologies Corp.
$28
Calyxo, Inc.
$22
ACCORD HEALTHCARE, INC.
$21
PROCEPT BioRobotics Corporation
$19
PFIZER INC.
$18
BLUEWIND MEDICAL
$17
Tolmar, Inc.
$16
DENTSPLY IH AB
$15
Axonics, Inc.
$14
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$14
Top 3 companies account for 33.7% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
Astellas Pharma US Inc
$1,931
PROCEPT BioRobotics Corporation
$1,512
Boston Scientific Corporation
$942
Coloplast Corp
$501
Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc.
$373
Janssen Biotech, Inc.
$282
Myovant Sciences Inc.
$274
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$245
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
$245
Dendreon Pharmaceuticals LLC
$223
Laborie Medical Technologies Corp.
$210
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$199
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
$192
NeoTract Inc.
$183
Smith+Nephew, Inc.
$180
Verity Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$178
ABBVIE INC.
$173
Antares Pharma, Inc.
$168
Axonics, Inc.
$158
PFIZER INC.
$153
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
$146
COLOPLAST CORP
$144
180 Medical, Inc.
$136
Janssen Products, LP
$100
AbbVie Inc.
$97
Olympus America Inc.
$96
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.
$94
Allergan, Inc.
$91
Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$77
Teleflex LLC
$75
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
$73
Rochester Medical Corporation
$68
Baxter Healthcare
$63
AbbVie, Inc.
$57
Blue Earth Diagnostics Limited
$55
LANTHEUS MEDICAL IMAGING, INC.
$55
TOLMAR Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$53
Palette Life Sciences, Inc.
$49
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation
$48
GENZYME CORPORATION
$44
C. R. Bard, Inc. & Subsidiaries
$40
Amgen Inc.
$39
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$37
Foundation Medicine, Inc.
$35
Tolmar, Inc.
$35
ConvaTec Inc.
$33
Tempus AI, Inc
$30
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
$30
CARDINAL HEALTH 414 LLC
$27
Calyxo, Inc.
$22
Hollister Incorporated
$21
ACCORD HEALTHCARE, INC.
$21
Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$19
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
$19
Travere Therapeutics, Inc.
$17
BLUEWIND MEDICAL
$17
Accord Healthcare, Inc.
$16
Osiris Therapeutics Inc.
$16
Aesculap, Inc.
$16
Telix Pharmaceuticals
$16
DENTSPLY IH AB
$15
Allergan Inc.
$12
Top 3 companies account for 41.9% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
(815) Thiola · ALTIS · AQUABEAM ROBOTIC SYSTEM · AQUABEAM SYSTEM · Androgel · AquaBeam Robotic System · Axonics · Axonics r-SNM System · Axumin · BOTOX · BRAC CDx · Bulkamid · CAIMAN VESSEL SEALERS · CAMCEVI · CONTINENCE CARE · CVAC ASPIRATION SYSTEM · Coloplast TFL Drive · EDEX · ELIGARD · ERLEADA · Erleada · FOUNDATIONONE · GENERAL ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION · GENERAL BPH · GENERAL THERAPIES · GENTLECATH · GIVLAARI · GRAFIX/GRAFIXPL/STRAVIX · GREENLIGHT · GentleCath · ILLUCCIX · JATENZO · JEVTANA · KEYTRUDA · LITHOVUE · LOFRIC · LUPRON DEPOT · LYNPARZA · Lupron · Lupron Depot · MAGIC3 · MYRBETRIQ · Myrbetriq · NOCDURNA · Nubeqa · ORGOVYX · OTREXUP · OXLUMO · Olympus Laser Devices · Optilume BPH Drug Coated Balloon Catheter · PLUVICTO · PROLARIS · PROVENGE · PYLARIFY · Porges Coloplast · Prolaris · REVI · REZUM · SELF-CATH · SOLTIVE · SOLYX · STRAVIX · SUTENT · Soltive · SpeediCath · TITAN · TOVIAZ · Titan · Trelstar · UROLIFT · UroLift · UroLift System · VaPro Plus Pocket · XGEVA · XIAFLEX · XTANDI · XYOSTED · Xofigo · Xtandi · ZYTIGA
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 (95%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
Urology physicians within 10 mi
46
Per 100K population
6.6
County median income
$107,799
Nearest hospital
SAINT JOSEPH MEDICAL CENTER
4.2 mi
4.2 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 mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 6% in IL), with low-engagement industry engagement in the top 16% of IL 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. Cho experienced with botox injection, per unit?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Cho performed 4,030 botox injection, per unit 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 $10,473 from 62 companies across 382 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 urology physicians in Joliet?
Dr. Cho's average Medicare payment per service is $32. 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 →
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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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