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NYU Langone Provider

Lee C. Zhao, MD

NYU Langone Provider
  • Specialties: Reconstructive Genitourinary Surgery, Gender Affirming Surgery
  • Treats: Adults
  • Languages: English, Mandarin
  • Phone: 646-825-6300
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Prior to becoming a physician, I attended graduate school for biomedical engineering and volunteered in the Peace Corps. Combining my interest in fixing problems and my desire to help people was a natural fit. It led me to the field of urologic reconstructive surgery—a field that focuses on restoring a person’s quality of life.

My interest in reconstructive surgery led me to a fellowship in which I gained experience in performing hundreds of reconstructive procedures for repair of urethral strictures, urinary tract fistulas, ureteral injuries, and genital deformities. I also performed surgeries to restore erectile function and urinary continence. Many of these procedures focused on helping people who had previously had unsuccessful surgeries.

Since 2013, I have been practicing at NYU Langone, specializing in reconstructive surgery for reproductive organs and the urinary system. One of the focuses of my practice is managing urethral strictures, which is a narrowing of the tube that carries urine out of the body. Appropriate evaluation and diagnosis of a urethral stricture is critical, because it can make a difference between temporary relief and a definitive, long-lasting solution.

To treat people with urethral strictures, I perform urethroplasty, a procedure used to reconstruct the urethra. I am fortunate to have the training and clinical experience to be able to perform this technically demanding surgery on a regular basis.

Another focus of my practice is urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction, conditions that can result from injuries to the urinary tract. I offer a range of surgical treatments to restore urinary continence or erectile function when medications are unable to adequately address these issues.

To perform reconstructive procedures on the prostate, bladder, kidney, and ureter, I use the newest technology in minimally invasive reconstructive surgery, including the da Vinci® robotic system, which allows for three-dimensional, high-definition views and precise movements. I was one of the first physicians to use the da Vinci® system to treat people with ureter injuries by grafting tissue from another part of the body. My study on the procedure won the award for Best Laparoscopic and Robotic Paper at the 2015 World Congress of Endourology Meeting.

In addition to clinical care, I have authored numerous articles on trauma, urologic reconstruction, and surgical outcomes. As a member of the Trauma and Urologic Reconstructive Network of Surgeons (TURNS), I am actively involved in studying improvements in surgical outcomes and patient safety by participating in collaborative research with other prominent reconstructive urologists.


Conditions and Treatments

Conditions
  • acute urinary retention
  • artificial urinary sphincter
  • bladder diverticulum
  • catheterizable pouches
  • hypospadias
  • inability to empty bladder
  • neobladder
  • obstruction of pelviureteric junction
  • radiation injury
  • rectourethral fistula
  • ureteral fistula
  • ureteral obstruction
  • ureteral stricture
  • urethral fistula
  • urethral stricture
  • urinary diversion
Treatments
  • artificial urinary sphincter implant
  • bladder reconstruction
  • bloodless surgery
  • reconstructive surgery
  • robotic assisted surgery
  • surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia
  • surgery for erectile dysfunction
  • surgery for incontinence

Positions
Board Certifications
  • American Board of Urology - Urology, 2015
Education and Training
  • Fellowship, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Reconstructive Surgery, 2013
  • Residency, McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University, Urology, 2012
  • MD from Northwestern University, 2006

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This provider accepts the following insurance plans.

  • Aetna
     
    • Aetna HMO
    • Aetna Indemnity
    • Aetna International
    • Aetna Medicare Advantage
    • Aetna Open Access EPO
    • Aetna Open Access HMO
    • Aetna POS
    • Aetna POS (American Express Employer)
    • Aetna PPO
    • Aetna Signature Administrators PPO
    • Aetna Student Plan
    • Allied
    • Chesterfield Resources Inc
    • Christian Brothers Services
    • CoreSource
    • Healthscope
    • Nippon Life of America-Aetna
    • Nippon Life-Aetna
    • Starmark
    • WellNet
  • Amida Care
     
    • Amida Care Medicaid
  • Anthem BCBS Health Plus
     
    • BCBS Healthplus Essential Plan 1
    • BCBS Healthplus Essential Plan 2
    • BCBS Healthplus Essential Plan 3
    • BCBS Healthplus Essential Plan 4
    • BCBS Healthplus Gatekeeper exchange
    • BCBS Healthplus Mediblue Advantage
    • BCBS Healthplus NY Child Health Plus NY
    • BCBS Healthplus NY Medicaid Managed Care NY
    • BCBS Healthplus Special Needs
    • Empire Mediblue Healthplus Dual
  • Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
     
