NPI registry status
Active
2026 NPPES data Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician NPI 1821281361 M.D.
Verify on CMS → Benjamin Johnston, M.D.
Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician in Nashville, Tennessee.
This profile is drawn from the federal National Provider Identifier Registry (CMS NPPES), which lists more than 7 million U.S. healthcare providers - including 577 in Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician, and covers specialty classification, practice address, and Medicare Part D prescribing data when reported. According to CMS, every field reflects the provider's official federal registration, see our methodology.
Federal data, no proprietary rating.
We show these CMS records as-is - no composite score, no star rating, no editorial opinion layered on top.
Prescribing volume
674
Medicare Part D claims · 304 beneficiaries · Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician avg: 313
Generic prescribing
96%
generic claims · 4% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
MIPS score
97.1/100
▲ 14 pts above national avg 83.5 · Exceptional
Industry payments
$339.93
4 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)
Source: CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber Public Use File, 2023
What the federal data shows
Benjamin Johnston, M.D. reported a CMS MIPS final score of 97.1/100 - above the 83.5 national average - and filed 674 Medicare Part D claims in 2023.
- 97.1/100
- MIPS score · +14 vs avg
- 674
- Part D claims, 2023
- 96%
- generic prescribing
- Likely
- board-certified (heuristic)
Every figure on this page comes straight from federal CMS records (NPPES, Medicare Part D, MIPS, Open Payments) - no proprietary rating or editorial opinion is applied.
CMS NPPES provider registry desk
NPI 1821281361 · Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician
NPI-10 · ENUM-MID · TAX-NARROW · MIPS-ELITE · RX-LIGHT · BOOK-THIN · PHOTO-FINISH
- NPI-10 1821281361
- ENUM-MID 2007
- TAX-NARROW 577
- MIPS-ELITE 97.1/100
- RX-LIGHT 674
- BOOK-THIN 14 in Tennessee
- PHOTO-FINISH Kenny Chan · ±0.5
MIPS final-score neighbourhood
Same-specialty nationwide peers by CMS final score, not geographic proximity
- Johnston · this …
Johnston · this provider
97.1 MIPS pts
- Jonathan Skirko …
Jonathan Skirko
97.6 MIPS pts
- Kenny Chan · near
Kenny Chan
97.6 MIPS pts
- Norman Friedman …
Norman Friedman
97.6 MIPS pts
- Che Liu · near
Che Liu
97.6 MIPS pts
What this shows Nearest measured MIPS peers for this NUCC specialty (2023 performance year).
Benjamin Johnston, M.D.'s MIPS score vs every measured U.S. clinician
CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) final score, 2023, the federal quality measure. Clinicians whose score CMS assigned without scoring any category are excluded.
97 ≥ 84th percentile 84% of 454,083 measured providers are in lower value bands
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more measured providers. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
The percentile is a conservative whole-score-point band: it counts only measured clinicians in lower score bands. A CMS MIPS metric is not a recommendation or a clinical-quality rating by PlainDoctor. See methodology § corpus placement.
Source CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) · 2023
Where Benjamin Johnston, M.D. sits
This provider among pediatric otolaryngology physician peers
Across the 52 pediatric otolaryngology physician providers who report both Medicare Part D prescribing and a MIPS quality score, Benjamin Johnston, M.D. writes more Part D claims than 71% of them and scores higher on MIPS quality than 90% - placing this provider in the high-volume, high-quality quadrant. Volume reflects patient-panel size and specialty, not quality; the two axes are independent.
Each dot is one pediatric otolaryngology physician peer from a representative sample of 51; the gold marker is Benjamin Johnston, M.D.. Source: CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber data and the CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System, 2023.
✓
Board certification likely (heuristic, not verified)
Benjamin Johnston, M.D. practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty and shows active CMS Medicare participation + MIPS quality reporting + 1 hospital affiliation - signals consistent with board-certified status. For verified board certification, see CertificationMatters.org (the official ABMS public lookup).
What does the federal data show about Benjamin Johnston, M.D.?
High performer (top quartile)Primary specialty
Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician
Medicare Part D claims
674 115% vs specialty avg
MIPS final score
97.1/100 13.6 pts vs avg
Specialty distribution in Tennessee
How Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician compares to other specialties among Tennessee providers
Medicare quality performance, MIPS
Benjamin Johnston, M.D.'s 2023 MIPS final score plotted against the Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician national average
- MIPS Final Score
- 97.1/100
- vs 83.5 national avg · 2023 performance year
How MIPS and board certification work
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).
Practice Address
Provider Details
| NPI | 1821281361 |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician |
| Credentials | M.D. |
| Gender | Male |
| NPI Issued | 08/18/2007 |
CMS Quality Score (MIPS)
Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) scores from CMS, 2023 performance year.
97.1279
Final Score
Measured-score avg: 83.5
85.6458
Quality
100
Promoting Interoperability
Reporting: Alternative Payment Model
Hospital and facility affiliations
Facilities where Benjamin Johnston, M.D. 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.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
★★★★★ 5/5
Nashville, TN
Acute Care Hospitals
CMS CCN: 440039
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 Benjamin Johnston, M.D.. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.
Total received
$340
Largest payer
Stryker Corporation
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 · Generic-heavy
Benjamin Johnston, M.D. - brand share 4.0%
Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician average
4% brand-name claims vs 96% generic, on 674 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.
