2026 NPPES data Infectious Disease Physician NPI 1639176316 MD
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GRACE AUTEN, MD

Infectious Disease Physician in HICKORY, 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
3K
Medicare Part D claims · 79 beneficiaries · Infectious Disease Physician avg: 816
Generic prescribing
87%
generic claims · 13% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs

What the federal data shows

GRACE AUTEN, MD filed 2,867 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 as a Infectious Disease Physician in HICKORY, North Carolina, prescribing 87% generic.

3K
Part D claims, 2023
87%
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.

GRACE AUTEN, MD's Medicare Part D volume vs every U.S. prescriber

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

2,867 Top 12% higher than 88% 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%). Below this entry. 1,200–1,400: 26,224 prescribers (2%). Below this entry. 1,400–1,600: 21,710 prescribers (2%). Below this entry. 1,600–1,800: 19,072 prescribers (1%). Below this entry. 1,800–2,000: 16,451 prescribers (1%). Below this entry. 2,000–2,200: 213,991 prescribers (16%). This entry sits in this band. 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-eligible specialty (heuristic — not verified)

GRACE AUTEN, MD practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty but we don't have enough CMS-participation signals to confirm active board-certified status. Consult CertificationMatters.org (the official ABMS public lookup).

What does the federal data show about GRACE AUTEN, MD?

Quality data not reported

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 07/07/2005

NPI 1639176316

Primary specialty

Infectious Disease Physician

Mid-sized

8,292 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

2,867 251% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 816

Specialty distribution in North Carolina

How Infectious Disease Physician compares to other specialties among North Carolina providers

North Carolina providers

Infectious Disease Physician share within North Carolina

1. Infectious Disease Physician42%2. Internal medicine21%3. Family medicine17%4. Surgical12%5. Pediatric8%
Infectious Disease Physician share within North Carolina

Specialty board-certification context

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

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

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

0%100%78%
Est. board-certified rate (Infectious Disease 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).

GRACE AUTEN, MD appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Infectious Disease Physician provider holding MD credentials at 307 41ST AVENUE PL NW, HICKORY, NC, 28601, with a listed phone of (828) 304-4935. NPI 1639176316 was issued on 07/07/2005. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what AUTEN 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 2,867 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 79 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $182K in drug spend, split 13% brand-name and 87% generic by claim count, with an opioid prescribing rate of 1.2%. 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.

Infectious Disease Physician is a mid-sized specialty nationwide, with 8,292 enrolled providers across 54 states and an average of 816 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

307 41ST AVENUE PL NW
HICKORY, NC 28601

Provider Details

NPI 1639176316
Specialty Infectious Disease Physician
Credentials MD
Gender Female
NPI Issued 07/07/2005

Brand vs generic prescribing mix · Typical

GRACE AUTEN, MD — brand share 13.0%
Specialty average (est.)

13% brand-name claims vs 87% generic, on 2,867 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.

2,867
Total Claims
$182K
Total Drug Cost
79
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
2,872
Total Day Supply
70,067
Brand vs Generic
13% brand / 87% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$55K
Generic Drug Cost
$124K
Opioid Claims
33 (1.2% rate)
Antibiotic Claims
73

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
58.8 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
0.95
Gender Split
43% female / 57% male
Age Distribution
<65: 55, 65-74: 19, 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 GRACE AUTEN, 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
Levetiracetam
233
Synthroid
Levothyroxine Sodium
195
Lactulose
153
Lacosamide
132
Omeprazole
114
Olanzapine
101
Divalproex Sodium
91
Lisinopril
83
Phenobarbital
82
Fluticasone Propionate
78

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

Infectious Disease Physician Overview

How GRACE AUTEN, MD fits within the Infectious Disease Physician landscape nationally.

8,292
Infectious Disease Physician Providers in US
54
States with Infectious Disease Physician
816
Avg Claims per Provider

GRACE AUTEN, MD's 2,867 claims are above the specialty average of 816.

Nearby Infectious Disease Physician Providers in North Carolina

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

Compare Infectious Disease Physician nationally: see state-by-state distribution →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GRACE AUTEN, MD's specialty?
GRACE AUTEN, MD specializes in Infectious Disease Physician and practices in HICKORY, North Carolina. Credentials: MD.
How much does GRACE AUTEN, MD prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, GRACE AUTEN, MD wrote 2,867 Medicare Part D claims totaling $182K in drug costs for 79 beneficiaries.
Where is GRACE AUTEN, MD located?
GRACE AUTEN, MD is located at 307 41ST AVENUE PL NW, HICKORY, NC, 28601. Phone: (828) 304-4935.
What is GRACE AUTEN, MD's NPI number?
GRACE AUTEN, MD's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1639176316, issued on 07/07/2005.
Does GRACE AUTEN, MD prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
GRACE AUTEN, MD's prescribing is 13% brand-name and 87% generic drugs by claim count, with $55K in brand drug costs.
Does GRACE AUTEN, MD prescribe opioids?
Yes, GRACE AUTEN, MD had 33 opioid claims in 2023 with an opioid prescribing rate of 1.2%.
How many Infectious Disease Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 8,292 Infectious Disease Physician providers across 54 states in the US. The average Infectious Disease Physician provider writes 816 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does GRACE AUTEN, MD prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, GRACE AUTEN, MD's most frequently prescribed drugs include Levetiracetam, Synthroid, Lactulose. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does GRACE AUTEN, MD accept Medicare?
GRACE AUTEN, MD appears in CMS Medicare data with 2,867 Part D claims and 79 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify GRACE AUTEN, MD's credentials?
GRACE AUTEN, MD's NPI is 1639176316 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