2026 NPPES data Internal Medicine Physician NPI 1760688311 M.D.
Verify on CMS →

Michael Lafuente, M.D.

Internal Medicine Physician in Lake Charles, Louisiana. 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
102
Medicare Part D claims · 42 beneficiaries · Internal Medicine Physician avg: 3K
Generic prescribing
89%
generic claims · 11% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs

What the federal data shows

Michael Lafuente, M.D. filed 102 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 as a Internal Medicine Physician in Lake Charles, Louisiana, prescribing 89% generic.

102
Part D claims, 2023
89%
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.

Michael Lafuente, M.D.'s Medicare Part D volume vs every U.S. prescriber

Total Medicare Part D claims, 2023 — across all CMS prescribers nationally

102 35th percentile higher than 35% of 1,370,886 prescribers

0–200: 670,926 prescribers (49%). This entry sits in this band. 200–400: 182,923 prescribers (13%). Above this entry. 400–600: 90,619 prescribers (7%). Above this entry. 600–800: 56,224 prescribers (4%). Above this entry. 800–1,000: 40,919 prescribers (3%). Above this entry. 1,000–1,200: 31,827 prescribers (2%). Above this entry. 1,200–1,400: 26,224 prescribers (2%). Above this entry. 1,400–1,600: 21,710 prescribers (2%). Above this entry. 1,600–1,800: 19,072 prescribers (1%). Above this entry. 1,800–2,000: 16,451 prescribers (1%). Above this entry. 2,000–2,200: 213,991 prescribers (16%). Above this entry. This provider 0 2K+ every Part D prescriber (claims/yr), bucketed by value

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 certification likely (heuristic — not verified)

Michael Lafuente, M.D. practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty and shows active CMS Medicare participation + 2 hospital affiliations — 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 Michael Lafuente, M.D.?

Quality data not reported

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 06/21/2007

NPI 1760688311

Primary specialty

Internal Medicine Physician

High-volume

172,858 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

102 96% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 2,716

Specialty distribution in Louisiana

How Internal Medicine Physician compares to other specialties among Louisiana providers

Louisiana providers

Internal Medicine Physician share within Louisiana

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

Specialty board-certification context

Estimated specialty board-certified rate — Internal Medicine Physician (ABMS / AOA reference)

Quality data not reported
Est. board-certified rate
78%
Internal Medicine Physician ABMS/AOA estimate

Est. board-certified rate (Internal Medicine Physician) — ABMS / AOA estimate

0%100%78%
Est. board-certified rate (Internal Medicine Physician) — ABMS / AOA estimate

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).

Michael Lafuente, M.D. appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Internal Medicine Physician provider holding M.D. credentials at 750 BAYOU PINES EAST DR, Lake Charles, LA, 70601, with a listed phone of (866) 328-8346. NPI 1760688311 was issued on 06/21/2007. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what Lafuente 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 102 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 42 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $6K in drug spend, split 11% brand-name and 89% 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.

Internal Medicine Physician is a high-volume specialty nationwide, with 172,858 enrolled providers across 56 states and an average of 2,716 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

750 BAYOU PINES EAST DR
Lake Charles, LA 70601

Provider Details

NPI 1760688311
Specialty Internal Medicine Physician
Credentials M.D.
Gender Male
NPI Issued 06/21/2007

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where Michael Lafuente, 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.

Southwest Louisiana Physicians, LLC
Lake Charles, LA
Vcp 2 Louisiana Professional Corporation
Lake Charles, LA

Affiliations sourced from CMS Doctors and Clinicians National Downloadable File; hospital ratings from CMS Hospital General Information dataset (cross-referenced by facility name + state).

Brand vs generic prescribing mix · Typical

Michael Lafuente, M.D. — brand share 11.0%
Specialty average (est.)

11% brand-name claims vs 89% generic, on 102 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.

102
Total Claims
$6K
Total Drug Cost
42
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
119
Total Day Supply
2,544
Brand vs Generic
11% brand / 89% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$4K
Generic Drug Cost
$2K
Antibiotic Claims
16

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
72.6 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
2.28
Gender Split
50% female / 50% male

Internal Medicine Physician Overview

How Michael Lafuente, M.D. fits within the Internal Medicine Physician landscape nationally.

172,858
Internal Medicine Physician Providers in US
56
States with Internal Medicine Physician
2,716
Avg Claims per Provider

Michael Lafuente, M.D.'s 102 claims are below the specialty average of 2,716.

Nearby Internal Medicine Physician Providers in Louisiana

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

Compare 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 Louisiana medical board — federal registration is not a license check. Credential verification guide
  • Weigh a second option: compare this provider with a nearby 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Michael Lafuente, M.D.'s specialty?
Michael Lafuente, M.D. specializes in Internal Medicine Physician and practices in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Credentials: M.D..
How much does Michael Lafuente, M.D. prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, Michael Lafuente, M.D. wrote 102 Medicare Part D claims totaling $6K in drug costs for 42 beneficiaries.
Where is Michael Lafuente, M.D. located?
Michael Lafuente, M.D. is located at 750 BAYOU PINES EAST DR, Lake Charles, LA, 70601. Phone: (866) 328-8346.
What is Michael Lafuente, M.D.'s NPI number?
Michael Lafuente, M.D.'s National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1760688311, issued on 06/21/2007.
Does Michael Lafuente, M.D. prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
Michael Lafuente, M.D.'s prescribing is 11% brand-name and 89% generic drugs by claim count, with $4K in brand drug costs.
How many Internal Medicine Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 172,858 Internal Medicine Physician providers across 56 states in the US. The average Internal Medicine Physician provider writes 2,716 Medicare Part D claims per year.
Does Michael Lafuente, M.D. accept Medicare?
Michael Lafuente, M.D. appears in CMS Medicare data with 102 Part D claims and 42 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify Michael Lafuente, M.D.'s credentials?
Michael Lafuente, M.D.'s NPI is 1760688311 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.
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