    • Anthem BCBS CT HMO
    • Anthem BCBS CT PPO
    • Anthem BCBS CT Pathway HMO
    • Anthem BCBS CT Pathway PPO
    • BCBS Blue Access EPO Large Group
    • BCBS Blue Access EPO Small Group
    • BCBS Blue Access GEPO Small Group
    • BCBS Blue Access PPO Large Group
    • BCBS EPO
    • BCBS EPO (BlackRock Employees)
    • BCBS EPO (LICH Employees)
    • BCBS EPO - Empire EPO (NYU Langone Employees)
    • BCBS EPO - Empire EPO (Sunset Park/Family Health Center Employees)
    • BCBS EPO - Empire NYU Care (NYU Langone Employees)
    • BCBS EPO - Empire NYU Care (Sunset Park/Family Health Center Employees)
    • BCBS Federal Program
    • BCBS Florida Blue Care HMO
    • BCBS Florida Blue Medicare PPO
    • BCBS Florida Blue Options PPO
    • BCBS Florida Blue Select
    • BCBS Florida MyBlue HMO
    • BCBS Florida Simply Blue
    • BCBS Florida Traditional PPC
    • BCBS HMO
    • BCBS Indemnity
    • BCBS Local 32BJ Employees
    • BCBS Mediblue Medicare HMO
    • BCBS Mediblue Medicare PPO
    • BCBS Mediblue Select HMO/Extra HMO
    • BCBS POS
    • BCBS PPO
    • BCBS PPO (BlackRock Employees)
    • BCBS PPO (LICH Employees)
    • BCBS PPO - Empire PPO (Sunset Park/Family Health Center Employees)
    • BCBS PPO/EPO Small Group
    • New York Hotel Trades
  • Centerlight Healthcare
     
    • CenterLight Healthcare DIRECT
    • CenterLight Healthcare PACE
    • CenterLight Healthcare Select
    • Centerlight Pace Medicare HMO
  • Centers Plan For Healthy Living
     
    • Centers Plan For Healthy Living
    • Centers Plan For Healthy Living Medicaid Advantage Plus HMO D-SNP
  • Cigna
     
    • Apwu Health Plan
    • Cigna - Humana
    • Cigna Great West PPO
    • Cigna HMO
    • Cigna Indemnity
    • Cigna Managed Care/POS
    • Cigna Medicare Advantage
    • Cigna NALC
    • Cigna Open Access
    • Cigna Open Access PPO
    • Cigna Oscar
    • Cigna PPO
    • Cigna Premier Plus
    • Great West HMO
    • Kaiser Permanente
    • MVP-Cigna Network
    • Wellfleet-NYU Student
  • Connecticare
     
    • Connecticare Bridge
    • Connecticare Commercial
  • Elderplan
     
    • Elderplan
    • Elderplan FIDA
    • Elderplan Medicare Advantage Plan
  • Emblem
     
    • Emblem Select Care Bronze Small Group
    • Emblem Select Care EPO
    • Emblem Select Care Gold Small Group
    • Emblem Select Care HMO
    • Emblem Select Care PPO
    • Emblem Select Care Platinum Small Group
    • Emblem Select Care Silver Small Group
  • Fidelis Care
     
    • Ambetter Fidelis Care Bronze Exchange
    • Ambetter Fidelis Care Catastrophic Cvg Exchange
    • Ambetter Fidelis Care Gold Exchange
    • Ambetter Fidelis Care Native American Exchange
    • Ambetter Fidelis Care Platinum Exchange
    • Ambetter Fidelis Care Silver Exchange
    • Fidelis Care Child Health Plus
    • Fidelis Care Medicaid Managed Care
    • Fidelis Essential Plan 1
    • Fidelis Essential Plan 2
    • Fidelis Essential Plan 3
    • Fidelis Essential Plan 4
    • Wellcare by Fidelis Care Medicare
  • GHI
     
    • American Plan Administrators
    • GHI CBP (City of New York Employees)
    • GHI Emblem Health EPO
    • GHI Emblem Health PPO
    • GHI HMO
    • GHI HMO Medicare
    • GHI Medicare PPO
    • GHI Medicare Supplement
    • GHI Network Access - Benefit Services of PA
    • GHI Network Access - Humana
    • GHI Network Access - Total Plan Concepts
    • IUOE Local 14-14B
    • Wlny-TV Inc.
  • HIP
     
    • Emblem Essential Plan 1
    • Emblem Essential Plan 2
    • Emblem Essential Plan 3
    • Emblem Essential Plan 4
    • HIP Access I
    • HIP Access II
    • HIP Bridge
    • HIP Child Health Plus
    • HIP EPO
    • HIP HMO
    • HIP Medicaid Enhanced Care
    • HIP Medicare Supplement
    • HIP POS
    • HIP PPO
    • HIP Prime Basic Exchange
    • HIP Prime Bronze
    • HIP Prime Bronze Exchange
    • HIP Prime Catastrophic Exchange
    • HIP Prime Gold
    • HIP Prime Gold Exchange
    • HIP Prime Platinum
    • HIP Prime Platinum Exchange
    • HIP Prime Silver
    • HIP Prime Silver Exchange
    • HIP VIP Medicare Bold
    • HIP VIP Medicare Prime
    • Vytra HMO
  • Healthfirst
     
