2026 NPPES data Family Medicine Physician NPI 1649220641 MD
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Nichole Schaefer, MD

Family Medicine Physician in Duluth, Minnesota. 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
9K
Medicare Part D claims · 479 beneficiaries · Family Medicine Physician avg: 3K
Generic prescribing
88%
generic claims · 12% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs

What the federal data shows

Nichole Schaefer, MD filed 8,879 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 as a Family Medicine Physician in Duluth, Minnesota, prescribing 88% generic.

9K
Part D claims, 2023
88%
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.

Nichole Schaefer, MD's Medicare Part D volume vs every U.S. prescriber

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

8,879 Top 2% higher than 98% of 1,370,886 prescribers

0–200: 670,926 prescribers (49%). Below this entry. 200–400: 182,923 prescribers (13%). Below this entry. 400–600: 90,619 prescribers (7%). Below this entry. 600–800: 56,224 prescribers (4%). Below this entry. 800–1,000: 40,919 prescribers (3%). Below this entry. 1,000–1,200: 31,827 prescribers (2%). Below this entry. 1,200–1,400: 26,224 prescribers (2%). Below this entry. 1,400–1,600: 21,710 prescribers (2%). Below this entry. 1,600–1,800: 19,072 prescribers (1%). Below this entry. 1,800–2,000: 16,451 prescribers (1%). Below this entry. 2,000–2,200: 213,991 prescribers (16%). This entry sits in this band. 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)

Nichole Schaefer, MD 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 Nichole Schaefer, MD?

Quality data not reported

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 05/11/2006

NPI 1649220641

Primary specialty

Family Medicine Physician

High-volume

147,640 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

8,879 160% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 3,418

Specialty distribution in Minnesota

How Family Medicine Physician compares to other specialties among Minnesota providers

Minnesota providers

Family Medicine Physician share within Minnesota

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

Specialty board-certification context

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

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

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

0%100%78%
Est. board-certified rate (Family 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).

Nichole Schaefer, MD appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Family Medicine Physician provider holding MD credentials at 4702 GRAND AVE, Duluth, MN, 55807, with a listed phone of (218) 249-6800. NPI 1649220641 was issued on 05/11/2006. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what Schaefer 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 8,879 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 479 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $703K in drug spend, split 12% brand-name and 88% generic by claim count, with an opioid prescribing rate of 8.3%. 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.

Family Medicine Physician is a high-volume specialty nationwide, with 147,640 enrolled providers across 56 states and an average of 3,418 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

4702 GRAND AVE
Duluth, MN 55807

Provider Details

NPI 1649220641
Specialty Family Medicine Physician
Credentials MD
Gender Female
NPI Issued 05/11/2006

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where Nichole Schaefer, 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.

Polinsky Medical Rehabilitation Center
Duluth, MN
St. Luke's Hospital OF Duluth
Duluth, MN

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

Nichole Schaefer, MD — brand share 12.0%
Specialty average (est.)

12% brand-name claims vs 88% generic, on 8,879 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.

8,879
Total Claims
$703K
Total Drug Cost
479
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
17,969
Total Day Supply
506,031
Brand vs Generic
12% brand / 88% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$514K
Generic Drug Cost
$185K
Opioid Claims
738 (8.3% rate)
Antibiotic Claims
270

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
71.9 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
1.07
Gender Split
76% female / 24% male
Age Distribution
<65: 72, 65-74: 214, 75-84: 131, 85+: 62

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

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

What Nichole Schaefer, MD 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
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen
Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen
349
Atorvastatin Calcium
343
Omeprazole
332
Levothyroxine Sodium
284
Lisinopril
274
Hydrochlorothiazide
256
Amlodipine Besylate
247
Gabapentin
223
Tramadol Hcl
206
Losartan Potassium
201

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

Family Medicine Physician Overview

How Nichole Schaefer, MD fits within the Family Medicine Physician landscape nationally.

147,640
Family Medicine Physician Providers in US
56
States with Family Medicine Physician
3,418
Avg Claims per Provider

Nichole Schaefer, MD's 8,879 claims are above the specialty average of 3,418.

Nearby Family Medicine Physician Providers in Minnesota

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

Compare Family 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 Minnesota medical board — federal registration is not a license check. Credential verification guide
  • Weigh a second option: compare this provider with a nearby Family 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 Nichole Schaefer, MD's specialty?
Nichole Schaefer, MD specializes in Family Medicine Physician and practices in Duluth, Minnesota. Credentials: MD.
How much does Nichole Schaefer, MD prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, Nichole Schaefer, MD wrote 8,879 Medicare Part D claims totaling $703K in drug costs for 479 beneficiaries.
Where is Nichole Schaefer, MD located?
Nichole Schaefer, MD is located at 4702 GRAND AVE, Duluth, MN, 55807. Phone: (218) 249-6800.
What is Nichole Schaefer, MD's NPI number?
Nichole Schaefer, MD's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1649220641, issued on 05/11/2006.
Does Nichole Schaefer, MD prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
Nichole Schaefer, MD's prescribing is 12% brand-name and 88% generic drugs by claim count, with $514K in brand drug costs.
Does Nichole Schaefer, MD prescribe opioids?
Yes, Nichole Schaefer, MD had 738 opioid claims in 2023 with an opioid prescribing rate of 8.3%.
How many Family Medicine Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 147,640 Family Medicine Physician providers across 56 states in the US. The average Family Medicine Physician provider writes 3,418 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does Nichole Schaefer, MD prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, Nichole Schaefer, MD's most frequently prescribed drugs include Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen, Atorvastatin Calcium, Omeprazole. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does Nichole Schaefer, MD accept Medicare?
Nichole Schaefer, MD appears in CMS Medicare data with 8,879 Part D claims and 479 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify Nichole Schaefer, MD's credentials?
Nichole Schaefer, MD's NPI is 1649220641 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.
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