NPI registry status
Active
2026 NPPES data Medical Physician Assistant NPI 1871147306 PA-C
Verify on CMS → Heather Dunford, PA-C
Medical Physician Assistant in Palmer, Alaska.
This profile is drawn from the federal National Provider Identifier Registry (CMS NPPES), which lists more than 7 million U.S. healthcare providers - including 40,580 in Medical Physician Assistant, 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
372
Medicare Part D claims · 43 beneficiaries · Medical Physician Assistant avg: 1K
Generic prescribing
96%
generic claims · 4% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
Source: CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber Public Use File, 2023
What the federal data shows
Heather Dunford, PA-C filed 372 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 as a Medical Physician Assistant in Palmer, Alaska, prescribing 96% generic.
- 372
- Part D claims, 2023
- 96%
- generic prescribing
- ≥57th
- pct by Part D claim volume (lower-bound band)
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.
Federal trust snapshot
What official records show about Heather Dunford, PA-C
Bare NPI registry listing — limited federal enrichment beyond basic enumeration. Verify all credentials with official sources.
- Verified
NPI registry status
Active listing in the CMS National Provider Identifier Registry (NPI 1871147306), first enumerated 08/01/2019.
Source: CMS NPPES
- Reported
Medicare Part D participation
Filed 372 Medicare Part D prescription claims in the 2023 CMS public use file — indicates active Medicare prescribing participation.
Source: CMS Part D Prescriber PUF
- Not in federal data
Individual sanction lookup
PlainDoctor does not publish per-provider disciplinary determinations. Confirm current license and any individual actions through the state medical board or FSMB verification service.
Source: State medical board / FSMB
This trust snapshot summarizes only what appears in federal CMS/NPPES public records. It is not a composite score, star rating, patient review, or clinical recommendation. PlainDoctor never fabricates reviews or AggregateRating schema.
CMS NPPES provider registry desk
NPI 1871147306 · Medical Physician Assistant
NPI-10 · ENUM-RECENT · TAX-MID · RX-LIGHT · BOOK-THIN · PHOTO-ENUM
- NPI-10 1871147306
- ENUM-RECENT 2019
- TAX-MID 41K Medical Physician
- RX-LIGHT 372
- BOOK-THIN 222 in Alaska
- PHOTO-ENUM Allison Cleaver · 2019
Heather Dunford, PA-C's Medicare Part D volume vs every U.S. prescriber
Total Medicare Part D claims, 2023, across all CMS prescribers nationally
372 ≥ 57th percentile 57% of 1,370,886 prescribers are in lower value bands
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.
The percentile is a conservative 100-claim band: it counts only prescribers in lower claim-volume bands. Medicare Part D claim volume is activity context, not a quality measure or recommendation. See methodology § corpus placement.
Source CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber Public Use File · 2023
What does the federal data show about Heather Dunford, PA-C?
Quality data not reportedPrimary specialty
Medical Physician Assistant
Medicare Part D claims
372 65% vs specialty avg
Specialty distribution in Alaska
How Medical Physician Assistant compares to other specialties among Alaska 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 Medical Physician Assistant. 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).
Practice Address
Provider Details
| NPI | 1871147306 |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Medical Physician Assistant |
| Credentials | PA-C |
| Gender | Female |
| NPI Issued | 08/01/2019 |
Brand vs generic prescribing mix · Generic-heavy
Heather Dunford, PA-C - brand share 4.0%
Medical Physician Assistant average
4% brand-name claims vs 96% generic, on 372 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.
