Ara Ko, MD
General Surgery · West Hollywood
- Medicare standing
- Clear
- Enrolled, allowed to bill and order, not excluded
- Plans that list them
- Not verified
- Not the same as out of network.
- Office
- 1
Offices
1 location · Cedars-Sinai Medical Center · 788 clinicians in this group
Looking this up.
Hospitals listed: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. That is not proof they admit you there this week.
Plan participation
Not verified
We could not verify current plan participation for this doctor. This does not mean they are out of network. Call Dr. Ko’s office at (310) 423-3277 to ask if they take your plan before you enroll.
California Medical Board record
Licence A139859 · Current
Licensed to practise in California · since 2015 · expires 2027-06-30 · Tufts University School of Medicine.
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.
- Cedars-Sinai Medical CenterLos Angeles, CAAcute Care Hospital · Voluntary non-profit - Other · Has an emergency department · Birthing-friendlyPart of Cedars Sinai Health System, which runs 4 hospitalsPatients rate it 3 of 5 · 78% would definitely recommend itOverall rating: 5 of 5 starsWorse than the national rate — Postoperative sepsis rate: 7.77 (6.11 to 9.44) · 6,132 cases, Jul 2022 – Jun 2024Worse than the national rate — Rate of inpatient admissions for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy: 12.8 (11.2 to 14.7) · 1,174 cases, Jan 2024 – Dec 2024Better than the national rate — Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complications: 134.15 (109.33 to 158.98) · 557 cases, Jul 2022 – Jun 2024Better than the national rate — Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): 0.386, Oct 2024 – Sep 2025Better than the national rate — Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): 0.661, Oct 2024 – Sep 2025Better than the national rate — Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): 0.628, Oct 2024 – Sep 2025Better than the national rate — MRSA Bacteremia: 0.503, Oct 2024 – Sep 2025Better than the national rate — Rate of emergency department (ED) visits for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy: 3.8 (3 to 4.8) · 1,174 cases, Jan 2024 – Dec 2024Better than the national rate — Ratio of unplanned hospital visits after hospital outpatient surgery: 0.7 (0.6 to 0.8) · 2,580 cases, Jan 2024 – Dec 2024
See every measure and the patient survey for Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Behind the star rating — Deaths: 7 better, 1 the same, 0 worse of 8 measures. Safety: 4 better, 4 the same, 0 worse of 8 measures. Readmissions: 3 better, 5 the same, 3 worse of 11 measures. The star rating is worked out from an earlier period than the measures below, so the two can disagree.
| Postoperative sepsis rateComplications and deaths | 7.77 (6.11 to 9.44) · 6,132 cases | Worse | Jul 2022 – Jun 2024 |
| Rate of inpatient admissions for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapyUnplanned return visits | 12.8 (11.2 to 14.7) · 1,174 cases | Worse | Jan 2024 – Dec 2024 |
| Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complicationsComplications and deaths | 134.15 (109.33 to 158.98) · 557 cases | Better | Jul 2022 – Jun 2024 |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards)Infections | 0.386 | Better | Oct 2024 – Sep 2025 |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards)Infections | 0.661 | Better | Oct 2024 – Sep 2025 |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff)Infections | 0.628 | Better | Oct 2024 – Sep 2025 |
| MRSA BacteremiaInfections | 0.503 | Better | Oct 2024 – Sep 2025 |
| Rate of emergency department (ED) visits for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapyUnplanned return visits | 3.8 (3 to 4.8) · 1,174 cases | Better | Jan 2024 – Dec 2024 |
| Ratio of unplanned hospital visits after hospital outpatient surgeryUnplanned return visits | 0.7 (0.6 to 0.8) · 2,580 cases | Better | Jan 2024 – Dec 2024 |
| Abdominopelvic accidental puncture or laceration rateComplications and deaths | 0.66 (0.06 to 1.25) · 8,257 cases | No different | Jul 2022 – Jun 2024 |
| CMS Medicare PSI 90: Patient safety and adverse events compositeComplications and deaths | 1.06 (0.92 to 1.2) | No different | Jul 2022 – Jun 2024 |
| Death rate for CABG surgery patientsComplications and deaths | 1.7 · 223 cases | None | Jul 2022 – Jun 2025 |
| Death rate for COPD patientsComplications and deaths | 5.9 · 191 cases | None | Jul 2022 – Jun 2025 |
| Death rate for heart attack patientsComplications and deaths | 8.3 · 409 cases | None | Jul 2022 – Jun 2025 |
