2026 NPPES data Hepatology Physician NPI 1386709707 MD
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CARLOS PONCE, MD

Hepatology Physician in BROWNSVILLE, Texas. 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
1K
Medicare Part D claims · 381 beneficiaries · Hepatology Physician avg: 803
Generic prescribing
93%
generic claims · 7% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
Industry payments
$166.94
2 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)

What the federal data shows

CARLOS PONCE, MD filed 1,141 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 as a Hepatology Physician in BROWNSVILLE, Texas, prescribing 93% generic.

1K
Part D claims, 2023
93%
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.

CARLOS PONCE, MD's Medicare Part D volume vs every U.S. prescriber

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

1,141 Top 23% higher than 77% 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%). Below this entry. 800–1,000: 40,919 prescribers (3%). Below this entry. 1,000–1,200: 31,827 prescribers (2%). This entry sits in this band. 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. 2,000–2,200: 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)

CARLOS PONCE, MD practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty and shows active CMS Medicare participation + 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 CARLOS PONCE, MD?

Quality data not reported

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 12/26/2006

NPI 1386709707

Primary specialty

Hepatology Physician

Rare

281 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

1,141 42% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 803

Specialty distribution in Texas

How Hepatology Physician compares to other specialties among Texas providers

Texas providers

Hepatology Physician share within Texas

1. Hepatology Physician42%2. Internal medicine21%3. Family medicine17%4. Surgical12%5. Pediatric8%
Hepatology Physician share within Texas

Specialty board-certification context

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

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

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

0%100%78%
Est. board-certified rate (Hepatology Physician) — 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).

CARLOS PONCE, MD appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Hepatology Physician provider holding MD credentials at 5700 N EXPRESSWAY, BROWNSVILLE, TX, 78526, with a listed phone of (956) 542-1531. NPI 1386709707 was issued on 12/26/2006. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what PONCE 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 1,141 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 381 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $56K in drug spend, split 7% brand-name and 93% 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.

Hepatology Physician is a narrow specialty nationwide, with 281 enrolled providers across 36 states and an average of 803 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

5700 N EXPRESSWAY
BROWNSVILLE, TX 78526

Provider Details

NPI 1386709707
Specialty Hepatology Physician
Credentials MD
Gender Male
NPI Issued 12/26/2006

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where CARLOS PONCE, 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.

BHS PHYSICIANS NETWORK, INC
BROWNSVILLE, TX

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 CARLOS PONCE, MD. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

Total received

$167

Largest payer

Madrigal Pharmaceuticals

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.

License & disciplinary context — Texas TMB 2023 annual report

Aggregate state board data only — NOT a determination of any individual provider's status. The figures below describe statewide disciplinary activity across all ~77K Texas medical licensees in 2023 — they are NOT specific to CARLOS PONCE, MD. To verify CARLOS PONCE, MD's current license status, search the TMB public license lookup directly, or check the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) verification service.

344
Total board actions, Texas 2023
Across 334 cases
4.47
Actions per 1,000 licensees
Texas statewide rate
probation
Most common action type
94 cases

TMB publishes annual disciplinary statistics as part of public-record reporting under each state's Administrative Procedure Act. See the full breakdown by action type and year on the Texas disciplinary trends page. Cross-checked against FSMB U.S. Medical Regulatory Trends.

Brand vs generic prescribing mix · Generic-heavy

CARLOS PONCE, MD — brand share 7.0%
Specialty average (est.)

7% brand-name claims vs 93% generic, on 1,141 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.

1,141
Total Claims
$56K
Total Drug Cost
381
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
1,487
Total Day Supply
37,004
Brand vs Generic
7% brand / 93% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$24K
Generic Drug Cost
$32K
Antibiotic Claims
18

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
71.1 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
1.91
Gender Split
62% female / 38% male
Age Distribution
<65: 51, 65-74: 204, 75-84: 110, 85+: 16

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

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

What CARLOS PONCE, 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
Pantoprazole Sodium
448
Omeprazole
73
Metoclopramide Hcl
59
Famotidine
55
Sucralfate
44
Dicyclomine Hcl
29
Linzess
Linaclotide
24
Cholestyramine
Cholestyramine (With Sugar)
21
Peg 3350-Electrolyte
Sodium Chloride/Nahco3/Kcl/Peg
18
Ursodiol
18

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

Hepatology Physician Overview

How CARLOS PONCE, MD fits within the Hepatology Physician landscape nationally.

281
Hepatology Physician Providers in US
36
States with Hepatology Physician
803
Avg Claims per Provider

CARLOS PONCE, MD's 1,141 claims are above the specialty average of 803.

Nearby Hepatology Physician Providers in Texas

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CARLOS PONCE, MD's specialty?
CARLOS PONCE, MD specializes in Hepatology Physician and practices in BROWNSVILLE, Texas. Credentials: MD.
How much does CARLOS PONCE, MD prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, CARLOS PONCE, MD wrote 1,141 Medicare Part D claims totaling $56K in drug costs for 381 beneficiaries.
Where is CARLOS PONCE, MD located?
CARLOS PONCE, MD is located at 5700 N EXPRESSWAY, BROWNSVILLE, TX, 78526. Phone: (956) 542-1531.
What is CARLOS PONCE, MD's NPI number?
CARLOS PONCE, MD's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1386709707, issued on 12/26/2006.
Does CARLOS PONCE, MD prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
CARLOS PONCE, MD's prescribing is 7% brand-name and 93% generic drugs by claim count, with $24K in brand drug costs.
How many Hepatology Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 281 Hepatology Physician providers across 36 states in the US. The average Hepatology Physician provider writes 803 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does CARLOS PONCE, MD prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, CARLOS PONCE, MD's most frequently prescribed drugs include Pantoprazole Sodium, Omeprazole, Metoclopramide Hcl. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does CARLOS PONCE, MD accept Medicare?
CARLOS PONCE, MD appears in CMS Medicare data with 1,141 Part D claims and 381 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify CARLOS PONCE, MD's credentials?
CARLOS PONCE, MD's NPI is 1386709707 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