372
Total Claims
$14K
Total Drug Cost
43
Medicare Beneficiaries
Prescribing Breakdown
- 30-Day Fills
- 380
- Total Day Supply
- 7,695
- Brand vs Generic
- 4% brand / 96% generic
- Brand Drug Cost
- $4K
- Generic Drug Cost
- $10K
Patient Demographics
- Average Patient Age
- 63.0 years
- Avg HCC Risk Score
- 1.47
- Gender Split
- 42% female / 58% male
- Age Distribution
- <65: 21, 65-74: 12, 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 Heather Dunford, PA-C prescribes most
Top Medicare Part D drugs by claim count, 2023
- Aripiprazole
Aripiprazole
58 claims
- Quetiapine Fumarate
Quetiapine Fumarate
44 claims
- Sertraline Hcl
Sertraline Hcl
37 claims
- Duloxetine Hcl
Duloxetine Hcl
35 claims
- Citalopram Hbr 20
Citalopram Hbr
20 claims
- Lorazepam 20
Lorazepam
20 claims
- Lithium Carbonate 16
Lithium Carbonate
16 claims
- Memantine Hcl Er 11
Memantine Hcl Er
11 claims
| Drug | Claims |
|---|---|
| Aripiprazole | 58 |
| Quetiapine Fumarate | 44 |
| Sertraline Hcl | 37 |
| Duloxetine Hcl | 35 |
| Citalopram Hbr Citalopram Hydrobromide | 20 |
| Lorazepam | 20 |
| Lithium Carbonate | 16 |
| Memantine Hcl Er Memantine Hcl | 11 |
| Trazodone Hcl | 11 |
* Counts below 11 are suppressed by CMS for patient privacy. Generic names shown where available from CMS Part D data.
Medical Physician Assistant Overview
How Heather Dunford, PA-C fits within the Medical Physician Assistant landscape nationally.
40,580
Medical Physician Assistant Providers in US
55
States with Medical Physician Assistant
1,077
Avg Claims per Provider
Heather Dunford, PA-C's 372 claims are below the specialty average of 1,077.
Nationwide Medical Physician Assistant peers with similar MIPS or enrollment year
Two federal-record peer sets for Dunford, both outside Alaska so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment.
Same NPPES enumeration year (2019)
Same-specialty clinicians who entered the NPI registry in the same calendar year, outside this state.
Nearby Medical Physician Assistant Providers in Alaska
Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in Alaska, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as Dunford.
One of 222 Medical Physician Assistant providers enrolled in Alaska, 5 are shown here.
Dr. Shaina Ahles
PA-C
Talkeetna, AK
Dr. Kathryn Albert
PA-C
Wasilla, AK
Dr. Louisa Albright
PA-C
Bethel, AK
Dr. Rochelle Aleman
PA-C
Anchorage, AK
Dr. Melissa Almond
PA-C
Bethel, AK
Compare Medical Physician Assistant nationally: see state-by-state distribution →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Heather Dunford, PA-C's specialty? ▼
Heather Dunford, PA-C specializes in Medical Physician Assistant and practices in Palmer, Alaska. Credentials: PA-C.
How much does Heather Dunford, PA-C prescribe under Medicare Part D? ▼
In 2023, Heather Dunford, PA-C wrote 372 Medicare Part D claims totaling $14K in drug costs for 43 beneficiaries.
Where is Heather Dunford, PA-C located? ▼
Heather Dunford, PA-C is located at 247 S ALASKA ST, Palmer, AK, 99645. Phone: (907) 215-2353.
What is Heather Dunford, PA-C's NPI number? ▼
Heather Dunford, PA-C's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1871147306, issued on 08/01/2019.
Does Heather Dunford, PA-C prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs? ▼
Heather Dunford, PA-C's prescribing is 4% brand-name and 96% generic drugs by claim count, with $4K in brand drug costs.
How many Medical Physician Assistant providers are there in the US? ▼
There are 40,580 Medical Physician Assistant providers across 55 states in the US. The average Medical Physician Assistant provider writes 1,077 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does Heather Dunford, PA-C prescribe most often? ▼
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, Heather Dunford, PA-C's most frequently prescribed drugs include Aripiprazole, Quetiapine Fumarate, Sertraline Hcl. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does Heather Dunford, PA-C accept Medicare? ▼
Heather Dunford, PA-C appears in CMS Medicare data with 372 Part D claims and 43 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify Heather Dunford, PA-C's credentials? ▼
Heather Dunford, PA-C's NPI is 1871147306 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
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
Every figure on PlainDoctor is rendered directly from the federal CMS NPPES registry, Medicare Part D, MIPS, and Open Payments records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2026.