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Cathleen Marie Ligman, MD

General Surgery · San Jose

NPI 1396717385

Medicare standing
Clear
Enrolled, allowed to bill and order, not excluded
Plans that list them
10
4 carriers
Office
1

Offices

1 location · County of Santa Clara · 1,000 clinicians in this group

Looking this up.

Hospitals listed: Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. That is not proof they admit you there this week.

Plans that list them

10 plans · 4 carriers

A missing listing does not mean out of network. Directories change, and a listing does not cover every office. Call Dr. Ligman’s office at (408) 885-5000 to confirm they take your plan. Ask about the office you use, its medical group, referrals and appointments.

10 of 10 plans

Plans whose provider directory lists this clinician
Anthem Full Dual Advantage Aligned (HMO D-SNP)Anthem Blue CrossListedOct 3, 2026
Central Health Classic Care Plan III (HMO)Central Health Medicare PlanListedAug 15, 2026
Central Health Dual Access Plan (HMO D-SNP)Central Health Medicare PlanListedAug 15, 2026
Central Health Embrace Choice Plan (HMO C-SNP)Central Health Medicare PlanListedAug 15, 2026
Central Health Valor Care Plan (HMO)Central Health Medicare PlanListedAug 15, 2026
SCAN Balance (HMO C-SNP)SCAN Health PlanListedOct 3, 2026
SCAN Classic (HMO)SCAN Health PlanListedOct 3, 2026
SCAN MyChoice (HMO)SCAN Health PlanListedOct 3, 2026
SCAN Strive (HMO C-SNP)SCAN Health PlanListedOct 3, 2026
DualConnect (HMO D-SNP)Santa Clara Family Health PlanListedSep 1, 2026

California Medical Board record

Licence A76320 · Current

Licensed to practise in California · since 2001 · expires 2027-05-31 · Medical College of Georgia.

No disciplinary actions, convictions, malpractice judgments or citations in this record.

Hospitals they work in

1 hospital

These rate the hospital, not this clinician. Most measures at most hospitals are no different from the national rate.

  • Santa Clara Valley Medical CenterSan Jose, CAAcute Care Hospital · Government - Local · Has an emergency department · Birthing-friendlyPart of Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System, which runs 3 hospitalsPatients rate it 3 of 5 · 70% would definitely recommend it
    Overall rating: 2 of 5 starsWorse than the national rate — SSI - Colon Surgery: 2.572, Oct 2024 – Sep 2025Better than the national rate — Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): 0.563, Oct 2024 – Sep 2025Better than the national rate — Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): 0.256, Oct 2024 – Sep 2025Better than the national rate — MRSA Bacteremia: 0.369, Oct 2024 – Sep 2025
See every measure and the patient survey for Santa Clara Valley Medical Center

Behind the star rating — Deaths: 2 better, 6 the same, 0 worse of 8 measures. Safety: 2 better, 5 the same, 1 worse of 8 measures. Readmissions: 0 better, 10 the same, 1 worse of 11 measures. The star rating is worked out from an earlier period than the measures below, so the two can disagree.

