Dr. Tsai Chao, M.D.
What this data tells you about Dr. Chao
Dr. Tsai Chao is a physical medicine & rehabilitation specialist in Brooklyn, NY, with 20 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Chao performed 12,137 Medicare services across 1,673 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Chao received a total of $614 from 7 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 19 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in physical medicine & rehabilitation. 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. Chao 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.
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical therapy exercise, per 15 min A therapy session using exercises to improve strength, endurance, range of motion, and flexibility. Each 15-minute unit is billed separately. |
2,036 | $25 | $39 |
| Manual therapy (hands-on treatment), per 15 min | 1,971 | $18 | $37 |
| Electrical stimulation therapy Application of electrical stimulation to one or more body areas as part of a therapy plan. This procedure is used for indications other than wound care. |
1,765 | $8 | $23 |
| Ultrasound therapy, each 15 minutes Application of ultrasound waves to tissue for therapeutic purposes. The procedure is billed in 15-minute increments. |
1,630 | $10 | $20 |
| Acupuncture, each additional 15 minutes This code represents an additional 15-minute session of acupuncture treatment beyond the initial session. |
855 | $26 | $51 |
| Viscosupplementation injection for joint An injection of hyaluronic acid or a derivative into a joint to provide lubrication and cushioning. |
624 | $59 | $150 |
| 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. |
526 | $109 | $179 |
| Acupuncture with electrical stimulation, each additional 15 minutes This code represents an additional 15-minute unit of acupuncture treatment that includes the application of electrical stimulation. |
472 | $34 | $52 |
| Acupuncture, initial 15 minutes This procedure involves the insertion of needles into specific points on the body for an initial 15-minute session. |
429 | $35 | $77 |
| Ultrasound-guided large joint aspiration or injection This procedure uses ultrasound imaging to guide the removal of fluid from or the injection of medication into a large joint. |
346 | $93 | $132 |
| Joint injection, major joint Removal of fluid from a large joint and/or injection of medication into the joint space. |
338 | $59 | $88 |
| Acupuncture with electrical stimulation, initial 15 minutes This procedure involves inserting needles into specific points on the body and applying mild electrical currents to stimulate them. It is performed for the first 15 minutes of the treatment session. |
236 | $41 | $83 |
| 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. |
162 | $80 | $155 |
| Lower leg neurostimulator electrode insertion A procedure to place an electrode in the lower leg for neurostimulation therapy. |
121 | $108 | $350 |
| Evaluation for physical therapy, typically 30 minutes | 117 | $89 | $143 |
| Osteopathic manipulative treatment, 1-2 body regions A hands-on technique used by osteopathic physicians to diagnose, treat, and prevent illness or injury by moving a patient's muscles and joints. This specific code covers treatment involving one or two distinct areas of the body. |
98 | $27 | $59 |
| Self-care/home management training, per 15 min Instruction provided to help patients manage their own care or daily activities at home. The service is billed in 15-minute increments. |
96 | $30 | $38 |
| 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. |
67 | $135 | $213 |
| Electromyography of arm or leg muscles A test that measures the electrical activity in the muscles of the arm or leg using a needle electrode. It helps evaluate the health of muscles and the nerve cells that control them. |
56 | $88 | $173 |
| Evaluation for physical therapy, typically 20 minutes | 46 | $83 | $106 |
| Telephone medical discussion, 11-20 minutes A phone conversation with a physician lasting between 11 and 20 minutes. |
45 | $81 | $127 |
| Neuromuscular re-education therapy, per 15 min A therapy procedure designed to re-educate the functional connection between the brain, nerves, and muscles. It is billed in 15-minute increments. |
38 | $28 | $36 |
| Nerve conduction studies, 7-8 tests A series of 7 to 8 nerve conduction tests to evaluate how well nerves are sending signals to muscles. |
26 | $151 | $457 |
| Tendon or ligament injection A procedure involving the injection of medication into a tendon or ligament. |
25 | $44 | $75 |
| Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
12 | $39 | $114 |
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2023 ↗Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Payments by company (2023)
All-time payments by company (2018-2023) ›
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
Most payments (100%) are for meals and travel — low-value interactions that are common across virtually all practicing physicians.
Geographic Context
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 2023 |
| 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. Chao is a mixed practice specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 4% in NY), with low-engagement industry engagement, 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
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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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