NPI registry status
Active
2026 NPPES data Rheumatology Physician NPI 1316399264 M.D.
Verify on CMS → Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D.
Rheumatology Physician in Austin, Texas.
This profile is drawn from the federal National Provider Identifier Registry (CMS NPPES), which lists more than 7 million U.S. healthcare providers - including 6,181 in Rheumatology 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
479
Medicare Part D claims · 157 beneficiaries · Rheumatology Physician avg: 2K
Generic prescribing
81%
generic claims · 19% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
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
Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D. filed 479 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 as a Rheumatology Physician in Austin, Texas, prescribing 81% generic.
- 479
- Part D claims, 2023
- 81%
- generic prescribing
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.
Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D.'s Medicare Part D volume vs every U.S. prescriber
Total Medicare Part D claims, 2023, across all CMS prescribers nationally
479 Top 38% higher than 62% 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-eligible specialty (heuristic, not verified)
Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D. practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty but we don't have enough CMS-participation signals to confirm active board-certified status. Consult CertificationMatters.org (the official ABMS public lookup).
What does the federal data show about Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D.?
Quality data not reportedPrimary specialty
Rheumatology Physician
Medicare Part D claims
479 77% vs specialty avg
Specialty distribution in Texas
How Rheumatology Physician compares to other specialties among Texas 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 Rheumatology 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).
Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D. appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Rheumatology Physician provider holding M.D. credentials at 7500 RIALTO BLVD STE 1-140, Austin, TX, 78735, with a listed phone of (312) 385-0441. NPI 1316399264 was issued on 07/04/2016.
Medicare Part D records for calendar year 2023 show 479 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 157 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $407K in drug spend, split 19% brand-name and 81% generic by claim count.
Rheumatology Physician is a mid-sized specialty nationwide, with 6,181 enrolled providers across 52 states and an average of 2,054 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 | 1316399264 |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Rheumatology Physician |
| Credentials | M.D. |
| Gender | Male |
| NPI Issued | 07/04/2016 |
License & disciplinary context - Texas TMB 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 ~77K Texas medical licensees in 2023 - they are NOT specific to Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D.. To verify Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D.'s current license status, search the TMB public license lookup directly, or check the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) verification service.
344
Total board actions, Texas 2023
Across 334 cases
4.47
Actions per 1,000 licensees
Texas statewide rate
probation
Most common action type
94 cases
TMB 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 Texas disciplinary trends page. Cross-checked against FSMB U.S. Medical Regulatory Trends.
Brand vs generic prescribing mix · Typical
Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D. - brand share 19.0%
Rheumatology Physician average
19% brand-name claims vs 81% generic, on 479 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.
479
Total Claims
$407K
Total Drug Cost
157
Medicare Beneficiaries
Prescribing Breakdown
- 30-Day Fills
- 747
- Total Day Supply
- 20,472
- Brand vs Generic
- 19% brand / 81% generic
- Brand Drug Cost
- $381K
- Generic Drug Cost
- $26K
- Antibiotic Claims
- 45
Patient Demographics
- Average Patient Age
- 71.1 years
- Avg HCC Risk Score
- 2.17
- 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 Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D. prescribes most
Top Medicare Part D drugs by claim count, 2023
- Hydroxychloroquine…
Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate
80 claims
- Prednisone
Prednisone
61 claims
- Methotrexate
Methotrexate
43 claims
- Humira(Cf) Pen 27
Humira(Cf) Pen
27 claims
- Leflunomide 26
Leflunomide
26 claims
- Rinvoq 17
Rinvoq
17 claims
- Naproxen 12
Naproxen
12 claims
| Drug | Claims |
|---|---|
| Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate | 80 |
| Prednisone | 61 |
| Methotrexate Methotrexate Sodium | 43 |
| Humira(Cf) Pen Adalimumab | 27 |
| Leflunomide | 26 |
| Rinvoq Upadacitinib | 17 |
| Naproxen | 12 |
* Counts below 11 are suppressed by CMS for patient privacy. Generic names shown where available from CMS Part D data.
Rheumatology Physician Overview
How Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D. fits within the Rheumatology Physician landscape nationally.
6,181
Rheumatology Physician Providers in US
52
States with Rheumatology Physician
2,054
Avg Claims per Provider
Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D.'s 479 claims are below the specialty average of 2,054.
Nearby Rheumatology Physician Providers in Texas
Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in Texas, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as Lopez Velazquez.
Dr. Michael Abel
MD
Fredericksburg, TX
Dr. Tareq Abou-Khamis
M.D.
Houston, TX
Dr. Robert Abresch
M.D.
El Paso, TX
Dr. Sampada Acharya
MD
Fort Worth, TX
Dr. Waffiyah Afridi
M.D.
Farmers Branch, TX
Compare Rheumatology 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 Texas medical board, federal registration is not a license check. Credential verification guide
- Weigh a second option: compare this provider with a nearby Rheumatology 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 Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D.'s specialty? ▼
Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D. specializes in Rheumatology Physician and practices in Austin, Texas. Credentials: M.D..
How much does Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D. prescribe under Medicare Part D? ▼
In 2023, Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D. wrote 479 Medicare Part D claims totaling $407K in drug costs for 157 beneficiaries.
Where is Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D. located? ▼
Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D. is located at 7500 RIALTO BLVD STE 1-140, Austin, TX, 78735. Phone: (312) 385-0441.
What is Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D.'s NPI number? ▼
Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D.'s National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1316399264, issued on 07/04/2016.
Does Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D. prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs? ▼
Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D.'s prescribing is 19% brand-name and 81% generic drugs by claim count, with $381K in brand drug costs.
How many Rheumatology Physician providers are there in the US? ▼
There are 6,181 Rheumatology Physician providers across 52 states in the US. The average Rheumatology Physician provider writes 2,054 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D. prescribe most often? ▼
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D.'s most frequently prescribed drugs include Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate, Prednisone, Methotrexate. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D. accept Medicare? ▼
Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D. appears in CMS Medicare data with 479 Part D claims and 157 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D.'s credentials? ▼
Marco Lopez Velazquez, M.D.'s NPI is 1316399264 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.