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2026 NPPES data Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician NPI 1649353897 M.D.
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Laura Decastro, M.D.

Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

This profile is drawn from the federal National Provider Identifier Registry (CMS NPPES), which lists more than 7 million U.S. healthcare providers - including 1,436 in Hematology (Internal Medicine) 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
588
Medicare Part D claims · 46 beneficiaries · Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician avg: 693
Generic prescribing
74%
generic claims · 26% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
MIPS score
77.5/100
▼ 6 pts below national avg 83.1 · Above neutral
Industry payments
$1.1K
5 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)
Verify NPI on CMS Methodology
Compiled from official public sources by the PlainDoctor editorial team.

What the federal data shows

Laura Decastro, M.D. reported a CMS MIPS final score of 77.5/100 - below the 83.1 national average - and filed 588 Medicare Part D claims in 2023.

77.5/100
MIPS score · -6 vs avg
588
Part D claims, 2023
74%
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.

Laura Decastro, M.D.'s MIPS score vs every scored U.S. clinician

CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) final score, 2023, the federal quality measure

78 24th percentile higher than 24% of 477,587 scored providers

0–10: 8,684 scored providers (2%). Below this entry. 10–20: 3,008 scored providers (1%). Below this entry. 20–30: 3,069 scored providers (1%). Below this entry. 30–40: 2,746 scored providers (1%). Below this entry. 40–50: 2,928 scored providers (1%). Below this entry. 50–60: 5,882 scored providers (1%). Below this entry. 60–70: 13,906 scored providers (3%). Below this entry. 70–80: 118,074 scored providers (25%). This entry sits in this band. 80–90: 129,887 scored providers (27%). Above this entry. 90+: 189,403 scored providers (40%). Above this entry. This provider 0 100 every MIPS-scored clinician, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more scored providers. 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 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) · 2023

Where Laura Decastro, M.D. sits

This provider among hematology (internal medicine) physician peers

Across the 570 hematology (internal medicine) physician providers who report both Medicare Part D prescribing and a MIPS quality score, Laura Decastro, M.D. writes more Part D claims than 53% of them and scores higher on MIPS quality than 36% - placing this provider in the high-volume, lower-quality quadrant. Volume reflects patient-panel size and specialty, not quality; the two axes are independent.

Part D claim volume vs MIPS quality, by specialty percentile

Lower volume · High qualityHigh volume · High qualityLower volume · Lower qualityHigh volume · Lower quality0255075100024.949.974.899.8Part D claim volume, percentile in specialtyMIPS quality, percentilePart D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 53 · MIPS quality, percentile: 47Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 7 · MIPS quality, percentile: 82Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 95 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 43 · MIPS quality, percentile: 2Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 57 · MIPS quality, percentile: 85Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 33 · MIPS quality, percentile: 52Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 87 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 28 · MIPS quality, percentile: 87Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 97 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 100 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 50 · MIPS quality, percentile: 42Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 93 · MIPS quality, percentile: 73Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 47 · MIPS quality, percentile: 78Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 55 · MIPS quality, percentile: 83Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 82 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 73 · MIPS quality, percentile: 62Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 17 · MIPS quality, percentile: 58Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 83 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 20 · MIPS quality, percentile: 92Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 60 · MIPS quality, percentile: 93Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 72 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 90 · MIPS quality, percentile: 45Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 42 · MIPS quality, percentile: 77Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 32 · MIPS quality, percentile: 53Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 0 · MIPS quality, percentile: 87Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 18 · MIPS quality, percentile: 72Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 75 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 12 · MIPS quality, percentile: 75Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 52 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 2 · MIPS quality, percentile: 0Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 62 · MIPS quality, percentile: 67Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 40 · MIPS quality, percentile: 68Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 37 · MIPS quality, percentile: 48Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 68 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 38 · MIPS quality, percentile: 53Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 70 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 92 · MIPS quality, percentile: 63Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 63 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 10 · MIPS quality, percentile: 95Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 80 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 65 · MIPS quality, percentile: 70Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 5 · MIPS quality, percentile: 65Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 13 · MIPS quality, percentile: 3Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 78 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 30 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 15 · MIPS quality, percentile: 48Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 23 · MIPS quality, percentile: 40Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 22 · MIPS quality, percentile: 38Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 8 · MIPS quality, percentile: 5Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 88 · MIPS quality, percentile: 95Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 35 · MIPS quality, percentile: 95Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 77 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 98 · MIPS quality, percentile: 90Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 27 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 58 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 3 · MIPS quality, percentile: 95Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 25 · MIPS quality, percentile: 57Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 85 · MIPS quality, percentile: 78Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 67 · MIPS quality, percentile: 7Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 48 · MIPS quality, percentile: 60Laura Decastro, M.D.-Part D claim volume, percentile in specialty: 53 · MIPS quality, percentile: 36
Part D claim volume vs MIPS quality, by specialty percentile