Every scored measure at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
SSI - Colon SurgeryInfections2.572WorseOct 2024 – Sep 2025
Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards)Infections0.563BetterOct 2024 – Sep 2025
Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff)Infections0.256BetterOct 2024 – Sep 2025
MRSA BacteremiaInfections0.369BetterOct 2024 – Sep 2025
Abdominopelvic accidental puncture or laceration rateComplications and deaths1.25 (0.3 to 2.2) · 1,535 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
CMS Medicare PSI 90: Patient safety and adverse events compositeComplications and deaths1.07 (0.76 to 1.38)No differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complicationsComplications and deaths214.59 (167.38 to 261.8) · 108 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Death rate for CABG surgery patientsComplications and deaths2.8 · 41 casesNoneJul 2022 – Jun 2025
Death rate for COPD patientsComplications and deaths6 · 141 casesNoneJul 2022 – Jun 2025
Death rate for heart attack patientsComplications and deaths10.2 · 124 casesNoneJul 2022 – Jun 2025
Death rate for heart failure patientsComplications and deaths8.3 · 501 casesNoneJul 2022 – Jun 2025
Death rate for pneumonia patientsComplications and deaths14.9 · 653 casesNoneJul 2022 – Jun 2025
Death rate for stroke patientsComplications and deaths10.1 · 348 casesNoneJul 2023 – Jun 2025
Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Risk Standardized Mortality RateComplications and deaths3 · 4,502 casesNoneJul 2024 – Jun 2025
Iatrogenic pneumothorax rateComplications and deaths0.24 (0.04 to 0.43) · 9,014 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
In-hospital fall-associated fracture rateComplications and deaths0.34 (0.15 to 0.52) · 9,216 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rateComplications and deaths4.54 (2.51 to 6.58) · 1,421 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis rateComplications and deaths1.54 (0 to 3.2) · 288 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Postoperative hemorrhage or hematoma rateComplications and deaths2.11 (0.66 to 3.56) · 1,446 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Postoperative respiratory failure rateComplications and deaths11.61 (4.09 to 19.14) · 294 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Postoperative sepsis rateComplications and deaths7.29 (3.39 to 11.2) · 299 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Postoperative wound dehiscence rateComplications and deaths1.9 (0.45 to 3.36) · 333 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Pressure ulcer rateComplications and deaths0.23 (0 to 0.78) · 7,538 casesNo differentJul 2022 – Jun 2024
Rate of complications for hip/knee replacement patientsComplications and deaths5.4 · 94 casesNoneApr 2023 – Mar 2025
Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards)Infections0.735No differentOct 2024 – Sep 2025
SSI - Abdominal HysterectomyInfections2.573No differentOct 2024 – Sep 2025
Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) 30-Day Readmission RateUnplanned return visits14.6 · 185 casesNoneJul 2023 – Jun 2025
Heart failure (HF) 30-Day Readmission RateUnplanned return visits22.1 · 951 casesNoneJul 2023 – Jun 2025
Hospital return days for heart attack patientsUnplanned return visits56.3 · 128 casesNoneJul 2022 – Jun 2025
Hospital return days for heart failure patientsUnplanned return visits6.4 · 644 casesNoneJul 2022 – Jun 2025
Hospital return days for pneumonia patientsUnplanned return visits1.3 · 699 casesNoneJul 2022 – Jun 2025
Pneumonia (PN) 30-Day Readmission RateUnplanned return visits16.3 · 921 casesNoneJul 2023 – Jun 2025
Rate of emergency department (ED) visits for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapyUnplanned return visits5.7 (3.9 to 8.1) · 226 casesNo differentJan 2024 – Dec 2024
Rate of inpatient admissions for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapyUnplanned return visits12.6 (9.4 to 16.5) · 226 casesNo differentJan 2024 – Dec 2024
Rate of readmission after hip/knee replacementUnplanned return visits5.4 · 94 casesNoneJul 2023 – Jun 2025
Rate of readmission for CABGUnplanned return visits11.4 · 54 casesNoneJul 2023 – Jun 2025
Rate of readmission for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patientsUnplanned return visits20.3 · 242 casesNoneJul 2023 – Jun 2025
Rate of unplanned hospital visits after colonoscopy (per 1,000 colonoscopies)Unplanned return visits13.2 (9.9 to 17.4) · 702 casesNo differentJan 2022 – Dec 2024
Ratio of unplanned hospital visits after hospital outpatient surgeryUnplanned return visits1 (0.7 to 1.4) · 195 casesNo differentJan 2024 – Dec 2024

What patients said (4,032 patients answered, 29% of those asked)

