NPI registry status
Active
2026 NPPES data Rheumatology Physician NPI 1790891406 MD
Verify on CMS → Howard Epstein, MD
Rheumatology Physician in Cleveland, Ohio.
This profile is drawn from the federal National Provider Identifier Registry (CMS NPPES), which lists more than 7 million U.S. healthcare providers - including 6,377 in Rheumatology Physician, 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
121
Medicare Part D claims · 26 beneficiaries · Rheumatology Physician avg: 2K
Generic prescribing
72%
generic claims · 28% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
Source: CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber Public Use File, 2024
What the federal data shows
Howard Epstein, MD filed 121 Medicare Part D claims in 2024 as a Rheumatology Physician in Cleveland, Ohio, prescribing 72% generic.
- 121
- Part D claims, 2024
- 72%
- generic prescribing
- ≥34th
- 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 Howard Epstein, MD
Federal records show an active NPI with Medicare Part D prescribing activity — verifiable registry data, not a proprietary rating.
- Verified
NPI registry status
Active listing in the CMS National Provider Identifier Registry (NPI 1790891406), first enumerated 08/23/2006.
Source: CMS NPPES
- Reported
Medicare Part D participation
Filed 121 Medicare Part D prescription claims in the 2023 CMS public use file — indicates active Medicare prescribing participation.
Source: CMS Part D Prescriber PUF
- Reported
Board certification signal
Practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty; board certification not confirmed in federal records.
- State context
State board disciplinary context
Ohio statewide board action statistics are published annually — these figures describe aggregate state activity, not Howard Epstein, MD's individual license status. Verify directly with the state medical board.
Source: OMB annual report 2023
- 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 1790891406 · Rheumatology Physician
NPI-10 · ENUM-LEGACY · TAX-MID · RX-LIGHT · BOOK-THIN · PHOTO-ENUM
- NPI-10 1790891406
- ENUM-LEGACY 2006
- TAX-MID 6K Rheumatology Physician
- RX-LIGHT 121
- BOOK-THIN 245 in Ohio
- PHOTO-ENUM Robyn Domsic · 2006
Howard Epstein, MD's Medicare Part D volume vs every U.S. prescriber
Total Medicare Part D claims, 2024, across all CMS prescribers nationally
121 ≥ 34th percentile 34% of 1,416,883 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 · 2024
◑
Board-eligible specialty (heuristic, not verified)
Howard Epstein, 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 Howard Epstein, MD?
Quality data not reportedPrimary specialty
Rheumatology Physician
Medicare Part D claims
121 94% vs specialty avg
Specialty distribution in Ohio
How Rheumatology Physician compares to other specialties among Ohio 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 Rheumatology Physician. 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 | 1790891406 |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Rheumatology Physician |
| Credentials | MD |
| Gender | Male |
| NPI Issued | 08/23/2006 |
License & disciplinary context - Ohio OMB 2023 annual report
Aggregate state board data only, NOT a determination of any individual provider's status. The figures below describe statewide disciplinary activity across all ~48K Ohio medical licensees in 2023 - they are NOT specific to Howard Epstein, MD. To verify Howard Epstein, MD's current license status, search the OMB public license lookup directly, or check the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) verification service.
158
Total board actions, Ohio 2023
Across 154 cases
3.29
Actions per 1,000 licensees
Ohio statewide rate
probation
Most common action type
56 cases
OMB publishes annual disciplinary statistics as part of public-record reporting under each state's Administrative Procedure Act. See the full breakdown by action type and year on the Ohio disciplinary trends page. Cross-checked against FSMB U.S. Medical Regulatory Trends.
Brand vs generic prescribing mix · Above average
Howard Epstein, MD - brand share 28.0%
Rheumatology Physician average
28% brand-name claims vs 72% generic, on 121 2024 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 2024.
121
Total Claims
$273K
Total Drug Cost
26
Medicare Beneficiaries
Prescribing Breakdown
- 30-Day Fills
- 202.2
- Total Day Supply
- 5,912
- Brand vs Generic
- 28% brand / 72% generic
- Brand Drug Cost
- $272K
- Generic Drug Cost
- $801
Patient Demographics
- Average Patient Age
- 69.5 years
- Avg HCC Risk Score
- 1.24
- Gender Split
- 54% female / 46% male
Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)
Top drugs by claim count for calendar year 2024. Based on Medicare Part D data only.
What Howard Epstein, MD prescribes most
Top Medicare Part D drugs by claim count, 2024
- Meloxicam
Meloxicam
21 claims
- Hydroxychloroquine…
Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate
20 claims
- Allopurinol
Allopurinol
15 claims
| Drug | Claims |
|---|---|
| Meloxicam | 21 |
| Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate | 20 |
| Allopurinol | 15 |
* Counts below 11 are suppressed by CMS for patient privacy. Generic names shown where available from CMS Part D data.
Rheumatology Physician Overview
How Howard Epstein, MD fits within the Rheumatology Physician landscape nationally.
6,377
Rheumatology Physician Providers in US
52
States with Rheumatology Physician
2,058
Avg Claims per Provider
Howard Epstein, MD's 121 claims are below the specialty average of 2,058.
Nationwide Rheumatology Physician peers with similar MIPS or enrollment year
Two federal-record peer sets for Epstein, both outside Ohio so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment.
Same NPPES enumeration year (2006)
Same-specialty clinicians who entered the NPI registry in the same calendar year, outside this state.
Nearby Rheumatology Physician Providers in Ohio
Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in Ohio, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as Epstein.
One of 245 Rheumatology Physician providers enrolled in Ohio, 5 are shown here.
Dr. Abby Abelson
M.D.
Cleveland, OH
Dr. Aya Abugharbyeh
MD
Toledo, OH
Dr. Mohammed Abusamieh
M.D
Toledo, OH
Dr. Tara Adhikari
MD
Blue Ash, OH
Dr. Mohammed Ahmed
M.D.
Toledo, OH
Compare Rheumatology Physician nationally: see state-by-state distribution →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Howard Epstein, MD's specialty? ▼
Howard Epstein, MD specializes in Rheumatology Physician and practices in Cleveland, Ohio. Credentials: MD.
How much does Howard Epstein, MD prescribe under Medicare Part D? ▼
In 2024, Howard Epstein, MD wrote 121 Medicare Part D claims totaling $273K in drug costs for 26 beneficiaries.
Where is Howard Epstein, MD located? ▼
Howard Epstein, MD is located at 9500 EUCLID AVE, Cleveland, OH, 44195. Phone: (800) 223-2273.
What is Howard Epstein, MD's NPI number? ▼
Howard Epstein, MD's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1790891406, issued on 08/23/2006.
Does Howard Epstein, MD prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs? ▼
Howard Epstein, MD's prescribing is 28% brand-name and 72% generic drugs by claim count, with $272K in brand drug costs.
How many Rheumatology Physician providers are there in the US? ▼
There are 6,377 Rheumatology Physician providers across 52 states in the US. The average Rheumatology Physician provider writes 2,058 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does Howard Epstein, MD prescribe most often? ▼
Based on 2024 Medicare Part D data, Howard Epstein, MD's most frequently prescribed drugs include Meloxicam, Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate, Allopurinol. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does Howard Epstein, MD accept Medicare? ▼
Howard Epstein, MD appears in CMS Medicare data with 121 Part D claims and 26 Medicare beneficiaries in 2024. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify Howard Epstein, MD's credentials? ▼
Howard Epstein, MD's NPI is 1790891406 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
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 (2024). 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 August 2026 (NPPES) / 2024 (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 August 2026.