2026 NPPES data Optometrist NPI 1740261601 OD
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ERNEST CHAMPION, OD

Optometrist in ALEXANDER CITY, Alabama. 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
542
Medicare Part D claims · 132 beneficiaries · Optometrist avg: 257
Generic prescribing
34%
generic claims · 66% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
Industry payments
$135.37
1 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)
What the federal data reveals: ERNEST CHAMPION, OD is a Optometrist ([object Object]) practicing in ALEXANDER CITY, Alabama with a Medicare Part D prescribing footprint of 542 claims across 132 beneficiaries — 66% brand-name prescribing . Industry payments of $135.37 across 1 transactions are disclosed under CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act).

What stands out: ERNEST CHAMPION, OD filed 542 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 across ALEXANDER CITY, Alabama. Every figure on this page comes straight from federal CMS records, with no proprietary rating applied.

ERNEST CHAMPION, OD at a glance

Quality data not reported

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 11/08/2005

NPI 1740261601

Primary specialty

Optometrist

High-volume

60,463 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

542 111% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 257

Specialty distribution in Alabama

How Optometrist compares to other specialties among Alabama providers

Alabama providers

Optometrist share within Alabama

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

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).

ERNEST CHAMPION, OD is a Optometrist provider practicing in ALEXANDER CITY, Alabama, according to the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES). Credentials: OD. NPI: 1740261601. 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.

ERNEST CHAMPION, OD appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Optometrist provider holding OD credentials at 1120 AIRPORT DR, ALEXANDER CITY, AL, 35010, with a listed phone of (256) 329-8400. NPI 1740261601 was issued on 11/08/2005. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what CHAMPION 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 542 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 132 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $93K in drug spend, split 66% brand-name and 34% 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

1120 AIRPORT DR
ALEXANDER CITY, AL 35010

Provider Details

NPI 1740261601
Specialty Optometrist
Credentials OD
Gender Male
NPI Issued 11/08/2005

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where ERNEST CHAMPION, 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.

JAMES H. POOLE AND ASSOCIATES, O.D., P.C.
ALEXANDER CITY, AL

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 ERNEST CHAMPION, OD. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

Total received

$135

Largest payer

Glaukos 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 · Brand-heavy

ERNEST CHAMPION, OD — brand share 66.0%
Specialty average (est.)

66% brand-name claims vs 34% generic, on 542 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.

542
Total Claims
$93K
Total Drug Cost
132
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
619
Total Day Supply
15,566
Brand vs Generic
66% brand / 34% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$85K
Generic Drug Cost
$7K
Antibiotic Claims
16

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
73.1 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
1.48
Gender Split
69% female / 31% male
Age Distribution
<65: 16, 65-74: 58, 75-84: 37, 85+: 21

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
153
Prednisolone Acetate
61
Xiidra
Lifitegrast
37
Simbrinza
Brinzolamide/Brimonidine Tart
29
Combigan
Brimonidine Tartrate/Timolol
24
Travoprost
24
Loteprednol Etabonate
17
Neomycin-Polymyxin-Dexameth
Neomycin/Polymyxin B/Dexametha
17
Lumigan
Bimatoprost
16
Dorzolamide-Timolol
Dorzolamide Hcl/Timolol Maleat
14

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

Optometrist Overview

How ERNEST CHAMPION, OD fits within the Optometrist landscape nationally.

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

ERNEST CHAMPION, OD's 542 claims are above the specialty average of 257.

Nearby Optometrist Providers in Alabama

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ERNEST CHAMPION, OD's specialty?
ERNEST CHAMPION, OD specializes in Optometrist and practices in ALEXANDER CITY, Alabama. Credentials: OD.
How much does ERNEST CHAMPION, OD prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, ERNEST CHAMPION, OD wrote 542 Medicare Part D claims totaling $93K in drug costs for 132 beneficiaries.
Where is ERNEST CHAMPION, OD located?
ERNEST CHAMPION, OD is located at 1120 AIRPORT DR, ALEXANDER CITY, AL, 35010. Phone: (256) 329-8400.
What is ERNEST CHAMPION, OD's NPI number?
ERNEST CHAMPION, OD's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1740261601, issued on 11/08/2005.
Does ERNEST CHAMPION, OD prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
ERNEST CHAMPION, OD's prescribing is 66% brand-name and 34% generic drugs by claim count, with $85K 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 ERNEST CHAMPION, OD prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, ERNEST CHAMPION, OD's most frequently prescribed drugs include Latanoprost, Prednisolone Acetate, Xiidra. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does ERNEST CHAMPION, OD accept Medicare?
ERNEST CHAMPION, OD appears in CMS Medicare data with 542 Part D claims and 132 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify ERNEST CHAMPION, OD's credentials?
ERNEST CHAMPION, OD's NPI is 1740261601 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