2026 NPPES data Nephrology Physician NPI 1538126867 MD
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Cara Walz, MD

Nephrology Physician in Maplewood, Minnesota. This profile is drawn from the federal National Provider Identifier Registry (CMS NPPES), which lists more than 7 million U.S. healthcare providers - including 10,534 in Nephrology 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
727
Medicare Part D claims · 115 beneficiaries · Nephrology Physician avg: 1K
Generic prescribing
94%
generic claims · 6% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
Industry payments
$49.22
3 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)
Compiled from official public sources by the PlainDoctor editorial team.

What the federal data shows

Cara Walz, MD filed 727 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 as a Nephrology Physician in Maplewood, Minnesota, prescribing 94% generic.

727
Part D claims, 2023
94%
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.

Cara Walz, MD's Medicare Part D volume vs every U.S. prescriber

Total Medicare Part D claims, 2023, across all CMS prescribers nationally

727 Top 29% higher than 71% of 1,370,886 prescribers

0–200: 670,926 prescribers (49%). Below this entry. 200–400: 182,923 prescribers (13%). Below this entry. 400–600: 90,619 prescribers (7%). Below this entry. 600–800: 56,224 prescribers (4%). This entry sits in this band. 800–1,000: 40,919 prescribers (3%). Above this entry. 1,000–1,200: 31,827 prescribers (2%). Above this entry. 1,200–1,400: 26,224 prescribers (2%). Above this entry. 1,400–1,600: 21,710 prescribers (2%). Above this entry. 1,600–1,800: 19,072 prescribers (1%). Above this entry. 1,800–2,000: 16,451 prescribers (1%). Above this entry. 2K+: 213,991 prescribers (16%). Above this entry. This provider 0 2K+ every Part D prescriber (claims/yr), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more prescribers. 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.

Source CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber Public Use File · 2023

Board certification likely (heuristic, not verified)

Cara Walz, MD practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty and shows active CMS Medicare participation + 2 hospital affiliations - 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 Cara Walz, MD?

Quality data not reported

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 04/28/2006

NPI 1538126867

Primary specialty

Nephrology Physician

Mid-sized

10,534 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

727 50% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 1,454

Specialty distribution in Minnesota

How Nephrology Physician compares to other specialties among Minnesota providers

Minnesota providers

Largest specialties in Minnesota (% of in-state providers)

Behavior Technician - 11.7%Behavior Technician11.7%Clinical Social Worker - 4.7%Clinical Social Worker4.7%Physical Therapist - 4.1%Physical Therapist4.1%Pharmacist - 3.7%Pharmacist3.7%Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program - 3.4%Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program3.4%Mental Health Counselor - 3.1%Mental Health Counselor3.1%Nephrology Physician - 0.2%Nephrology Physician0.2%
Largest specialties in Minnesota (% of in-state providers)

Board certification

Not published by CMS

CMS does not publish a per-provider board-certification field in NPPES. PlainDoctor does not have a reliable per-specialty certification rate to show for Nephrology Physician. Verify directly:

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).

Cara Walz, MD appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Nephrology Physician provider holding MD credentials at 1997 SLOAN PL STE 17, Maplewood, MN, 55117, with a listed phone of (651) 772-6251. NPI 1538126867 was issued on 04/28/2006. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what Walz 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 727 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 115 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $52K in drug spend, split 6% brand-name and 94% 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.

Nephrology Physician is a mid-sized specialty nationwide, with 10,534 enrolled providers across 55 states and an average of 1,454 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

1997 SLOAN PL STE 17
Maplewood, MN 55117

Provider Details

NPI 1538126867
Specialty Nephrology Physician
Credentials MD
Gender Female
NPI Issued 04/28/2006

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where Cara Walz, MD 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.

Associated Nephrology Consultants PA
Hastings, MN
Healtheast Medical Research Institute
Saint Paul, MN

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 Cara Walz, MD. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

Total received

$49

Largest payer

Medtronic, 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 · Generic-heavy

Cara Walz, MD - brand share 6.0%
Nephrology Physician average

6% brand-name claims vs 94% generic, on 727 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.

727
Total Claims
$52K
Total Drug Cost
115
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
1,395
Total Day Supply
40,832
Brand vs Generic
6% brand / 94% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$16K
Generic Drug Cost
$37K
Antibiotic Claims
40

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
67.3 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
4.82
Gender Split
57% female / 43% male
Age Distribution
<65: 32, 65-74: 45, 75-84: N/A, 85+: N/A

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

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

What Cara Walz, MD prescribes most

Top Medicare Part D drugs by claim count, 2023

claims
Source CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber Public Use File As of 2023
Drug Claims
Losartan Potassium
65
Amlodipine Besylate
42
Atorvastatin Calcium
40
Carvedilol
37
Furosemide
31
Gabapentin
27
Allopurinol
25
Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim
Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim
25
Torsemide
22
Lisinopril
19

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

Nephrology Physician Overview

How Cara Walz, MD fits within the Nephrology Physician landscape nationally.

10,534
Nephrology Physician Providers in US
55
States with Nephrology Physician
1,454
Avg Claims per Provider

Cara Walz, MD's 727 claims are below the specialty average of 1,454.

Nearby Nephrology Physician Providers in Minnesota

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

Compare Nephrology Physician nationally: see state-by-state distribution →

Before you book an appointment

Use this federal record as your verification checklist, not as a recommendation.

  • Confirm the NPI record is current in the official CMS registry, providers update their own NPPES details, and moves can lag. Verify this NPI
  • Check the active license and any disciplinary history with the Minnesota medical board, federal registration is not a license check. Credential verification guide
  • Weigh a second option: compare this provider with a nearby Nephrology Physician peer on Medicare volume and prescribing patterns. Compare providers

Medicare Part D and MIPS figures describe practice patterns in federal programs only, they are not quality ratings, and PlainDoctor does not rate, rank, or recommend providers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cara Walz, MD's specialty?
Cara Walz, MD specializes in Nephrology Physician and practices in Maplewood, Minnesota. Credentials: MD.
How much does Cara Walz, MD prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, Cara Walz, MD wrote 727 Medicare Part D claims totaling $52K in drug costs for 115 beneficiaries.
Where is Cara Walz, MD located?
Cara Walz, MD is located at 1997 SLOAN PL STE 17, Maplewood, MN, 55117. Phone: (651) 772-6251.
What is Cara Walz, MD's NPI number?
Cara Walz, MD's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1538126867, issued on 04/28/2006.
Does Cara Walz, MD prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
Cara Walz, MD's prescribing is 6% brand-name and 94% generic drugs by claim count, with $16K in brand drug costs.
How many Nephrology Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 10,534 Nephrology Physician providers across 55 states in the US. The average Nephrology Physician provider writes 1,454 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does Cara Walz, MD prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, Cara Walz, MD's most frequently prescribed drugs include Losartan Potassium, Amlodipine Besylate, Atorvastatin Calcium. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does Cara Walz, MD accept Medicare?
Cara Walz, MD appears in CMS Medicare data with 727 Part D claims and 115 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify Cara Walz, MD's credentials?
Cara Walz, MD's NPI is 1538126867 with credentials MD. 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

Compiled from official public sources by the PlainDoctor editorial team.