Each dot is one hematology (internal medicine) physician peer from a representative sample of 60; the gold marker is Laura Decastro, M.D.. Source: CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber data and the CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System, 2023.

✓
Board certification likely (heuristic, not verified)

Laura Decastro, 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).

What does the federal data show about Laura Decastro, M.D.?

Below national average

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 10/23/2006

NPI 1649353897

Primary specialty

Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician

Niche

1,436 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

588 15% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 693

MIPS final score

77.5/100 5.6 pts vs avg

Above neutral band

vs 83.1 national avg

Specialty distribution in Pennsylvania

How Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician compares to other specialties among Pennsylvania providers

Pennsylvania providers
Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program - 5.6%Student in an Organized Health Care Education/Training Program5.6%Pharmacist - 5%Pharmacist5%Physical Therapist - 4.9%Physical Therapist4.9%Mental Health Counselor - 3.9%Mental Health Counselor3.9%Internal Medicine Physician - 3.3%Internal Medicine Physician3.3%Professional Counselor - 3.2%Professional Counselor3.2%Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician - 0%Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician0%
Largest specialties in Pennsylvania (% of in-state providers)

Medicare quality performance, MIPS

Laura Decastro, M.D.'s 2023 MIPS final score plotted against the Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician national average

Below national average
MIPS Final Score
77.5/100
vs 83.1 national avg · 2023 performance year

MIPS final score (Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician) - 77.5/100 vs national avg 83.1

0%100%National avg83%77.5%
MIPS final score (Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician) - 77.5/100 vs national avg 83.1
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).

Laura Decastro, M.D. appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician provider holding M.D. credentials at 5150 CENTRE AVE, Pittsburgh, PA, 15232, with a listed phone of (412) 623-7026. NPI 1649353897 was issued on 10/23/2006.

Medicare Part D records for calendar year 2023 show 588 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 46 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $454K in drug spend, split 26% brand-name and 74% generic by claim count, with an opioid prescribing rate of 52.9%. On the CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System, this provider earned a Final Score of 77.5/100 for the 2023 performance year (Quality 68.6, Cost 56.4), compared with the national average of 83.1.

Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician is a narrow specialty nationwide, with 1,436 enrolled providers across 50 states and an average of 693 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

5150 CENTRE AVE
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
(412) 623-7026

Provider Details

NPI 1649353897
Specialty Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician
Credentials M.D.
Gender Female
NPI Issued 10/23/2006

CMS Quality Score (MIPS)

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

77.5068
Final Score
Avg: 83.1
68.6144
Quality
56.4081
Cost
100
Promoting Interoperability

Reporting: Group practice

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where Laura Decastro, 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.

University OF Pittsburgh Physicians
Pittsburgh, PA

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 Laura Decastro, M.D.. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

Total received

$1.1K

Largest payer

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

Most common payment type

Travel and Lodging

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.

License & disciplinary context - Pennsylvania PA-BOM 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 ~45K Pennsylvania medical licensees in 2023 - they are NOT specific to Laura Decastro, M.D.. To verify Laura Decastro, M.D.'s current license status, search the PA-BOM public license lookup directly, or check the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) verification service.

