2026 NPPES data Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician NPI 1467871012 M.D.
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JOEL PALKO, M.D.

Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician in MORGANTOWN, West Virginia. 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
1K
Medicare Part D claims · 290 beneficiaries · Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician avg: 3K
Generic prescribing
76%
generic claims · 24% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
MIPS score
94.1061/100
▲ 11 pts above national avg 83.1 · [object Object]
Industry payments
$62.19
1 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)
What the federal data reveals: JOEL PALKO, M.D. is a Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician ([object Object]) practicing in MORGANTOWN, West Virginia with a Medicare Part D prescribing footprint of 1K claims across 290 beneficiaries — 24% brand-name prescribing . Their CMS MIPS Final Score of 94.1061/100 (national average: 83.1) reflects performance across Quality, Cost, Interoperability, and Improvement Activities . Industry payments of $62.19 across 1 transactions are disclosed under CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act).

What stands out: JOEL PALKO, M.D. reported a CMS MIPS final score of 94.1061 out of 100, above the 83.1 national average, and filed 1,282 Medicare Part D claims in 2023. Every figure on this page comes straight from federal CMS records, with no proprietary rating applied.

Board certification likely (heuristic — not verified)

JOEL PALKO, M.D. practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty and shows active CMS Medicare participation + MIPS quality reporting + 1 hospital affiliation — signals consistent with board-certified status. For verified board certification, see CertificationMatters.org (the official ABMS public lookup).

JOEL PALKO, M.D. at a glance

High performer (top quartile)

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 04/10/2014

NPI 1467871012

Primary specialty

Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician

Rare

354 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

1,282 57% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 2,962

MIPS final score

94.1061/100 11.006100000000004% pts

Exceptional band

vs 83.1 national avg

Specialty distribution in West Virginia

How Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician compares to other specialties among West Virginia providers

West Virginia providers

Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician share within West Virginia

1. Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician42%2. Internal medicine21%3. Family medicine17%4. Surgical12%5. Pediatric8%
Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician share within West Virginia

Medicare quality performance — MIPS

JOEL PALKO, M.D.'s 2023 MIPS final score plotted against the Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician national average

High performer (top quartile)
MIPS Final Score
94.1061/100
vs 83.1 national avg · 2023 performance year

MIPS final score (Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician) — 94.1061/100 vs national avg 83.1

0%100%National avg83%94.1%
MIPS final score (Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician) — 94.1061/100 vs national avg 83.1

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).

JOEL PALKO, M.D. is a Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician provider practicing in MORGANTOWN, West Virginia, according to the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES). Credentials: M.D.. NPI: 1467871012. This profile includes practice location, specialty classification, and organizational affiliations from the CMS provider registry. Provider information is self-reported to CMS and updated monthly.

JOEL PALKO, M.D. appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician provider holding M.D. credentials at 1 MEDICAL CENTER DR, MORGANTOWN, WV, 26506, with a listed phone of (304) 598-6944. NPI 1467871012 was issued on 04/10/2014. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what PALKO 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 1,282 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 290 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $77K in drug spend, split 24% brand-name and 76% 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. On the CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System, this provider earned a Final Score of 94.1061/100 for the 2023 performance year (Quality 78.4655), compared with the national average of 83.1.

Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician is a narrow specialty nationwide, with 354 enrolled providers across 42 states and an average of 2,962 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

1 MEDICAL CENTER DR
MORGANTOWN, WV 26506

Provider Details

NPI 1467871012
Specialty Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician
Credentials M.D.
Gender Male
NPI Issued 04/10/2014

CMS Quality Score (MIPS)

Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) scores from CMS, 2023 performance year.

94.1061
Final Score
Avg: 83.1
78.4655
Quality
100
Promoting Interoperability

Reporting: Alternative Payment Model

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where JOEL PALKO, 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.

WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CORPORATION
MORGANTOWN, WV

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 JOEL PALKO, M.D.. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

Total received

$62

Largest payer

ABBVIE 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

JOEL PALKO, M.D. — brand share 24.0%
Specialty average (est.)

24% brand-name claims vs 76% generic, on 1,282 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.

1,282
Total Claims
$77K
Total Drug Cost
290
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
2,191
Total Day Supply
61,725
Brand vs Generic
24% brand / 76% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$51K
Generic Drug Cost
$26K

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
74.4 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
1.58
Gender Split
52% female / 48% male
Age Distribution
<65: 29, 65-74: 125, 75-84: 86, 85+: 50

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

Top drugs by claim count for calendar year 2023. Based on Medicare Part D data only.

Drug Claims
Latanoprost
367
Dorzolamide-Timolol
Dorzolamide Hcl/Timolol Maleat
211
Brimonidine Tartrate
171
Prednisolone Acetate
108
Timolol Maleate
102
Dorzolamide Hcl
70
Ofloxacin
45
Alphagan P
Brimonidine Tartrate
33
Ketorolac Tromethamine
22

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

Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician Overview

How JOEL PALKO, M.D. fits within the Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician landscape nationally.

354
Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician Providers in US
42
States with Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician
2,962
Avg Claims per Provider

JOEL PALKO, M.D.'s 1,282 claims are below the specialty average of 2,962.

Nearby Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician Providers in West Virginia

Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in West Virginia, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as PALKO.

Compare Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician nationally: see state-by-state distribution →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is JOEL PALKO, M.D.'s specialty?
JOEL PALKO, M.D. specializes in Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician and practices in MORGANTOWN, West Virginia. Credentials: M.D..
How much does JOEL PALKO, M.D. prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, JOEL PALKO, M.D. wrote 1,282 Medicare Part D claims totaling $77K in drug costs for 290 beneficiaries.
What is JOEL PALKO, M.D.'s Medicare quality score?
JOEL PALKO, M.D. has a CMS MIPS Final Score of 94.1061/100 (Quality: 78.4655). The national average MIPS Final Score is 83.1. Source: CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2023.
Where is JOEL PALKO, M.D. located?
JOEL PALKO, M.D. is located at 1 MEDICAL CENTER DR, MORGANTOWN, WV, 26506. Phone: (304) 598-6944.
What is JOEL PALKO, M.D.'s NPI number?
JOEL PALKO, M.D.'s National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1467871012, issued on 04/10/2014.
Does JOEL PALKO, M.D. prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
JOEL PALKO, M.D.'s prescribing is 24% brand-name and 76% generic drugs by claim count, with $51K in brand drug costs.
How many Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 354 Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician providers across 42 states in the US. The average Glaucoma Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician provider writes 2,962 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does JOEL PALKO, M.D. prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, JOEL PALKO, M.D.'s most frequently prescribed drugs include Latanoprost, Dorzolamide-Timolol, Brimonidine Tartrate. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does JOEL PALKO, M.D. accept Medicare?
JOEL PALKO, M.D. appears in CMS Medicare data with 1,282 Part D claims and 290 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify JOEL PALKO, M.D.'s credentials?
JOEL PALKO, M.D.'s NPI is 1467871012 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

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.
Quality Performance
CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) — 2023 performance year.
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