2026 NPPES data Optometrist NPI 1881227957 OD
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ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD

Optometrist in PHOENIX, Arizona. CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System profile including specialty classification, practice address, and Medicare prescribing data when reported.

Federal data — no proprietary rating. PlainDoctor publishes the actual CMS NPPES and Medicare records — NPI registration, specialty, practice location, and prescribing data — without a composite score or editorial opinion on top. Every field traces to a federal source.
Prescribing volume
406
Medicare Part D claims · 195 beneficiaries · Optometrist avg: 257
Generic prescribing
83%
generic claims · 17% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
Industry payments
$49.87
2 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)
What the federal data reveals: ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD is a Optometrist ([object Object]) practicing in PHOENIX, Arizona with a Medicare Part D prescribing footprint of 406 claims across 195 beneficiaries — 17% brand-name prescribing . Industry payments of $49.87 across 2 transactions are disclosed under CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act).

What stands out: ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD filed 406 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 across PHOENIX, Arizona. Every figure on this page comes straight from federal CMS records, with no proprietary rating applied.

ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD at a glance

Quality data not reported

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 02/18/2020

NPI 1881227957

Primary specialty

Optometrist

High-volume

60,463 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

406 58% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 257

Specialty distribution in Arizona

How Optometrist compares to other specialties among Arizona providers

Arizona providers

Optometrist share within Arizona

1. Optometrist42%2. Internal medicine21%3. Family medicine17%4. Surgical12%5. Pediatric8%
Optometrist share within Arizona

Specialty board-certification context

Estimated specialty board-certified rate — Optometrist (ABMS / AOA reference)

Quality data not reported
Est. board-certified rate
78%
Optometrist ABMS/AOA estimate

Est. board-certified rate (Optometrist) — ABMS / AOA estimate

0%100%78%
Est. board-certified rate (Optometrist) — ABMS / AOA estimate

The Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) scores providers 0–100 across four performance categories: Quality, Cost, Promoting Interoperability, and Improvement Activities, weighted under 42 CFR §414.1380. Reporting is voluntary for many small practices, so absence of a MIPS score is not a quality signal.

Board certification through an ABMS or AOA member board signals voluntary post-licensure examination plus continuous Maintenance of Certification cycles. Verify any individual provider's status through certificationmatters.org (ABMS) or osteopathic.org (AOA).

ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD is a Optometrist provider practicing in PHOENIX, Arizona, according to the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES). Credentials: OD. NPI: 1881227957. This profile includes practice location, specialty classification, and organizational affiliations from the CMS provider registry. Provider information is self-reported to CMS and updated monthly.

ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Optometrist provider holding OD credentials at 515 W BUCKEYE RD STE 104, PHOENIX, AZ, 85003, with a listed phone of (602) 207-8196. NPI 1881227957 was issued on 02/18/2020. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what CHRISTENSEN most recently submitted to CMS rather than a vetted directory listing, which is why patients should always confirm the practice is still at this location before scheduling.

Medicare Part D records for calendar year 2023 show 406 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 195 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $18K in drug spend, split 17% brand-name and 83% generic by claim count. These figures capture only Medicare Part D — commercial insurance, Medicaid, and cash-pay prescriptions are not included, and any drug-beneficiary cell under 11 is suppressed by CMS for patient privacy.

Optometrist is a high-volume specialty nationwide, with 60,463 enrolled providers across 56 states and an average of 257 Part D claims per prescriber, so the context for interpreting these metrics differs meaningfully from a primary-care baseline. Important: PlainDoctor is a directory of publicly available government data, not medical advice, a malpractice database, or a quality rating. Inclusion here does not imply a recommendation, and absence of complaints or sanctions on this page does not mean none exist — always verify credentials through the NPPES NPI Registry, your state medical board, and the ABMS or AOA before making healthcare decisions.

Practice Address

515 W BUCKEYE RD STE 104
PHOENIX, AZ 85003

Provider Details

NPI 1881227957
Specialty Optometrist
Credentials OD
Gender Male
NPI Issued 02/18/2020

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD bills Medicare from. Star ratings (1-5) are CMS Hospital Compare's "Hospital overall rating" — a composite of mortality, readmission, patient experience, safety, timely care, and efficient use of medical imaging measures. Source: CMS Care Compare.

SOUTHWESTERN EYE CENTER LTD
PHOENIX, AZ

Affiliations sourced from CMS Doctors and Clinicians National Downloadable File; hospital ratings from CMS Hospital General Information dataset (cross-referenced by facility name + state).