Patient survey stars by topic at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Cleanliness3
Nurse communication3
Doctor communication3
Communication about medicines3
Discharge information2
Overall hospital rating3
Quietness2
Recommend hospital4
Share of patients giving the best answer at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Room was "always" clean70%
Nurses "always" communicated well73%
Doctors "always" communicated well76%
Staff "always" explained57%
Yes, staff "did" give patients this information82%
Yes, staff "did" give patients information about help after discharge82%
Doctors "always" explained things so they could understand71%
Doctors "always" listened carefully74%
Doctors "always" treated them with courtesy and respect82%
Patients who gave a rating of "9" or "10" (high)67%
Staff "always" explained new medications71%
Nurses "always" explained things so they could understand71%
Nurses "always" listened carefully69%
Nurses "always" treated them with courtesy and respect80%
"Always" quiet at night43%
"YES", patients would definitely recommend the hospital70%
Staff "always" explained possible side effects44%
Yes, staff "did" give patients information about possible symptoms83%

Original Medicare doctor bills

$30,203

Medicare paid this office $30,203 for 156 people.

This is what Medicare paid the clinician — not Medicare Advantage, and not the pharmacy.

Largest Original Medicare bills
Critical care, first 30-74 minutes14$4,320$180
Subsequent hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 25 minutes49$3,171$41
Initial hospital care with straightforward or low-level medical decision making at least 55 minutes16$1,877$117
New patient visit (30+ min)25$1,846$74
Hospital discharge day management, 30 minutes or less22$1,571$71
See all 7 services
Every Original Medicare service billed
Critical care, first 30-74 minutes14$4,320$180
Subsequent hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 25 minutes49$3,171$41
Initial hospital care with straightforward or low-level medical decision making at least 55 minutes16$1,877$117
New patient visit (30+ min)25$1,846$74
Hospital discharge day management, 30 minutes or less22$1,571$71
Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 35 minutes11$922$71
Short return visit (20+ min)11$656$60

Procedures Medicare counted

Procedure volume Medicare published
Hernia repair - groin (open)1-10None

Who their Medicare patients are

156 Original Medicare patients in 2024. Average age 76 · Under 65 14% · 85 and older 26% · Women 46% · Also on Medicaid 63% · Health risk score 2.71. Above the middle of the specialty; the typical general surgery clinician is at 1.69.

Conditions among them: High blood pressure 75% · Diabetes 44% · Chronic kidney disease 36% · Coronary heart disease 35% · Dementia 35% · Depression 33% · Atrial fibrillation 31% · Stroke 30% · Heart failure 28% · COPD 20% · Cancer 17%.

The office billed $351,636, Medicare allowed $39,227 and paid $30,203; for 272 services of 42 kinds.

Original Medicare patients only. A risk score of 1.0 is the average Medicare patient; higher means sicker. Any count under 11 is hidden.

Year by year

Original Medicare by year
2024156272762.71$351,636$30,203
2023119213722.10$271,072$25,172
2022144290731.94$286,531$30,318
2021172361752.01$456,611$48,996
2020140280732.25$334,040$36,959
2019200464712.49$562,066$63,611
20181719711.99$25,373$3,509
2015129268702.41$275,103$36,015
2014160410682.33$427,855$58,880
2013126276662.18$311,835$44,910

Original Medicare only. A service billed for fewer than 11 people in a year is hidden, so the lines can add up to less than the year's total.

See the services billed each year

2023: 5 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2023
Subsequent hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 25 minutes47$3,929$46
Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 35 minutes12$949$79
Hospital discharge day management, 30 minutes or less12$930$77
Initial hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes12$888$74
Short return visit (20+ min)12$732$61

2022: 8 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2022
Critical care, first 30-74 minutes19$9,212$225
Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 35 minutes33$3,870$79
Subsequent hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 25 minutes42$3,446$42
Initial hospital care with straightforward or low-level medical decision making at least 55 minutes12$1,493$124
Initial hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes13$1,391$107
Hospital discharge day management, 30 minutes or less14$1,162$83
Short return visit (20+ min)14$1,113$70
Telephone medical discussion with physician, 11-20 minutes11$678$62

2021: 8 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2021
Critical care, first 30-74 minutes31$15,805$229
Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 35 minutes53$6,799$79
Subsequent hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 25 minutes44$2,946$42
Initial hospital care with straightforward or low-level medical decision making at least 55 minutes14$1,879$134
Short return visit (20+ min)20$1,382$63
Initial hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes12$1,289$107
Hospital discharge day management, 30 minutes or less13$1,053$81
Short return visit11$433$33