674
Total Claims
$23K
Total Drug Cost
304
Medicare Beneficiaries
Prescribing Breakdown
- 30-Day Fills
- 956
- Total Day Supply
- 22,166
- Brand vs Generic
- 4% brand / 96% generic
- Brand Drug Cost
- $3K
- Generic Drug Cost
- $21K
- Opioid Claims
- 12 (1.8% rate)
- Antibiotic Claims
- 43
Patient Demographics
- Average Patient Age
- 72.1 years
- Avg HCC Risk Score
- 1.07
- Gender Split
- 58% female / 42% male
- Age Distribution
- <65: 26, 65-74: 149, 75-84: 111, 85+: 18
Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)
Top drugs by claim count for calendar year 2023. Based on Medicare Part D data only.
What Benjamin Johnston, M.D. prescribes most
Top Medicare Part D drugs by claim count, 2023
- Ipratropium Bromide
Ipratropium Bromide
110 claims
- Azelastine Hcl
Azelastine Hcl
71 claims
- Mometasone Furoate
Mometasone Furoate
53 claims
- Pantoprazole Sodium
Pantoprazole Sodium
49 claims
- Prednisone
Prednisone
48 claims
- Methylprednisolone 41
Methylprednisolone
41 claims
- Fluticasone Propio… 32
Fluticasone Propionate
32 claims
- Ciprofloxacin-Dexa… 31
Ciprofloxacin-Dexamethasone
31 claims
| Drug | Claims |
|---|---|
| Ipratropium Bromide | 110 |
| Azelastine Hcl | 71 |
| Mometasone Furoate | 53 |
| Pantoprazole Sodium | 49 |
| Prednisone | 48 |
| Methylprednisolone | 41 |
| Fluticasone Propionate | 32 |
| Ciprofloxacin-Dexamethasone Ciprofloxacin Hcl/Dexameth | 31 |
| Meloxicam | 30 |
| Mupirocin | 23 |
* Counts below 11 are suppressed by CMS for patient privacy. Generic names shown where available from CMS Part D data.
Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician Overview
How Benjamin Johnston, M.D. fits within the Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician landscape nationally.
577
Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician Providers in US
43
States with Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician
313
Avg Claims per Provider
Benjamin Johnston, M.D.'s 674 claims are above the specialty average of 313.
Nationwide Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician peers with similar MIPS or enrollment year
Two federal-record peer sets for Johnston, both outside Tennessee so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment.
Similar MIPS final score
Nearest same-specialty clinicians by CMS MIPS final score (97.1 here).
Same NPPES enumeration year (2007)
Same-specialty clinicians who entered the NPI registry in the same calendar year, outside this state.
Nearby Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician Providers in Tennessee
Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in Tennessee, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as Johnston.
One of 14 Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician providers enrolled in Tennessee, 5 are shown here.
Dr. Ellis Arjmand
M.D.
Memphis, TN
Dr. Michael Belmont
M.D.
Knoxville, TN
Dr. Joe Graves
MD
Knoxville, TN
Dr. Kaitlin July O'Brien
M.D.
Nashville, TN
Dr. John Little
M.D.
Knoxville, TN
Compare Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician nationally: see state-by-state distribution →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Benjamin Johnston, M.D.'s specialty? ▼
Benjamin Johnston, M.D. specializes in Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician and practices in Nashville, Tennessee. Credentials: M.D..
How much does Benjamin Johnston, M.D. prescribe under Medicare Part D? ▼
In 2023, Benjamin Johnston, M.D. wrote 674 Medicare Part D claims totaling $23K in drug costs for 304 beneficiaries.
What is Benjamin Johnston, M.D.'s Medicare quality score? ▼
Benjamin Johnston, M.D. has a CMS MIPS Final Score of 97.1/100 (Quality: 85.6). The average MIPS Final Score across the 454,083 clinicians with at least one published category score is 83.5; clinicians whose score CMS assigned without scoring any category are excluded from that average. Source: CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2023.
Where is Benjamin Johnston, M.D. located? ▼
Benjamin Johnston, M.D. is located at 3601 THE VANDERBILT CLINIC, Nashville, TN, 37232. Phone: (615) 936-2000.
What is Benjamin Johnston, M.D.'s NPI number? ▼
Benjamin Johnston, M.D.'s National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1821281361, issued on 08/18/2007.
Does Benjamin Johnston, M.D. prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs? ▼
Benjamin Johnston, M.D.'s prescribing is 4% brand-name and 96% generic drugs by claim count, with $3K in brand drug costs.
Does Benjamin Johnston, M.D. prescribe opioids? ▼
Yes, Benjamin Johnston, M.D. had 12 opioid claims in 2023 with an opioid prescribing rate of 1.8%.
How many Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician providers are there in the US? ▼
There are 577 Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician providers across 43 states in the US. The average Pediatric Otolaryngology Physician provider writes 313 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does Benjamin Johnston, M.D. prescribe most often? ▼
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, Benjamin Johnston, M.D.'s most frequently prescribed drugs include Ipratropium Bromide, Azelastine Hcl, Mometasone Furoate. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does Benjamin Johnston, M.D. accept Medicare? ▼
Benjamin Johnston, M.D. appears in CMS Medicare data with 674 Part D claims and 304 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify Benjamin Johnston, M.D.'s credentials? ▼
Benjamin Johnston, M.D.'s NPI is 1821281361 with credentials M.D.. 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
View source datasets and methodology notes
- 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.
- Quality Performance
- CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) - 2023 performance year.
- 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
Every figure on PlainDoctor is rendered directly from the federal CMS NPPES registry, Medicare Part D, MIPS, and Open Payments records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2026.