2026 NPPES data Surgery Physician NPI 1669539862 M.D.
Verify on CMS →

Michael Palmer, M.D.

Surgery Physician in Eureka, California. 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
756
Medicare Part D claims · 312 beneficiaries · Surgery Physician avg: 169
Generic prescribing
86%
generic claims · 14% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
MIPS score
85.3/100
▲ 2 pts above national avg 83.1 · [object Object]
Industry payments
$322.79
8 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)

What the federal data shows

Michael Palmer, M.D. reported a CMS MIPS final score of 85.3/100 — above the 83.1 national average — and filed 756 Medicare Part D claims in 2023.

85.3/100
MIPS score · +2 vs avg
756
Part D claims, 2023
86%
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 Palmer, 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

85 49th percentile higher than 49% 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%). Below this entry. 80–90: 129,887 scored providers (27%). This entry sits in this band. 90–100: 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

Board certification likely (heuristic — not verified)

Michael Palmer, 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 Michael Palmer, M.D.?

High performer (top quartile)

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 01/03/2007

NPI 1669539862

Primary specialty

Surgery Physician

Mid-sized

36,191 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

756 347% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 169

MIPS final score

85.3/100 2.2 pts vs avg

Above neutral band

vs 83.1 national avg

Specialty distribution in California

How Surgery Physician compares to other specialties among California providers

California providers

Surgery Physician share within California

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

Medicare quality performance — MIPS

Michael Palmer, M.D.'s 2023 MIPS final score plotted against the Surgery Physician national average

High performer (top quartile)
MIPS Final Score
85.3/100
vs 83.1 national avg · 2023 performance year

MIPS final score (Surgery Physician) — 85.3/100 vs national avg 83.1

0%100%National avg83%85.3%
MIPS final score (Surgery Physician) — 85.3/100 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).

Michael Palmer, M.D. appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Surgery Physician provider holding M.D. credentials at 2321 HARRISON AVE, Eureka, CA, 95501, with a listed phone of (707) 445-3660. NPI 1669539862 was issued on 01/03/2007. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what Palmer 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 756 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 312 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $78K in drug spend, split 14% brand-name and 86% generic by claim count, with an opioid prescribing rate of 12.4%. 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 85.3/100 for the 2023 performance year (Quality 76.8, Cost 59.7), compared with the national average of 83.1.

Surgery Physician is a mid-sized specialty nationwide, with 36,191 enrolled providers across 56 states and an average of 169 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

2321 HARRISON AVE
Eureka, CA 95501

Provider Details

NPI 1669539862
Specialty Surgery Physician
Credentials M.D.
Gender Male
NPI Issued 01/03/2007

CMS Quality Score (MIPS)

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

85.3474
Final Score
Avg: 83.1
76.8369
Quality
59.7295
Cost
90
Promoting Interoperability

Reporting: Individual

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where Michael Palmer, 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.

North Coast Surgical Specialists
Eureka, CA

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 Michael Palmer, M.D.. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

Total received

$323

Largest payer

Inari Medical, 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.

License & disciplinary context — California MBC 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 ~150K California medical licensees in 2023 — they are NOT specific to Michael Palmer, M.D.. To verify Michael Palmer, M.D.'s current license status, search the MBC public license lookup directly, or check the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) verification service.

576
Total board actions, California 2023
Across 556 cases
3.84
Actions per 1,000 licensees
California statewide rate
probation
Most common action type
186 cases

MBC 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 California disciplinary trends page. Cross-checked against FSMB U.S. Medical Regulatory Trends.

Brand vs generic prescribing mix · Typical

Michael Palmer, M.D. — brand share 14.0%
Specialty average (est.)

14% brand-name claims vs 86% generic, on 756 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.

756
Total Claims
$78K
Total Drug Cost
312
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
1,495
Total Day Supply
38,794
Brand vs Generic
14% brand / 86% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$62K
Generic Drug Cost
$17K
Opioid Claims
94 (12.4% rate)
Antibiotic Claims
49

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
72.0 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
1.55
Gender Split
44% female / 56% male
Age Distribution
<65: 39, 65-74: 154, 75-84: 103, 85+: 16

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

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

What Michael Palmer, 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
Clopidogrel
Clopidogrel Bisulfate
330
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen
Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen
88
Nifedipine Er
Nifedipine
32
Eliquis
Apixaban
31
Gabapentin
28
Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim
Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim
24
Xarelto
Rivaroxaban
20
Lorazepam
15
Atorvastatin Calcium
12
Sod Sulf-Potass Sulf-Mag Sulf
"Sodium
N/A

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

Surgery Physician Overview

How Michael Palmer, M.D. fits within the Surgery Physician landscape nationally.

36,191
Surgery Physician Providers in US
56
States with Surgery Physician
169
Avg Claims per Provider

Michael Palmer, M.D.'s 756 claims are above the specialty average of 169.

Nearby Surgery Physician Providers in California

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

Compare Surgery 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 California medical board — federal registration is not a license check. Credential verification guide
  • Weigh a second option: compare this provider with a nearby Surgery 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 Palmer, M.D.'s specialty?
Michael Palmer, M.D. specializes in Surgery Physician and practices in Eureka, California. Credentials: M.D..
How much does Michael Palmer, M.D. prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, Michael Palmer, M.D. wrote 756 Medicare Part D claims totaling $78K in drug costs for 312 beneficiaries.
What is Michael Palmer, M.D.'s Medicare quality score?
Michael Palmer, M.D. has a CMS MIPS Final Score of 85.3/100 (Quality: 76.8, Cost: 59.7). The national average MIPS Final Score is 83.1. Source: CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2023.
Where is Michael Palmer, M.D. located?
Michael Palmer, M.D. is located at 2321 HARRISON AVE, Eureka, CA, 95501. Phone: (707) 445-3660.
What is Michael Palmer, M.D.'s NPI number?
Michael Palmer, M.D.'s National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1669539862, issued on 01/03/2007.
Does Michael Palmer, M.D. prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
Michael Palmer, M.D.'s prescribing is 14% brand-name and 86% generic drugs by claim count, with $62K in brand drug costs.
Does Michael Palmer, M.D. prescribe opioids?
Yes, Michael Palmer, M.D. had 94 opioid claims in 2023 with an opioid prescribing rate of 12.4%.
How many Surgery Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 36,191 Surgery Physician providers across 56 states in the US. The average Surgery Physician provider writes 169 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does Michael Palmer, M.D. prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, Michael Palmer, M.D.'s most frequently prescribed drugs include Clopidogrel, Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen, Nifedipine Er. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does Michael Palmer, M.D. accept Medicare?
Michael Palmer, M.D. appears in CMS Medicare data with 756 Part D claims and 312 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify Michael Palmer, M.D.'s credentials?
Michael Palmer, M.D.'s NPI is 1669539862 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.
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