| Death rate for heart failure patientsComplications and deaths | 5.5 · 1,544 cases | None | Jul 2022 – Jun 2025 |
| Death rate for pneumonia patientsComplications and deaths | 9.5 · 1,742 cases | None | Jul 2022 – Jun 2025 |
| Death rate for stroke patientsComplications and deaths | 11.6 · 549 cases | None | Jul 2023 – Jun 2025 |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Risk Standardized Mortality RateComplications and deaths | 2.3 · 9,504 cases | None | Jul 2024 – Jun 2025 |
| Iatrogenic pneumothorax rateComplications and deaths | 0.14 (0 to 0.28) · 29,170 cases | No different | Jul 2022 – Jun 2024 |
| In-hospital fall-associated fracture rateComplications and deaths | 0.19 (0.05 to 0.32) · 31,661 cases | No different | Jul 2022 – Jun 2024 |
| Perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rateComplications and deaths | 4.1 (3.06 to 5.14) · 11,199 cases | No different | Jul 2022 – Jun 2024 |
| Postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis rateComplications and deaths | 1.38 (0.47 to 2.29) · 6,024 cases | No different | Jul 2022 – Jun 2024 |
| Postoperative hemorrhage or hematoma rateComplications and deaths | 2.05 (1.24 to 2.86) · 10,075 cases | No different | Jul 2022 – Jun 2024 |
| Postoperative respiratory failure rateComplications and deaths | 8.2 (5.76 to 10.65) · 6,012 cases | No different | Jul 2022 – Jun 2024 |
| Postoperative wound dehiscence rateComplications and deaths | 1.91 (0.72 to 3.11) · 2,803 cases | No different | Jul 2022 – Jun 2024 |
| Pressure ulcer rateComplications and deaths | 0.75 (0.47 to 1.03) · 27,865 cases | No different | Jul 2022 – Jun 2024 |
| Rate of complications for hip/knee replacement patientsComplications and deaths | 3.1 · 472 cases | None | Apr 2023 – Mar 2025 |
| SSI - Abdominal HysterectomyInfections | 1.437 | No different | Oct 2024 – Sep 2025 |
| SSI - Colon SurgeryInfections | 1.168 | No different | Oct 2024 – Sep 2025 |
| Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) 30-Day Readmission RateUnplanned return visits | 13.9 · 492 cases | None | Jul 2023 – Jun 2025 |
| Heart failure (HF) 30-Day Readmission RateUnplanned return visits | 19 · 1,750 cases | None | Jul 2023 – Jun 2025 |
| Hospital return days for heart attack patientsUnplanned return visits | 8.9 · 498 cases | None | Jul 2022 – Jun 2025 |
| Hospital return days for heart failure patientsUnplanned return visits | -5.8 · 1,908 cases | None | Jul 2022 – Jun 2025 |
| Hospital return days for pneumonia patientsUnplanned return visits | 27.7 · 1,850 cases | None | Jul 2022 – Jun 2025 |
| Pneumonia (PN) 30-Day Readmission RateUnplanned return visits | 16.5 · 1,572 cases | None | Jul 2023 – Jun 2025 |
| Rate of readmission after hip/knee replacementUnplanned return visits | 4.7 · 449 cases | None | Jul 2023 – Jun 2025 |
| Rate of readmission for CABGUnplanned return visits | 10 · 172 cases | None | Jul 2023 – Jun 2025 |
| Rate of readmission for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patientsUnplanned return visits | 20.1 · 240 cases | None | Jul 2023 – Jun 2025 |
| Rate of unplanned hospital visits after colonoscopy (per 1,000 colonoscopies)Unplanned return visits | 13.9 (11.1 to 17.5) · 1,197 cases | No different | Jan 2022 – Dec 2024 |
What patients said (1,081 patients answered, 20% of those asked)
| Cleanliness | 3 |
| Nurse communication | 3 |
| Doctor communication | 3 |
| Communication about medicines | 2 |
| Discharge information | 3 |
| Overall hospital rating | 4 |
| Quietness | 2 |
| Recommend hospital | 4 |
| Room was "always" clean | 68% |
| Nurses "always" communicated well | 77% |
| Doctors "always" communicated well | 77% |
| Staff "always" explained | 57% |
| Yes, staff "did" give patients this information | 85% |
| Yes, staff "did" give patients information about help after discharge | 84% |
| Doctors "always" explained things so they could understand | 73% |
| Doctors "always" listened carefully | 76% |
| Doctors "always" treated them with courtesy and respect | 84% |
| Patients who gave a rating of "9" or "10" (high) | 75% |
| Staff "always" explained new medications | 72% |
| Nurses "always" explained things so they could understand | 73% |
| Nurses "always" listened carefully | 73% |
| Nurses "always" treated them with courtesy and respect | 84% |
| "Always" quiet at night | 51% |
| "YES", patients would definitely recommend the hospital | 78% |
| Staff "always" explained possible side effects | 42% |
| Yes, staff "did" give patients information about possible symptoms | 87% |
Original Medicare doctor bills
$86,567
Medicare paid this office $86,567 for 275 people.
