2026 NPPES data Physician Assistant NPI 1740342377 PA-C
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Christopher Kern, PA-C

Physician Assistant in Wilmington, North Carolina. 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
617
Medicare Part D claims · 26 beneficiaries · Physician Assistant avg: 790
Generic prescribing
98%
generic claims · 2% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs

What the federal data shows

Christopher Kern, PA-C filed 617 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 as a Physician Assistant in Wilmington, North Carolina, prescribing 98% generic.

617
Part D claims, 2023
98%
generic prescribing

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.

Christopher Kern, PA-C's Medicare Part D volume vs every U.S. prescriber

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

617 Top 31% higher than 69% 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. 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

What does the federal data show about Christopher Kern, PA-C?

Quality data not reported

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 12/13/2006

NPI 1740342377

Primary specialty

Physician Assistant

High-volume

149,975 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

617 22% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 790

Specialty distribution in North Carolina

How Physician Assistant compares to other specialties among North Carolina providers

North Carolina providers

Physician Assistant share within North Carolina

1. Physician Assistant42%2. Internal medicine21%3. Family medicine17%4. Surgical12%5. Pediatric8%
Physician Assistant share within North Carolina

Specialty board-certification context

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

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

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

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

Christopher Kern, PA-C appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Physician Assistant provider holding PA-C credentials at 1213 CULBRETH DR, Wilmington, NC, 28405, with a listed phone of (910) 742-9243. NPI 1740342377 was issued on 12/13/2006. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what Kern 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 617 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 26 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $72K in drug spend, split 2% brand-name and 98% 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.

Physician Assistant is a high-volume specialty nationwide, with 149,975 enrolled providers across 56 states and an average of 790 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

1213 CULBRETH DR
Wilmington, NC 28405

Provider Details

NPI 1740342377
Specialty Physician Assistant
Credentials PA-C
Gender Male
NPI Issued 12/13/2006

Brand vs generic prescribing mix · Generic-heavy

Christopher Kern, PA-C — brand share 2.0%
Specialty average (est.)

2% brand-name claims vs 98% generic, on 617 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.

617
Total Claims
$72K
Total Drug Cost
26
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
667
Total Day Supply
18,747
Brand vs Generic
2% brand / 98% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$42K
Generic Drug Cost
$29K

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
48.7 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
0.87
Gender Split
42% female / 58% male

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

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

What Christopher Kern, PA-C 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
Clozapine
90
Risperidone
48
Benztropine Mesylate
46
Aripiprazole
28
Bupropion Xl
Bupropion Hcl
26
Clonazepam
26
Citalopram Hbr
Citalopram Hydrobromide
21
Trazodone Hcl
19
Divalproex Sodium
16
Lamotrigine
16

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

Physician Assistant Overview

How Christopher Kern, PA-C fits within the Physician Assistant landscape nationally.

149,975
Physician Assistant Providers in US
56
States with Physician Assistant
790
Avg Claims per Provider

Christopher Kern, PA-C's 617 claims are below the specialty average of 790.

Nearby Physician Assistant Providers in North Carolina

Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in North Carolina, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as Kern.

Compare Physician Assistant 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 North Carolina medical board — federal registration is not a license check. Credential verification guide
  • Weigh a second option: compare this provider with a nearby Physician Assistant 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 Christopher Kern, PA-C's specialty?
Christopher Kern, PA-C specializes in Physician Assistant and practices in Wilmington, North Carolina. Credentials: PA-C.
How much does Christopher Kern, PA-C prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, Christopher Kern, PA-C wrote 617 Medicare Part D claims totaling $72K in drug costs for 26 beneficiaries.
Where is Christopher Kern, PA-C located?
Christopher Kern, PA-C is located at 1213 CULBRETH DR, Wilmington, NC, 28405. Phone: (910) 742-9243.
What is Christopher Kern, PA-C's NPI number?
Christopher Kern, PA-C's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1740342377, issued on 12/13/2006.
Does Christopher Kern, PA-C prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
Christopher Kern, PA-C's prescribing is 2% brand-name and 98% generic drugs by claim count, with $42K in brand drug costs.
How many Physician Assistant providers are there in the US?
There are 149,975 Physician Assistant providers across 56 states in the US. The average Physician Assistant provider writes 790 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does Christopher Kern, PA-C prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, Christopher Kern, PA-C's most frequently prescribed drugs include Clozapine, Risperidone, Benztropine Mesylate. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does Christopher Kern, PA-C accept Medicare?
Christopher Kern, PA-C appears in CMS Medicare data with 617 Part D claims and 26 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify Christopher Kern, PA-C's credentials?
Christopher Kern, PA-C's NPI is 1740342377 with credentials PA-C. 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