Industry payments received (2024) — CMS Open Payments transparency data

The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act (part of the Affordable Care Act) requires drug and medical-device manufacturers + group purchasing organizations to publicly report payments and other transfers of value to physicians and teaching hospitals. The data below covers 2024 for ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

Total received

$50

Largest payer

Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Most common payment type

Food and Beverage

Industry payments are not necessarily indicators of bias — they include research funding, consulting fees for evidence-based work, royalties for inventions, food at conferences, and similar items. The disclosure exists for transparency. Read our methodology for how we interpret this data.

Brand vs generic prescribing mix · Typical

ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD — brand share 17.0%
Specialty average (est.)

17% brand-name claims vs 83% generic, on 406 2023 Medicare Part D claims.

The federal Medicare Part D Generic Dispensing Rate national benchmark sits near 90% generic / 10% brand for primary-care prescribers, per CMS Office of the Actuary 2024 estimates. Higher brand share is common in specialty prescribing where generic equivalents are not available.

Medicare Part D Prescribing Data

CMS Medicare Part D prescriber-level data for calendar year 2023.

406
Total Claims
$18K
Total Drug Cost
195
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
730
Total Day Supply
19,595
Brand vs Generic
17% brand / 83% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$11K
Generic Drug Cost
$7K
Antibiotic Claims
27

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
76.3 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
1.50
Gender Split
56% female / 44% male
Age Distribution
<65: 19, 65-74: 55, 75-84: 84, 85+: 37

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

Top drugs by claim count for calendar year 2023. Based on Medicare Part D data only.

Drug Claims
Latanoprost
146
Erythromycin
Erythromycin Base
38
Timolol Maleate
35
Neomycin-Polymyxin-Dexameth
Neomycin/Polymyxin B/Dexametha
32
Dorzolamide-Timolol
Dorzolamide Hcl/Timolol Maleat
30
Brimonidine Tartrate
27
Prednisolone Acetate
22
Cephalexin
21
Ofloxacin
15

* Counts below 11 are suppressed by CMS for patient privacy. Generic names shown where available from CMS Part D data.

Optometrist Overview

How ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD fits within the Optometrist landscape nationally.

60,463
Optometrist Providers in US
56
States with Optometrist
257
Avg Claims per Provider

ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD's 406 claims are above the specialty average of 257.

Nearby Optometrist Providers in Arizona

Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in Arizona, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as CHRISTENSEN.

Compare Optometrist nationally: see state-by-state distribution →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD's specialty?
ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD specializes in Optometrist and practices in PHOENIX, Arizona. Credentials: OD.
How much does ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD wrote 406 Medicare Part D claims totaling $18K in drug costs for 195 beneficiaries.
Where is ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD located?
ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD is located at 515 W BUCKEYE RD STE 104, PHOENIX, AZ, 85003. Phone: (602) 207-8196.
What is ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD's NPI number?
ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1881227957, issued on 02/18/2020.
Does ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD's prescribing is 17% brand-name and 83% generic drugs by claim count, with $11K in brand drug costs.
How many Optometrist providers are there in the US?
There are 60,463 Optometrist providers across 56 states in the US. The average Optometrist provider writes 257 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD's most frequently prescribed drugs include Latanoprost, Erythromycin, Timolol Maleate. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD accept Medicare?
ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD appears in CMS Medicare data with 406 Part D claims and 195 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD's credentials?
ALEX CHRISTENSEN, OD's NPI is 1881227957 with credentials OD. You can verify this through the NPPES NPI Registry, check state medical board records, and confirm board certification through the ABMS or AOA.

Data Sources

Provider Directory
CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), download.cms.gov/nppes, updated monthly. Contains NPI, specialty, credentials, and practice location.
Specialty Classification
NUCC Health Care Provider Taxonomy (nucc.org), the industry standard for classifying provider specialties in Medicare and Medicaid billing.
Prescribing Data
CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber Public Use File (2023). Includes claims, drug costs, beneficiaries, and opioid prescribing rates.
Limitations
Provider data is self-reported to CMS. Prescribing data reflects Medicare Part D only and does not include commercial insurance, Medicaid, or cash prescriptions. Claims below 11 beneficiaries are suppressed by CMS for privacy.

See our complete data methodology for details on how we collect and process government data.

Data as of April 2026 (NPPES) / 2023 (Medicare Part D). Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Disclaimer: Data from CMS NPPES and Medicare Part D. PlainDoctor does not rate or rank providers. Provider information is self-reported and may not be current. Always verify information directly with the provider. About · Methodology