2026 NPPES data Dermatology Physician NPI 1568492775 MD
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MELANIE APPELL, MD

Dermatology Physician in BIRMINGHAM, Alabama. 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 · 565 beneficiaries · Dermatology Physician avg: 729
Generic prescribing
90%
generic claims · 10% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
MIPS score
96.0002/100
▲ 13 pts above national avg 83.1 · [object Object]
Industry payments
$618.38
39 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)
What the federal data reveals: MELANIE APPELL, MD is a Dermatology Physician ([object Object]) practicing in BIRMINGHAM, Alabama with a Medicare Part D prescribing footprint of 1K claims across 565 beneficiaries — 10% brand-name prescribing . Their CMS MIPS Final Score of 96.0002/100 (national average: 83.1) reflects performance across Quality, Cost, Interoperability, and Improvement Activities . Industry payments of $618.38 across 39 transactions are disclosed under CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act).

What stands out: MELANIE APPELL, MD reported a CMS MIPS final score of 96.0002 out of 100, above the 83.1 national average, and filed 1,328 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)

MELANIE APPELL, 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).

MELANIE APPELL, MD at a glance

High performer (top quartile)

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 07/04/2006

NPI 1568492775

Primary specialty

Dermatology Physician

Mid-sized

14,610 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

1,328 82% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 729

MIPS final score

96.0002/100 12.900200000000012% pts

Exceptional band

vs 83.1 national avg

Specialty distribution in Alabama

How Dermatology Physician compares to other specialties among Alabama providers

Alabama providers

Dermatology Physician share within Alabama

1. Dermatology Physician42%2. Internal medicine21%3. Family medicine17%4. Surgical12%5. Pediatric8%
Dermatology Physician share within Alabama

Medicare quality performance — MIPS

MELANIE APPELL, MD's 2023 MIPS final score plotted against the Dermatology Physician national average

High performer (top quartile)
MIPS Final Score
96.0002/100
vs 83.1 national avg · 2023 performance year

MIPS final score (Dermatology Physician) — 96.0002/100 vs national avg 83.1

0%100%National avg83%96%
MIPS final score (Dermatology Physician) — 96.0002/100 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).

MELANIE APPELL, MD is a Dermatology Physician provider practicing in BIRMINGHAM, Alabama, according to the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES). Credentials: MD. NPI: 1568492775. 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.

MELANIE APPELL, MD appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Dermatology Physician provider holding MD credentials at 2100 16TH AVE S, BIRMINGHAM, AL, 35205, with a listed phone of (205) 933-0987. NPI 1568492775 was issued on 07/04/2006. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what APPELL 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 1,328 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 565 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $419K in drug spend, split 10% brand-name and 90% generic by claim count, with an opioid prescribing rate of 5.2%. 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 96.0002/100 for the 2023 performance year (Quality 92.0004), compared with the national average of 83.1.

Dermatology Physician is a mid-sized specialty nationwide, with 14,610 enrolled providers across 53 states and an average of 729 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

2100 16TH AVE S
BIRMINGHAM, AL 35205

Provider Details

NPI 1568492775
Specialty Dermatology Physician
Credentials MD
Gender Female
NPI Issued 07/04/2006

CMS Quality Score (MIPS)

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

96.0002
Final Score
Avg: 83.1
92.0004
Quality

Reporting: Individual

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where MELANIE APPELL, 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.

TOTAL SKIN AND BEAUTY DERMATOLOGY CENTER, PC
BIRMINGHAM, AL

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 MELANIE APPELL, MD. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

Total received

$618

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

MELANIE APPELL, MD — brand share 10.0%
Specialty average (est.)

10% brand-name claims vs 90% generic, on 1,328 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.

1,328
Total Claims
$419K
Total Drug Cost
565
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
1,418
Total Day Supply
32,367
Brand vs Generic
10% brand / 90% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$361K
Generic Drug Cost
$58K
Opioid Claims
69 (5.2% rate)
Antibiotic Claims
189

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
73.3 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
0.99
Gender Split
70% female / 30% male
Age Distribution
<65: 24, 65-74: 305, 75-84: 197, 85+: 39

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

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

Drug Claims
Doxycycline Hyclate
154
Fluocinonide
147
Ketoconazole
95
Valacyclovir
Valacyclovir Hcl
89
Betamethasone Dipropionate
71
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen
Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen
56
Clobetasol Propionate
48
Mupirocin
43
Ivermectin
34
Dupixent Pen
Dupilumab
33

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

Dermatology Physician Overview

How MELANIE APPELL, MD fits within the Dermatology Physician landscape nationally.

14,610
Dermatology Physician Providers in US
53
States with Dermatology Physician
729
Avg Claims per Provider

MELANIE APPELL, MD's 1,328 claims are above the specialty average of 729.

Nearby Dermatology Physician Providers in Alabama

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

Compare Dermatology Physician nationally: see state-by-state distribution →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is MELANIE APPELL, MD's specialty?
MELANIE APPELL, MD specializes in Dermatology Physician and practices in BIRMINGHAM, Alabama. Credentials: MD.
How much does MELANIE APPELL, MD prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, MELANIE APPELL, MD wrote 1,328 Medicare Part D claims totaling $419K in drug costs for 565 beneficiaries.
What is MELANIE APPELL, MD's Medicare quality score?
MELANIE APPELL, MD has a CMS MIPS Final Score of 96.0002/100 (Quality: 92.0004). The national average MIPS Final Score is 83.1. Source: CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2023.
Where is MELANIE APPELL, MD located?
MELANIE APPELL, MD is located at 2100 16TH AVE S, BIRMINGHAM, AL, 35205. Phone: (205) 933-0987.
What is MELANIE APPELL, MD's NPI number?
MELANIE APPELL, MD's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1568492775, issued on 07/04/2006.
Does MELANIE APPELL, MD prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
MELANIE APPELL, MD's prescribing is 10% brand-name and 90% generic drugs by claim count, with $361K in brand drug costs.
Does MELANIE APPELL, MD prescribe opioids?
Yes, MELANIE APPELL, MD had 69 opioid claims in 2023 with an opioid prescribing rate of 5.2%.
How many Dermatology Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 14,610 Dermatology Physician providers across 53 states in the US. The average Dermatology Physician provider writes 729 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does MELANIE APPELL, MD prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, MELANIE APPELL, MD's most frequently prescribed drugs include Doxycycline Hyclate, Fluocinonide, Ketoconazole. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does MELANIE APPELL, MD accept Medicare?
MELANIE APPELL, MD appears in CMS Medicare data with 1,328 Part D claims and 565 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify MELANIE APPELL, MD's credentials?
MELANIE APPELL, MD's NPI is 1568492775 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