2026 NPPES data Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician NPI 1366478034 MD
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KIRK CLIFFORD, MD

Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician in GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado. 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
299
Medicare Part D claims · 128 beneficiaries · Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician avg: 362
MIPS score
30/100
▼ 53 pts below national avg 83.1 · [object Object]
Industry payments
$8.3K
18 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)
What the federal data reveals: KIRK CLIFFORD, MD is a Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician ([object Object]) practicing in GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado with a Medicare Part D prescribing footprint of 299 claims across 128 beneficiaries . Their CMS MIPS Final Score of 30/100 (national average: 83.1) reflects performance across Quality, Cost, Interoperability, and Improvement Activities . Industry payments of $8.3K across 18 transactions are disclosed under CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act).

What stands out: KIRK CLIFFORD, MD reported a CMS MIPS final score of 30 out of 100, below the 83.1 national average, and filed 299 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)

KIRK CLIFFORD, MD 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).

KIRK CLIFFORD, MD at a glance

Below national average

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 06/24/2006

NPI 1366478034

Primary specialty

Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician

Niche

1,773 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

299 17% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 362

MIPS final score

30/100 53.099999999999994% pts

Below average band

vs 83.1 national avg

Specialty distribution in Colorado

How Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician compares to other specialties among Colorado providers

Colorado providers

Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician share within Colorado

1. Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician42%2. Internal medicine21%3. Family medicine17%4. Surgical12%5. Pediatric8%
Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician share within Colorado

Medicare quality performance — MIPS

KIRK CLIFFORD, MD's 2023 MIPS final score plotted against the Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician national average

Below national average
MIPS Final Score
30/100
vs 83.1 national avg · 2023 performance year

MIPS final score (Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician) — 30/100 vs national avg 83.1

0%100%National avg83%30%
MIPS final score (Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician) — 30/100 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).

KIRK CLIFFORD, MD is a Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician provider practicing in GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado, according to the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES). Credentials: MD. NPI: 1366478034. 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.

KIRK CLIFFORD, MD appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician provider holding MD credentials at 627 25 1/2 RD, GRAND JUNCTION, CO, 81505, with a listed phone of (970) 242-3535. NPI 1366478034 was issued on 06/24/2006. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what CLIFFORD 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 299 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 128 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $5K in drug spend, with an opioid prescribing rate of 5.7%. 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 30/100 for the 2023 performance year (Quality 0, Cost 100), compared with the national average of 83.1.

Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician is a narrow specialty nationwide, with 1,773 enrolled providers across 51 states and an average of 362 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

627 25 1/2 RD
GRAND JUNCTION, CO 81505

Provider Details

NPI 1366478034
Specialty Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician
Credentials MD
Gender Male
NPI Issued 06/24/2006

CMS Quality Score (MIPS)

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

30
Final Score
Avg: 83.1
0
Quality
100
Cost
0
Promoting Interoperability

Reporting: Individual

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where KIRK CLIFFORD, 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.

GRAND VALLEY ORTHOPEDICS
GRAND JUNCTION, CO

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 KIRK CLIFFORD, MD. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

Total received

$8.3K

Largest payer

Nexus Spine, LLC

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.

Medicare Part D Prescribing Data

CMS Medicare Part D prescriber-level data for calendar year 2023.

299
Total Claims
$5K
Total Drug Cost
128
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
342
Total Day Supply
9,017
Generic Drug Cost
$3K
Opioid Claims
17 (5.7% rate)

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
72.5 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
0.87
Gender Split
58% female / 42% male

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

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

Drug Claims
Meloxicam
108
Gabapentin
45
Pregabalin
40
Celecoxib
29
Amitriptyline Hcl
19
Alprazolam
15
Tizanidine Hcl
13
Oxycodone Hcl
11

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

Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician Overview

How KIRK CLIFFORD, MD fits within the Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician landscape nationally.

1,773
Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician Providers in US
51
States with Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician
362
Avg Claims per Provider

KIRK CLIFFORD, MD's 299 claims are below the specialty average of 362.

Nearby Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician Providers in Colorado

Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in Colorado, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as CLIFFORD.

Compare Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician nationally: see state-by-state distribution →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is KIRK CLIFFORD, MD's specialty?
KIRK CLIFFORD, MD specializes in Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician and practices in GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado. Credentials: MD.
How much does KIRK CLIFFORD, MD prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, KIRK CLIFFORD, MD wrote 299 Medicare Part D claims totaling $5K in drug costs for 128 beneficiaries.
What is KIRK CLIFFORD, MD's Medicare quality score?
KIRK CLIFFORD, MD has a CMS MIPS Final Score of 30/100 (Quality: 0, Cost: 100). The national average MIPS Final Score is 83.1. Source: CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2023.
Where is KIRK CLIFFORD, MD located?
KIRK CLIFFORD, MD is located at 627 25 1/2 RD, GRAND JUNCTION, CO, 81505. Phone: (970) 242-3535.
What is KIRK CLIFFORD, MD's NPI number?
KIRK CLIFFORD, MD's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1366478034, issued on 06/24/2006.
Does KIRK CLIFFORD, MD prescribe opioids?
Yes, KIRK CLIFFORD, MD had 17 opioid claims in 2023 with an opioid prescribing rate of 5.7%.
How many Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 1,773 Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician providers across 51 states in the US. The average Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine Physician provider writes 362 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does KIRK CLIFFORD, MD prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, KIRK CLIFFORD, MD's most frequently prescribed drugs include Meloxicam, Gabapentin, Pregabalin. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does KIRK CLIFFORD, MD accept Medicare?
KIRK CLIFFORD, MD appears in CMS Medicare data with 299 Part D claims and 128 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify KIRK CLIFFORD, MD's credentials?
KIRK CLIFFORD, MD's NPI is 1366478034 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.
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