133
Total board actions, Pennsylvania 2023
Across 129 cases
2.96
Actions per 1,000 licensees
Pennsylvania statewide rate
probation
Most common action type
48 cases

PA-BOM 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 Pennsylvania disciplinary trends page. Cross-checked against FSMB U.S. Medical Regulatory Trends.

Brand vs generic prescribing mix · Above average

Laura Decastro, M.D. - brand share 26.0%
Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician average

26% brand-name claims vs 74% generic, on 588 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.

588
Total Claims
$454K
Total Drug Cost
46
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
623
Total Day Supply
12,140
Brand vs Generic
26% brand / 74% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$430K
Generic Drug Cost
$24K
Opioid Claims
311 (52.9% rate)

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
46.9 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
4.86
Gender Split
67% female / 33% male

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

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

What Laura Decastro, M.D. 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
Oxycodone Hcl
 137
Hydroxyurea
 52
Ondansetron Odt
Ondansetron
44
Hydromorphone Hcl
 34
Oxymorphone Hcl Er
Oxymorphone Hcl
34
Eliquis
Apixaban
28
Methadone Hcl
 28
Morphine Sulfate Er
Morphine Sulfate
28
Xtampza Er
Oxycodone Myristate
28
Oxbryta
Voxelotor
26

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

More Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician in PA → All providers in Pennsylvania → Compare specialties →

Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician Overview

How Laura Decastro, M.D. fits within the Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician landscape nationally.

1,436
Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician Providers in US
50
States with Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician
693
Avg Claims per Provider

Laura Decastro, M.D.'s 588 claims are below the specialty average of 693.

Nearby Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician Providers in Pennsylvania

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

Dr. Hamid Al-Mondhiry
MD
Hershey, PA
Dr. Jane Alavi
MD
Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Nadia Ali
M.D.
Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Yull Arriaga
MD
Bethlehem, PA
Dr. Saleh Ayache
M.D.
Philadelphia, PA

Compare Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician nationally: see state-by-state distribution →

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 Pennsylvania medical board, federal registration is not a license check. Credential verification guide
  • Weigh a second option: compare this provider with a nearby Hematology (Internal Medicine) 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Laura Decastro, M.D.'s specialty? ▼
Laura Decastro, M.D. specializes in Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician and practices in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Credentials: M.D..
How much does Laura Decastro, M.D. prescribe under Medicare Part D? ▼
In 2023, Laura Decastro, M.D. wrote 588 Medicare Part D claims totaling $454K in drug costs for 46 beneficiaries.
What is Laura Decastro, M.D.'s Medicare quality score? ▼
Laura Decastro, M.D. has a CMS MIPS Final Score of 77.5/100 (Quality: 68.6, Cost: 56.4). The national average MIPS Final Score is 83.1. Source: CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2023.
Where is Laura Decastro, M.D. located? ▼
Laura Decastro, M.D. is located at 5150 CENTRE AVE, Pittsburgh, PA, 15232. Phone: (412) 623-7026.
What is Laura Decastro, M.D.'s NPI number? ▼
Laura Decastro, M.D.'s National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1649353897, issued on 10/23/2006.
Does Laura Decastro, M.D. prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs? ▼
Laura Decastro, M.D.'s prescribing is 26% brand-name and 74% generic drugs by claim count, with $430K in brand drug costs.
Does Laura Decastro, M.D. prescribe opioids? ▼
Yes, Laura Decastro, M.D. had 311 opioid claims in 2023 with an opioid prescribing rate of 52.9%.
How many Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician providers are there in the US? ▼
There are 1,436 Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician providers across 50 states in the US. The average Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician provider writes 693 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does Laura Decastro, M.D. prescribe most often? ▼
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, Laura Decastro, M.D.'s most frequently prescribed drugs include Oxycodone Hcl, Hydroxyurea, Ondansetron Odt. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does Laura Decastro, M.D. accept Medicare? ▼
Laura Decastro, M.D. appears in CMS Medicare data with 588 Part D claims and 46 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify Laura Decastro, M.D.'s credentials? ▼
Laura Decastro, M.D.'s NPI is 1649353897 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.
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

Compiled from official public sources by the PlainDoctor editorial team.