2020: 8 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2020
Critical care, first 30-74 minutes25$16,657$235
Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 35 minutes30$2,861$73
Initial hospital care with straightforward or low-level medical decision making at least 55 minutes15$2,123$142
Subsequent hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 25 minutes28$1,784$41
Hospital discharge day management, 30 minutes or less20$1,468$70
Short return visit (20+ min)27$1,222$42
Initial hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes13$1,220$94
Short return visit11$257$21

2019: 8 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2019
Critical care, first 30-74 minutes51$26,710$198
Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 35 minutes58$6,930$66
Initial hospital care with straightforward or low-level medical decision making at least 55 minutes19$2,236$118
Hospital discharge day management, 30 minutes or less27$1,740$64
Initial hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes18$1,642$91
New patient visit (30+ min)14$895$64
Subsequent hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 25 minutes17$892$36
Short return visit (20+ min)19$886$47

2015: 7 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2015
Critical care, first 30-74 minutes24$11,918$192
Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 35 minutes27$3,009$64
Initial hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes19$1,686$89
Initial hospital care with straightforward or low-level medical decision making at least 55 minutes11$1,328$121
Short return visit (20+ min)25$1,087$40
Subsequent hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 25 minutes17$860$33
Short return visit20$375$18

2014: 7 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2014
Critical care, first 30-74 minutes33$20,329$195
Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 35 minutes48$5,060$64
Initial hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes21$1,785$85
Short return visit (20+ min)34$1,747$44
Initial hospital care with straightforward or low-level medical decision making at least 55 minutes12$1,461$122
Subsequent hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 25 minutes26$1,457$34
Short return visit23$557$17

2013: 7 services

Original Medicare services billed in 2013
Critical care, first 30-74 minutes22$12,563$190
Insertion of abdominal cavity tube using an endoscope12$3,278$273
Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 35 minutes26$2,573$63
Initial hospital care with straightforward or low-level medical decision making at least 55 minutes12$1,189$99
Subsequent hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 25 minutes24$1,111$33
New patient visit (30+ min)19$922$49
Short return visit13$236$16

Medicaid work

$4,388 in 2024

Medicaid paid $4,388 for 110 billed services this clinician did in 2024, up to 13 people in a month for one service.

Medicaid and CHIP claims where this clinician did the service, fee-for-service and managed care together. Any month with fewer than 11 patients is hidden, so small Medicaid practices undercount.

Largest Medicaid services in 2024
Critical care, evaluation and management of the critically ill or critically injured patient; first 30-74 minutes46$3,537
Service20$633
SBSQ HOSPITAL IP/OBS CARE SF/LOW MDM 25 MINUTES18$217
Medication list documented in medical record (COA)13$0
Review of all medications by a prescribing practitioner or clinical pharmacist (such as, prescriptions, OTCs, herbal therapies and supplements) documented in the medical record (COA)13$0
Medicaid work by year
2024110513$4,388
2023235236$3,566
202266128$790
2021181415$4,248
202080315$3,124
2019357524$10,944
2018282217$12,548
See the largest Medicaid services in earlier years

2023

Largest Medicaid services in 2023
SBSQ HOSPITAL IP/OBS CARE SF/LOW MDM 25 MINUTES220$3,198
Hospital inpatient or observation discharge day management; 30 minutes or less on the date of the encounter15$368

2022

Largest Medicaid services in 2022
SBSQ HOSPITAL IP/OBS CARE SF/LOW MDM 25 MINUTES66$790

2021

Largest Medicaid services in 2021
Critical care, evaluation and management of the critically ill or critically injured patient; first 30-74 minutes52$2,600
SBSQ HOSPITAL IP/OBS CARE MOD MDM 35 MINUTES35$746
SBSQ HOSPITAL IP/OBS CARE SF/LOW MDM 25 MINUTES40$483
Short return visit (20+ min)54$420