    • Health And Recovery Plan (Harp)
    • Healthfirst Bronze Leaf Exchange
    • Healthfirst Bronze Total, Pro, Plus EPO
    • Healthfirst Child Health Plus
    • Healthfirst Essential Plan 1 & 2
    • Healthfirst Essential Plan 3 & 4
    • Healthfirst Gold Leaf Exchange
    • Healthfirst Gold Total, Pro, Plus EPO
    • Healthfirst Green Leaf Exchange
    • Healthfirst Medicaid
    • Healthfirst Medicare
    • Healthfirst Medicare/NYU Risk
    • Healthfirst Personal Wellness Plan
    • Healthfirst Platinum Leaf Exchange
    • Healthfirst Platinum Total, Pro, Plus EPO
    • Healthfirst Senior Health Partners
    • Healthfirst Silver Leaf Exchange
    • Healthfirst Silver Total, Pro, Plus EPO
  • Hotel Trades Council
     
    • Hotel Trades Council
  • Humana
     
    • Humana Medicare Advantage
  • Local 1199
     
    • Local 1199 - NYU Hospital Member Choice
    • Local 1199 PPO
  • Magnacare
     
    • Bricklayers Ins and Welfare Fund
    • Magnacare PPO
  • Medicare
     
    • Medicare Part A and B
    • Medicare Part B
  • Metroplus
     
    • Metroplus Bronze Plus Plan Exchange
    • Metroplus Child Health Plus
    • Metroplus Essential Plan 1 and 2
    • Metroplus Essential Plan 3 and 4
    • Metroplus Gold
    • Metroplus Gold Care 2
    • Metroplus Gold Plus Plan Exchange
    • Metroplus Medicaid Managed Care
    • Metroplus Medicare
    • Metroplus Medplus Plan Exchange
    • Metroplus Platinum Plus Plan Exchange
    • Metroplus Silver Plus Plan Exchange
  • Multiplan
     
    • AXA Assistance USA
    • Administrative Concepts
    • Beech Street PPO
    • Diversified Administration Corporation
    • Fiserv Health
    • GEHA
    • Global Excel
    • Global Health
    • Guardian Life Insurance Co Of America
    • Health Net Of California
    • Health Republic Of NJ
    • Humana Health Plan
    • Insurance Design Administrators
    • Kaiser Foundation
    • Kaiser Permanente
    • Meritain Health
    • Multiplan PPO
    • Multiplan-Capital Dist Phys Health
    • Mutual Of Omaha
    • Nippon Life Ins Co
    • PHCS
    • Professional Benefit Admin
    • Qualcare Inc
    • Screen Actors Guild
    • Teamsters Allied Benefits
    • US Life Insurance Company
  • NYSHIP - The Empire Plan
     
    • NYS Health Insurance Plan - The Empire Plan, Excelsior Plan, NY Student Employee Health Plan
  • Oxford
     
    • Oxford Health Plans Freedom
    • Oxford Health Plans Liberty
  • POMCO Insurance Company
     
    • POMCO Insurance Company
  • Qualcare Inc.
     
    • Qualcare Direct
  • Railroad Medicare
     
    • Palmetto GBA Railroad Medicare
  • River Spring Health Plan
     
    • River Spring Medicare HMP SNP
  • Sedgwick WTC
     
    • World Trade Center - Sedgwick
  • Tricare
     
    • TriWest
    • Tricare
    • US Family Health Plan
  • United Healthcare
     
    • AARP Medicare Complete
    • AARP Medicare Complete Mosaic
    • Bind Benefits inc
    • Oxford Health Plans Medicare Advantage
    • UMR
    • Unite Healthcare (NY University Care Plan)
    • United Healthcare AARP
    • United Healthcare All Savers
    • United Healthcare Choice
    • United Healthcare Choice (AMEX employees)
    • United Healthcare Choice (Blackrock employees)
    • United Healthcare Choice (CBS employees)
    • United Healthcare Choice (Simon
    • United Healthcare EPO
    • United Healthcare EPO (NYU Langone Health Employees)
    • United Healthcare Golden Rule Insurance
    • United Healthcare HMO
    • United Healthcare Indemnity
    • United Healthcare Indemnity (NYU Langone Health Employees)
    • United Healthcare Medicare
    • United Healthcare Navigate
    • United Healthcare POS
    • United Healthcare PPO
    • United Healthcare Plus (NYU Langone Health Employees)
    • United Healthcare Student Resources
    • United Healthcare Student Resources (NYU)
    • United Healthcare Value, Advantage and HDHP (New York University employees)
    • UnitedHealthcare Choice (NY Power Authority Employees)
  • VA Community Care Network
     
    • VA CCN Optum
  • VNS Choice Advantage
     
    • VNS Medicare Advantage
    • VNS NY Choice Select Health
  • WTC Health Program
     
    • NY Fire Department - WTC
    • WTC Health Program
  • Wellcare
     
    • WellCare Medicare
View All Accepted Plans This list of insurances changes regularly, and insurance plans listed may not be accepted at all office locations for this provider. Before your appointment, please confirm with your insurance company that this provider accepts your insurance.

Lee C. Zhao, MD does not accept insurance.

Locations and Appointments

NYU Langone Urology Associates

222 East 41st Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10017

Academic office

222 East 41st Street

11th and 12th Floors

New York, NY 10017

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