This is what Medicare paid the clinician — not Medicare Advantage, and not the pharmacy.
| Critical care, first 30-74 minutes | 89 | $37,162 | $170 |
| Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 35 minutes | 102 | $13,070 | $65 |
| Initial hospital care with straightforward or low-level medical decision making at least 55 minutes | 45 | $4,763 | $106 |
| Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 50 minutes | 41 | $4,698 | $96 |
| Subsequent hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 25 minutes | 40 | $2,072 | $40 |
See all 6 services
| Critical care, first 30-74 minutes | 89 | $37,162 | $170 |
| Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 35 minutes | 102 | $13,070 | $65 |
| Initial hospital care with straightforward or low-level medical decision making at least 55 minutes | 45 | $4,763 | $106 |
| Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 50 minutes | 41 | $4,698 | $96 |
| Subsequent hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 25 minutes | 40 | $2,072 | $40 |
| Initial hospital care with moderate level of medical decision making at least 75 minutes | 11 | $1,299 | $118 |
Procedures Medicare counted
| Colonoscopy | 1-10 | None |
| Hernia repair - groin (open) | 1-10 | None |
| Removal of tissue | 1-10 | None |
| Upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy for acid reflux | 1-10 | None |
Who their Medicare patients are
275 Original Medicare patients in 2024. Average age 75 · Under 65 10% · 85 and older 20% · Women 48% · Also on Medicaid 48% · Health risk score 2.89. Sicker patients than 9 in 10 peers; the typical general surgery clinician is at 1.69.
Conditions among them: High blood pressure 75% · Coronary heart disease 58% · Chronic kidney disease 52% · Heart failure 51% · Diabetes 48% · Depression 43% · Atrial fibrillation 41% · Stroke 35% · COPD 30% · Dementia 29% · Cancer 25%.
The office billed $376,775, Medicare allowed $110,159 and paid $86,567; for 700 services of 54 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
| 2024 | 275 | 700 | 75 | 2.89 | $376,775 | $86,567 |
| 2023 | 259 | 720 | 74 | 3.01 | $425,210 | $92,306 |
| 2022 | 248 | 655 | 75 | 2.30 | $723,922 | $95,236 |
| 2021 | 258 | 525 | 75 | 2.24 | $396,459 | $61,355 |
| 2020 | 53 | 159 | 72 | 2.43 | $219,045 | $25,571 |
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: 6 services
| Critical care, first 30-74 minutes | 91 | $50,506 | $181 |
| Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 35 minutes | 121 | $16,905 | $68 |
| Initial hospital care with straightforward or low-level medical decision making at least 55 minutes | 34 | $3,597 | $106 |
| Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 50 minutes | 14 | $2,620 | $105 |
| Subsequent hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 25 minutes | 25 | $1,269 | $42 |
| Hospital discharge day management, 30 minutes or less | 14 | $893 | $64 |
2022: 8 services
| Critical care, first 30-74 minutes | 54 | $32,473 | $194 |
| Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 35 minutes | 80 | $9,868 | $64 |
| Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 50 minutes | 40 | $5,986 | $94 |
| Initial hospital care with straightforward or low-level medical decision making at least 55 minutes | 33 | $4,307 | $123 |
| Hospital discharge day management, 30 minutes or less | 30 | $2,010 | $67 |
| New patient visit (60+ min) | 11 | $1,906 | $173 |
| Initial hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes | 21 | $1,900 | $90 |
| Subsequent hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 25 minutes | 14 | $788 | $34 |
2021: 8 services
| Critical care, first 30-74 minutes | 28 | $13,412 | $197 |
| Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 35 minutes | 101 | $10,972 | $65 |
| Initial hospital care with straightforward or low-level medical decision making at least 55 minutes | 55 | $6,658 | $121 |
| Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 50 minutes | 25 | $3,306 | $92 |
| Hospital discharge day management, 30 minutes or less | 36 | $2,322 | $64 |
| Initial hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes | 25 | $2,299 | $92 |
| Initial hospital care with moderate level of medical decision making at least 75 minutes | 11 | $1,824 | $166 |
| Subsequent hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 25 minutes | 20 | $911 | $35 |
2020: 3 services
| Critical care, first 30-74 minutes | 15 | $12,806 | $200 |
| Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making at least 35 minutes | 27 | $3,227 | $67 |
| Initial hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day at least 40 minutes | 12 | $1,116 | $93 |
Medicaid work
$396 in 2023
Medicaid paid $396 for 19 billed services this clinician did in 2023, up to 14 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.