2020

Largest Medicaid services in 2020
Critical care, evaluation and management of the critically ill or critically injured patient; first 30-74 minutes30$2,277
Short return visit (20+ min)30$434
SBSQ HOSPITAL IP/OBS CARE MOD MDM 35 MINUTES20$413

2019

Largest Medicaid services in 2019
SBSQ HOSPITAL IP/OBS CARE MOD MDM 35 MINUTES252$5,416
Critical care, evaluation and management of the critically ill or critically injured patient; first 30-74 minutes65$5,189
1ST HOSP IP/OBS SF/LOW 4012$159
New patient visit (30+ min)15$148
Short return visit (20+ min)13$33

2018

Largest Medicaid services in 2018
Critical care, evaluation and management of the critically ill or critically injured patient; first 30-74 minutes122$8,602
SBSQ HOSPITAL IP/OBS CARE MOD MDM 35 MINUTES160$3,946

Drugs they prescribed that Part D paid

$1,415

Pharmacies billed $1,415 in 2024.

This is pharmacy cost, not the office bill, and not what patients paid.

Opioids were 33% of their Part D prescriptions (22 of 66) in 2024. At or below the middle of the specialty; the typical general surgery clinician is at 34%.

64 generic and fewer than 11 brand-name prescriptions · $1,415 in drug cost.

Part D prescriptions only. The opioid rate is opioid prescriptions as a share of all this clinician's Part D prescriptions; surgeons and pain specialists run higher than others, so it is shown against the same specialty.

Largest Part D drug costs
Oxycodone12$26$2

Year by year

Part D prescribing by year
2024663533% (22)None$1,415
20233217NoneNone$1,305
2022332433% (11)None$1,906
2021292045% (13)None$959
20201714NoneNone$368
2019312042% (13)None$1,184
2018402438% (15)None$2,189
2017251848% (12)0%$123
2016392846% (18)None$699
2015372557% (21)0%$389
2014241967% (16)None$316
2013312055% (17)None$709

Part D prescriptions only. A drug prescribed to fewer than 11 people in a year is hidden.

See the drugs prescribed each year

2019: 1 drug

Part D drugs prescribed in 2019
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen12$43$4

2018: 1 drug

Part D drugs prescribed in 2018
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen13$68$5

2017: 1 drug

Part D drugs prescribed in 2017
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen11$50$5

2016: 1 drug

Part D drugs prescribed in 2016
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen15$101$7

2015: 1 drug

Part D drugs prescribed in 2015
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen20$191$10

2014: 1 drug

Part D drugs prescribed in 2014
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen11$84$8

2013: 1 drug

Part D drugs prescribed in 2013
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen15$91$6

Money from drug and device companies

$35 in 2024

Industry payments by year
202411None$35
202311None$89

Paid work is consulting, speaking, honoraria and royalties, as opposed to meals and travel.

A payment is not proof that care is biased.

Payments by company
TELA BioOvitex 2s$35
1 payment
  • Meals for Ovitex 2s · 2024-11-14 · $35
See the published payment
Every published payment
TELA BioMeals · 2024-11-14Ovitex 2s$35
See earlier years (2023)

2023: $89

Payments by company in 2023
TeleflexQuikclot$89
1 payment
  • Meals for Quikclot · 2023-08-18 · $89

Checkups this office reported

Medicare did not publish checkup rates for this clinician.

Medicare’s overall office score
80.6 / 100
Scores the office’s reporting and systems. It is not a grade for how the doctor treats you.

Professional record

NPI
1396717385
Licence
CA A76320California A76320: Current · expires 2027-05-31
Trained
Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine, 2000
Gender
Female
More record details
Sole proprietor
No
Medicaid ID
CA GR0102080
Taxonomy
Federal specialty code 174400000X (174400000X)
Mailing address
845 S Fairmont Ave, Suite 2, Lodi, CA, 95240
NPI first listed
2006-02-03
NPI last updated
2008-04-29

This is when the NPI record was last certified, not a medical board exam.