2026 NPPES data Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician NPI 1396707568 MD
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HOWARD MASON, MD

Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician in SHELBY, 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
763
Medicare Part D claims · 60 beneficiaries · Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician avg: 1K
Generic prescribing
92%
generic claims · 8% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
Industry payments
$895.69
30 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)

What the federal data shows

HOWARD MASON, MD filed 763 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 as a Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician in SHELBY, North Carolina, prescribing 92% generic.

763
Part D claims, 2023
92%
generic prescribing
Likely
board-certified (heuristic)

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.

HOWARD MASON, MD's Medicare Part D volume vs every U.S. prescriber

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

763 Top 29% higher than 71% 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%). This entry sits in this band. 800–1,000: 40,919 prescribers (3%). Above this entry. 1,000–1,200: 31,827 prescribers (2%). Above this entry. 1,200–1,400: 26,224 prescribers (2%). Above this entry. 1,400–1,600: 21,710 prescribers (2%). Above this entry. 1,600–1,800: 19,072 prescribers (1%). Above this entry. 1,800–2,000: 16,451 prescribers (1%). Above this entry. 2,000–2,200: 213,991 prescribers (16%). Above this entry. 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 certification likely (heuristic — not verified)

HOWARD MASON, MD practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty and shows active CMS Medicare participation + 1 hospital affiliation — signals consistent with board-certified status. For verified board certification, see CertificationMatters.org (the official ABMS public lookup).

What does the federal data show about HOWARD MASON, MD?

Quality data not reported

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 04/04/2006

NPI 1396707568

Primary specialty

Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician

Niche

658 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

763 25% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 1,019

Specialty distribution in North Carolina

How Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician compares to other specialties among North Carolina providers

North Carolina providers

Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician share within North Carolina

1. Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician42%2. Internal medicine21%3. Family medicine17%4. Surgical12%5. Pediatric8%
Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician share within North Carolina

Specialty board-certification context

Estimated specialty board-certified rate — Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician (ABMS / AOA reference)

Quality data not reported
Est. board-certified rate
78%
Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician ABMS/AOA estimate

Est. board-certified rate (Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician) — ABMS / AOA estimate

0%100%78%
Est. board-certified rate (Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) 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).

HOWARD MASON, MD appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician provider holding MD credentials at 1201 S POST RD STE 100, SHELBY, NC, 28152, with a listed phone of (704) 481-7001. NPI 1396707568 was issued on 04/04/2006. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what MASON 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 763 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 60 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $146K in drug spend, split 8% brand-name and 92% 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.

Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician is a narrow specialty nationwide, with 658 enrolled providers across 49 states and an average of 1,019 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

1201 S POST RD STE 100
SHELBY, NC 28152

Provider Details

NPI 1396707568
Specialty Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician
Credentials MD
Gender Male
NPI Issued 04/04/2006

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where HOWARD MASON, MD 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.

EPIPHANY FAMILY SERVICES LLC
CHARLOTTE, NC

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 HOWARD MASON, MD. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

Total received

$896

Largest payer

Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc

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 · Generic-heavy

HOWARD MASON, MD — brand share 8.0%
Specialty average (est.)

8% brand-name claims vs 92% generic, on 763 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.

763
Total Claims
$146K
Total Drug Cost
60
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
839
Total Day Supply
24,425
Brand vs Generic
8% brand / 92% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$123K
Generic Drug Cost
$23K

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
55.4 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
1.15
Gender Split
58% female / 42% male
Age Distribution
<65: 45, 65-74: 13, 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 HOWARD MASON, 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
Alprazolam
69
Clonazepam
51
Duloxetine Hcl
40
Hydroxyzine Pamoate
38
Sertraline Hcl
34
Benztropine Mesylate
33
Citalopram Hbr
Citalopram Hydrobromide
31
Aripiprazole
29
Oxcarbazepine
28
Trazodone Hcl
27

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

Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician Overview

How HOWARD MASON, MD fits within the Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician landscape nationally.

658
Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician Providers in US
49
States with Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician
1,019
Avg Claims per Provider

HOWARD MASON, MD's 763 claims are below the specialty average of 1,019.

Nearby Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician Providers in North Carolina

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

Compare Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician nationally: see state-by-state distribution →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is HOWARD MASON, MD's specialty?
HOWARD MASON, MD specializes in Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician and practices in SHELBY, North Carolina. Credentials: MD.
How much does HOWARD MASON, MD prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, HOWARD MASON, MD wrote 763 Medicare Part D claims totaling $146K in drug costs for 60 beneficiaries.
Where is HOWARD MASON, MD located?
HOWARD MASON, MD is located at 1201 S POST RD STE 100, SHELBY, NC, 28152. Phone: (704) 481-7001.
What is HOWARD MASON, MD's NPI number?
HOWARD MASON, MD's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1396707568, issued on 04/04/2006.
Does HOWARD MASON, MD prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
HOWARD MASON, MD's prescribing is 8% brand-name and 92% generic drugs by claim count, with $123K in brand drug costs.
How many Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 658 Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician providers across 49 states in the US. The average Addiction Medicine (Psychiatry & Neurology) Physician provider writes 1,019 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does HOWARD MASON, MD prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, HOWARD MASON, MD's most frequently prescribed drugs include Alprazolam, Clonazepam, Duloxetine Hcl. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does HOWARD MASON, MD accept Medicare?
HOWARD MASON, MD appears in CMS Medicare data with 763 Part D claims and 60 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify HOWARD MASON, MD's credentials?
HOWARD MASON, MD's NPI is 1396707568 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