Physician profile
Kai Zhao
NPI 1356609879
$1,980.16
in general payments reported to CMS, 2019-2025
11 companies · $90.03 in 2025
The $90.03 reported for 2025 was less than what a typical Transplant Surgery provider received nationally (typical 2025 total: $423).
Payments by year
General payments by program year, as reported to CMS.
General payments by year: 2019: $50.00 · 2020: $15.69 · 2022: $108 · 2023: $175 · 2024: $1,541 · 2025: $90.03.
What the payments were for
Nature of payment as categorized by the reporting companies: meals, consulting, travel, and so on.
Travel and Lodging: $1,482 · Food and Beverage: $245 · Education: $78.99.
View as a table
| Payment type | Amount (2023-2025) |
|---|---|
| Travel and Lodging | $1,482.36 |
| Food and Beverage | $245.49 |
| Education | $78.99 |
Payment-type detail covers 2023-2025; earlier years are included in totals but not broken out here.
Who reported paying
General payments only, as reported to CMS. Product names cover 2023-2025.
| Company | General payments | Years | Top products |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmedics, INC. | $1,482.36 | 2024 | Organ Care System |
| Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, INC. | $157.63 | 2019-2022 | |
| Ethicon US, LLC | $102.95 | 2020-2025 | Surgicel Nu-Knit, Harmonic, Echelon; Endopath |
| Sanofi-Aventis U.S. LLC | $78.99 | 2023 | |
| Integra Lifesciences Corporation | $45.15 | 2023 | Codman Hakim, Cusa Clarity, Codman Certas |
| Mallinckrodt Hospital Products INC. | $26.07 | 2023 | Acthar |
| Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC | $22.29 | 2025 | Prevymis, Zerbaxa |
| Medical Device Business Services, INC. | $22.19 | 2025 | Echelon Flex |
| Baxter Healthcare | $21.67 | 2025 | Tisseel |
| Solventum Corporation | $20.86 | 2024 | Activ.A.C., Prevena, V.A.C. Dermatac |
1 company reported research payments only; those appear in the research section below.
Drugs and devices associated with these payments
CMS records which products a payment was associated with, not how the money was allocated. Association is not allocation: one payment can be associated with several products, and a product listing does not mean the payment was made because of that product. Product detail covers 2023-2025.
If you want to bring it up
Most clinicians are glad to talk about this. A respectful way in:
- "I saw Kai Zhao listed in the CMS Open Payments database. Can you tell me about your work with those companies?"
- "Is there a generic or alternative to this medication, and would it work as well for me?"
- "What made you choose this particular treatment for my situation?"
These are normal questions. A good clinician will welcome them.
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Source: CMS Open Payments, program years 2019-2025, as reported to CMS by drug and device makers (published June 30, 2026). Drug and device detail covers 2023-2025.