NPI registry status
Active
2026 NPPES data Foot Surgery Podiatrist NPI 1699183194 DPM
Verify on CMS → Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM
Foot Surgery Podiatrist in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
This profile is drawn from the federal National Provider Identifier Registry (CMS NPPES), which lists more than 7 million U.S. healthcare providers - including 1,519 in Foot Surgery Podiatrist, 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
818
Medicare Part D claims · 414 beneficiaries · Foot Surgery Podiatrist avg: 342
Generic prescribing
95%
generic claims · 5% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
Source: CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber Public Use File, 2023
Compiled from official public sources by the PlainDoctor editorial team.
What the federal data shows
Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM filed 818 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 as a Foot Surgery Podiatrist in San Juan, Puerto Rico, prescribing 95% generic.
- 818
- Part D claims, 2023
- 95%
- 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.
Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM's Medicare Part D volume vs every U.S. prescriber
Total Medicare Part D claims, 2023, across all CMS prescribers nationally
818 Top 27% higher than 73% of 1,370,886 prescribers
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 Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM?
Quality data not reportedPrimary specialty
Foot Surgery Podiatrist
Medicare Part D claims
818 139% vs specialty avg
Specialty distribution in Puerto Rico
How Foot Surgery Podiatrist compares to other specialties among Puerto Rico 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 Foot Surgery Podiatrist. Verify directly:
How MIPS and board certification work
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).
Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Foot Surgery Podiatrist provider holding DPM credentials at 557 CALLE CABO H ALVERIO, San Juan, PR, 00918, with a listed phone of (787) 753-1376. NPI 1699183194 was issued on 07/28/2014.
Medicare Part D records for calendar year 2023 show 818 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 414 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $20K in drug spend, split 5% brand-name and 95% generic by claim count.
Foot Surgery Podiatrist is a narrow specialty nationwide, with 1,519 enrolled providers across 53 states and an average of 342 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
Provider Details
| NPI | 1699183194 |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Foot Surgery Podiatrist |
| Credentials | DPM |
| Gender | Female |
| NPI Issued | 07/28/2014 |
Brand vs generic prescribing mix · Generic-heavy
Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM - brand share 5.0%
Foot Surgery Podiatrist average
5% brand-name claims vs 95% generic, on 818 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.
818
Total Claims
$20K
Total Drug Cost
414
Medicare Beneficiaries
Prescribing Breakdown
- 30-Day Fills
- 833
- Total Day Supply
- 17,543
- Brand vs Generic
- 5% brand / 95% generic
- Brand Drug Cost
- $4K
- Generic Drug Cost
- $16K
- Antibiotic Claims
- 155
Patient Demographics
- Average Patient Age
- 74.2 years
- Avg HCC Risk Score
- 1.80
- Gender Split
- 59% female / 41% male
- Age Distribution
- <65: 45, 65-74: 176, 75-84: 132, 85+: 61
Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)
Top drugs by claim count for calendar year 2023. Based on Medicare Part D data only.
What Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM prescribes most
Top Medicare Part D drugs by claim count, 2023
- Terbinafine Hcl
Terbinafine Hcl
167 claims
- Ciclopirox
Ciclopirox
118 claims
- Cephalexin 63
Cephalexin
63 claims
- Ketoconazole 59
Ketoconazole
59 claims
- Clindamycin Hcl 42
Clindamycin Hcl
42 claims
- Ammonium Lactate 41
Ammonium Lactate
41 claims
- Gabapentin 35
Gabapentin
35 claims
- Levofloxacin 26
Levofloxacin
26 claims
| Drug | Claims |
|---|---|
| Terbinafine Hcl | 167 |
| Ciclopirox Ciclopirox Olamine | 118 |
| Cephalexin | 63 |
| Ketoconazole | 59 |
| Clindamycin Hcl | 42 |
| Ammonium Lactate | 41 |
| Gabapentin | 35 |
| Levofloxacin | 26 |
| Clotrimazole-Betamethasone Clotrimazole/Betamethasone Dip | 19 |
* Counts below 11 are suppressed by CMS for patient privacy. Generic names shown where available from CMS Part D data.
Foot Surgery Podiatrist Overview
How Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM fits within the Foot Surgery Podiatrist landscape nationally.
1,519
Foot Surgery Podiatrist Providers in US
53
States with Foot Surgery Podiatrist
342
Avg Claims per Provider
Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM's 818 claims are above the specialty average of 342.
Nearby Foot Surgery Podiatrist Providers in Puerto Rico
Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in Puerto Rico, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as Merced Vargas.
Dr. Norberto Arbona Ferrer
MD
Caguas, PR
Dr. Guillermo Carrasquillo
DPM
Ponce, PR
Dr. Gary Deresh
D.P.M.
Caguas, PR
Dr. Waleska Donato
DPM
Mayaguez, PR
Dr. Jaime Escalona
DPM
San Juan, PR
Compare Foot Surgery Podiatrist 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 Puerto Rico medical board, federal registration is not a license check. Credential verification guide
- Weigh a second option: compare this provider with a nearby Foot Surgery Podiatrist 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM's specialty? ▼
Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM specializes in Foot Surgery Podiatrist and practices in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Credentials: DPM.
How much does Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM prescribe under Medicare Part D? ▼
In 2023, Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM wrote 818 Medicare Part D claims totaling $20K in drug costs for 414 beneficiaries.
Where is Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM located? ▼
Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM is located at 557 CALLE CABO H ALVERIO, San Juan, PR, 00918. Phone: (787) 753-1376.
What is Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM's NPI number? ▼
Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1699183194, issued on 07/28/2014.
Does Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs? ▼
Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM's prescribing is 5% brand-name and 95% generic drugs by claim count, with $4K in brand drug costs.
How many Foot Surgery Podiatrist providers are there in the US? ▼
There are 1,519 Foot Surgery Podiatrist providers across 53 states in the US. The average Foot Surgery Podiatrist provider writes 342 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM prescribe most often? ▼
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM's most frequently prescribed drugs include Terbinafine Hcl, Ciclopirox, Cephalexin. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM accept Medicare? ▼
Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM appears in CMS Medicare data with 818 Part D claims and 414 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM's credentials? ▼
Hazel Merced Vargas, DPM's NPI is 1699183194 with credentials DPM. 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
View source datasets and methodology notes
- 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.