| SBSQ HOSPITAL IP/OBS CARE MOD MDM 35 MINUTES | 19 | $396 |
| 2023 | 19 | 1 | 14 | $396 |
| 2022 | 125 | 2 | 19 | $6,354 |
| 2021 | 113 | 1 | 17 | $3,731 |
| 2020 | 44 | 1 | 19 | $1,249 |
See the largest Medicaid services in earlier years
2022
| Critical care, evaluation and management of the critically ill or critically injured patient; first 30-74 minutes | 67 | $4,584 |
| SBSQ HOSPITAL IP/OBS CARE MOD MDM 35 MINUTES | 58 | $1,769 |
2021
| SBSQ HOSPITAL IP/OBS CARE MOD MDM 35 MINUTES | 113 | $3,731 |
2020
| SBSQ HOSPITAL IP/OBS CARE MOD MDM 35 MINUTES | 44 | $1,249 |
Money from drug and device companies
$5,005 in 2024
| 2024 | 3 | 19 | None | $5,005 |
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | None | $89 |
| 2022 | 2 | 2 | None | $86 |
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | None | $117 |
| 2020 | 1 | 6 | None | $1,172 |
| 2019 | 2 | 3 | None | $3,029 |
Paid work is consulting, speaking, honoraria and royalties, as opposed to meals and travel.
A payment is not proof that care is biased.
| Intuitive Surgical | Davinci Xi | $4,895 | 17 payments
|
| Abbvie | Teflaro | $69 | 1 payment
|
| Davol | Phasix Mesh | $41 | 1 payment
|
See all 19 published payments
| Intuitive Surgical | Meals · 2024-08-21 | Da Vinci Surgical System | $172 |
| Intuitive Surgical | Travel · 2024-08-21 | Da Vinci Surgical System | $153 |
| Abbvie | Meals · 2024-07-29 | Teflaro | $69 |
| Intuitive Surgical | Travel · 2024-07-13 | Da Vinci Surgical System | $1,152 |
| Intuitive Surgical | Meals · 2024-07-12 | Da Vinci Surgical System | $28 |
| Intuitive Surgical | Meals · 2024-07-11 | Da Vinci Surgical System | $16 |
| Intuitive Surgical | Education · 2024-07-11 | Davinci Xi | $2,500 |
| Intuitive Surgical | Meals · 2024-06-26 | Da Vinci Surgical System | $6 |
| Intuitive Surgical | Meals · 2024-06-26 | Da Vinci Surgical System | $2 |
| Intuitive Surgical | Meals · 2024-06-26 | Da Vinci Surgical System | $42 |
| Intuitive Surgical | Travel · 2024-06-21 | Da Vinci Surgical System | $149 |
| Intuitive Surgical | Travel · 2024-06-21 | Da Vinci Surgical System | $126 |
| Intuitive Surgical | Travel · 2024-06-21 | Da Vinci Surgical System | $19 |
| Intuitive Surgical | Travel · 2024-06-21 | Da Vinci Surgical System | $19 |
| Intuitive Surgical | Travel · 2024-05-14 | Da Vinci Surgical System | $360 |
| Intuitive Surgical | Travel · 2024-05-13 | Da Vinci Surgical System | $6 |
| Intuitive Surgical | Education · 2024-03-26 | Da Vinci Surgical System | $139 |
| Intuitive Surgical | Meals · 2024-03-26 | Da Vinci Surgical System | $4 |
| Davol | Meals · 2024-03-20 | Phasix Mesh | $41 |
See earlier years (2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019)
2023: $89
| Teleflex | Quikclot | $89 | 1 payment
|
2022: $86
| Medtronic | Symbotex | $76 | 1 payment
|
| KLS-Martin L.P. | None | $10 | 1 payment
|
2021: $117
| Medtronic | Progrip | $117 | 1 payment
|
2020: $1,172
| Medical Device Business Services | Matrixrib | $1,172 | 6 payments
|
2019: $3,029
| Intuitive Surgical | Da Vinci Surgical System | $3,013 | 2 payments
|
| E.R. Squibb & Sons L.L.C. | Opdivo | $16 | 1 payment
|
Checkups this office reported
Medicare did not publish checkup rates for this clinician.
- Medicare’s overall office score
- 87.7 / 100
- Scores the office’s reporting and systems. It is not a grade for how the doctor treats you.
Professional record
- NPI
- 1982061230
- Licence
- CA A139859California A139859: Current · expires 2027-06-30
- Trained
- Tufts University School of Medicine, 2013
- Gender
- Female
More record details
- Sole proprietor
- No
- Taxonomy
- Federal specialty code 2086S0102X (2086S0102X); Surgery (208600000X)
- Mailing address
- 300 Pasteur Dr # H3680, Stanford, CA, 94305
- NPI first listed
- 2016-01-18
- NPI last updated
- 2025-11-07
- NPI record certified
- 2025-11-07
This is when the NPI record was last certified, not a medical board exam.
Extra NPI addresses: 300 Pasteur Dr # H3680, Stanford, CA, 94305 · 8700 Beverly Blvd, West Hollywood, CA, 90048