NPI registry status
Active
2026 NPPES data Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician NPI 1447336177 M.D.
Verify on CMS → James Benner, M.D.
Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician in North Charleston, South Carolina.
This profile is drawn from the federal National Provider Identifier Registry (CMS NPPES), which lists more than 7 million U.S. healthcare providers - including 5,070 in Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) 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
107
Medicare Part D claims · 69 beneficiaries · Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician avg: 128
Generic prescribing
83%
generic claims · 17% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
Industry payments
$591.55
15 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)
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
James Benner, M.D. filed 107 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 as a Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician in North Charleston, South Carolina, prescribing 83% generic.
- 107
- Part D claims, 2023
- 83%
- 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.
James Benner, M.D.'s Medicare Part D volume vs every U.S. prescriber
Total Medicare Part D claims, 2023, across all CMS prescribers nationally
107 35th percentile higher than 35% 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
✓
Board certification likely (heuristic, not verified)
James Benner, M.D. 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 James Benner, M.D.?
Quality data not reportedPrimary specialty
Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician
Medicare Part D claims
107 16% vs specialty avg
Specialty distribution in South Carolina
How Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician compares to other specialties among South Carolina 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 Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) 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).
James Benner, M.D. appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician provider holding M.D. credentials at 9313 MEDICAL PLAZA DR, North Charleston, SC, 29406, with a listed phone of (843) 553-5616. NPI 1447336177 was issued on 10/27/2006.
Medicare Part D records for calendar year 2023 show 107 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 69 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $12K in drug spend, split 17% brand-name and 83% generic by claim count, with an opioid prescribing rate of 33.6%.
Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician is a mid-sized specialty nationwide, with 5,070 enrolled providers across 52 states and an average of 128 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 | 1447336177 |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician |
| Credentials | M.D. |
| Gender | Male |
| NPI Issued | 10/27/2006 |
Hospital and facility affiliations
Facilities where James Benner, M.D. 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.
Coastal Carolina Multispecialty Associates LLC
Charleston, SC
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 James Benner, M.D.. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.
Total received
$592
Largest payer
Inari Medical, 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 · Typical
James Benner, M.D. - brand share 17.0%
Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician average
17% brand-name claims vs 83% generic, on 107 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.
107
Total Claims
$12K
Total Drug Cost
69
Medicare Beneficiaries
Prescribing Breakdown
- 30-Day Fills
- 135
- Total Day Supply
- 2,846
- Brand vs Generic
- 17% brand / 83% generic
- Brand Drug Cost
- $11K
- Generic Drug Cost
- $882
- Opioid Claims
- 36 (33.6% rate)
Patient Demographics
- Average Patient Age
- 68.8 years
- Avg HCC Risk Score
- 2.01
- Gender Split
- 35% female / 65% male
- Age Distribution
- <65: 16, 65-74: 38, 75-84: 15, 85+: 0
Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)
Top drugs by claim count for calendar year 2023. Based on Medicare Part D data only.
What James Benner, M.D. prescribes most
Top Medicare Part D drugs by claim count, 2023
- Clopidogrel
Clopidogrel
21 claims
- Oxycodone Hcl
Oxycodone Hcl
21 claims
- Xarelto
Xarelto
15 claims
| Drug | Claims |
|---|---|
| Clopidogrel Clopidogrel Bisulfate | 21 |
| Oxycodone Hcl | 21 |
| Xarelto Rivaroxaban | 15 |
* Counts below 11 are suppressed by CMS for patient privacy. Generic names shown where available from CMS Part D data.
More Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician in SC →
All providers in South Carolina →
Compare specialties →
Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician Overview
How James Benner, M.D. fits within the Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician landscape nationally.
5,070
Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician Providers in US
52
States with Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician
128
Avg Claims per Provider
James Benner, M.D.'s 107 claims are below the specialty average of 128.
Nearby Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician Providers in South Carolina
Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in South Carolina, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as Benner.
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 South Carolina medical board, federal registration is not a license check. Credential verification guide
- Weigh a second option: compare this provider with a nearby Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician 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.
Healthcare Guides
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Medical Specialties Explained
Who treats what and how specialties differ
Understanding Medicare Claims Data
What prescribing data reveals about a provider
In-Network vs Out-of-Network
How insurance networks affect your costs
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Virtual care options and coverage in 2026
Explore South Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions
What is James Benner, M.D.'s specialty? ▼
James Benner, M.D. specializes in Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician and practices in North Charleston, South Carolina. Credentials: M.D..
How much does James Benner, M.D. prescribe under Medicare Part D? ▼
In 2023, James Benner, M.D. wrote 107 Medicare Part D claims totaling $12K in drug costs for 69 beneficiaries.
Where is James Benner, M.D. located? ▼
James Benner, M.D. is located at 9313 MEDICAL PLAZA DR, North Charleston, SC, 29406. Phone: (843) 553-5616.
What is James Benner, M.D.'s NPI number? ▼
James Benner, M.D.'s National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1447336177, issued on 10/27/2006.
Does James Benner, M.D. prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs? ▼
James Benner, M.D.'s prescribing is 17% brand-name and 83% generic drugs by claim count, with $11K in brand drug costs.
Does James Benner, M.D. prescribe opioids? ▼
Yes, James Benner, M.D. had 36 opioid claims in 2023 with an opioid prescribing rate of 33.6%.
How many Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician providers are there in the US? ▼
There are 5,070 Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician providers across 52 states in the US. The average Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery) Physician provider writes 128 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does James Benner, M.D. prescribe most often? ▼
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, James Benner, M.D.'s most frequently prescribed drugs include Clopidogrel, Oxycodone Hcl, Xarelto. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does James Benner, M.D. accept Medicare? ▼
James Benner, M.D. appears in CMS Medicare data with 107 Part D claims and 69 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify James Benner, M.D.'s credentials? ▼
James Benner, M.D.'s NPI is 1447336177 with credentials M.D.. 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.
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.