NPI registry status
Active
2026 NPPES data Medical Physician Assistant NPI 1215274451 PA-C
Verify on CMS → Nicole Higgins, PA-C
Medical Physician Assistant in Huron, South Dakota.
This profile is drawn from the federal National Provider Identifier Registry (CMS NPPES), which lists more than 7 million U.S. healthcare providers - including 40,694 in Medical Physician Assistant, 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
923
Medicare Part D claims · 45 beneficiaries · Medical Physician Assistant avg: 1K
Generic prescribing
76%
generic claims · 22% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
Industry payments
$6.42
1 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)
Source: CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber Public Use File, 2024
What the federal data shows
Nicole Higgins, PA-C filed 923 Medicare Part D claims in 2024 as a Medical Physician Assistant in Huron, South Dakota, prescribing 76% generic.
- 923
- Part D claims, 2024
- 76%
- generic prescribing
- $6.42
- industry payments (Sunshine Act)
- ≥74th
- pct by Part D claim volume (lower-bound band)
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.
Federal trust snapshot
What official records show about Nicole Higgins, PA-C
Federal records show an active NPI with Medicare Part D prescribing activity — verifiable registry data, not a proprietary rating.
- Verified
NPI registry status
Active listing in the CMS National Provider Identifier Registry (NPI 1215274451), first enumerated 01/08/2013.
Source: CMS NPPES
- Reported
Medicare Part D participation
Filed 923 Medicare Part D prescription claims in the 2023 CMS public use file — indicates active Medicare prescribing participation.
Source: CMS Part D Prescriber PUF
- Reported
Hospital affiliations
1 CMS Care Compare hospital affiliation on record — practice footprint from the Doctors and Clinicians file.
Source: CMS Care Compare
- Reported
Industry payment transparency
$6.42 in reported industry payments (1 transfers) in 2024 under the federal Sunshine Act — disclosed transfers of value, not a quality rating.
Source: CMS Open Payments
- Not in federal data
Individual sanction lookup
PlainDoctor does not publish per-provider disciplinary determinations. Confirm current license and any individual actions through the state medical board or FSMB verification service.
Source: State medical board / FSMB
This trust snapshot summarizes only what appears in federal CMS/NPPES public records. It is not a composite score, star rating, patient review, or clinical recommendation. PlainDoctor never fabricates reviews or AggregateRating schema.
CMS NPPES provider registry desk
NPI 1215274451 · Medical Physician Assistant
NPI-10 · ENUM-MID · TAX-MID · RX-LIGHT · BOOK-THIN · PHOTO-ENUM
- NPI-10 1215274451
- ENUM-MID 2013
- TAX-MID 41K Medical Physician
- RX-LIGHT 923
- BOOK-THIN 108 in South Dakota
- PHOTO-ENUM April Mela, PA-C · 2013
Nicole Higgins, PA-C's Medicare Part D volume vs every U.S. prescriber
Total Medicare Part D claims, 2024, across all CMS prescribers nationally
923 ≥ 74th percentile 74% of 1,416,883 prescribers are in lower value bands
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.
The percentile is a conservative 100-claim band: it counts only prescribers in lower claim-volume bands. Medicare Part D claim volume is activity context, not a quality measure or recommendation. See methodology § corpus placement.
Source CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber Public Use File · 2024
What does the federal data show about Nicole Higgins, PA-C?
Quality data not reportedPrimary specialty
Medical Physician Assistant
Medicare Part D claims
923 19% vs specialty avg
Specialty distribution in South Dakota
How Medical Physician Assistant compares to other specialties among South Dakota 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 Medical Physician Assistant. 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).
Practice Address
Provider Details
| NPI | 1215274451 |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Medical Physician Assistant |
| Credentials | PA-C |
| Gender | Female |
| NPI Issued | 01/08/2013 |
Hospital and facility affiliations
Facilities where Nicole Higgins, PA-C 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.
Santee Sioux Tribe OF Nebraska
Niobrara, NE
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 Nicole Higgins, PA-C. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.
Total received
$6
Largest payer
ZOLL Medical Corporation
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
Nicole Higgins, PA-C - brand share 22.0%
Medical Physician Assistant average
22% brand-name claims vs 76% generic, on 923 2024 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 2024.
923
Total Claims
$128K
Total Drug Cost
45
Medicare Beneficiaries
Prescribing Breakdown
- 30-Day Fills
- 929.267
- Total Day Supply
- 25,084
- Brand vs Generic
- 22% brand / 76% generic
- Brand Drug Cost
- $119K
- Generic Drug Cost
- $8K
- Antibiotic Claims
- 63
Patient Demographics
- Average Patient Age
- 70.7 years
- Avg HCC Risk Score
- 1.55
- Gender Split
- 67% female / 33% male
Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)
Top drugs by claim count for calendar year 2024. Based on Medicare Part D data only.
What Nicole Higgins, PA-C prescribes most
Top Medicare Part D drugs by claim count, 2024
- Ozempic
Ozempic
53 claims
- Metformin Hcl
Metformin Hcl
50 claims
- Atorvastatin Calcium
Atorvastatin Calcium
43 claims
- Losartan Potassium
Losartan Potassium
40 claims
- Omeprazole
Omeprazole
36 claims
- Simvastatin
Simvastatin
36 claims
- Amlodipine Besylate
Amlodipine Besylate
35 claims
- Gabapentin
Gabapentin
32 claims
| Drug | Claims |
|---|---|
| Ozempic Semaglutide | 53 |
| Metformin Hcl | 50 |
| Atorvastatin Calcium | 43 |
| Losartan Potassium | 40 |
| Omeprazole | 36 |
| Simvastatin | 36 |
| Amlodipine Besylate | 35 |
| Gabapentin | 32 |
| Lisinopril | 29 |
| Levoxyl Levothyroxine Sodium | 28 |
* Counts below 11 are suppressed by CMS for patient privacy. Generic names shown where available from CMS Part D data.
Medical Physician Assistant Overview
How Nicole Higgins, PA-C fits within the Medical Physician Assistant landscape nationally.
40,694
Medical Physician Assistant Providers in US
55
States with Medical Physician Assistant
1,139
Avg Claims per Provider
Nicole Higgins, PA-C's 923 claims are below the specialty average of 1,139.
Nationwide Medical Physician Assistant peers with similar MIPS or enrollment year
Two federal-record peer sets for Higgins, both outside South Dakota so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment.
Same NPPES enumeration year (2013)
Same-specialty clinicians who entered the NPI registry in the same calendar year, outside this state.
Nearby Medical Physician Assistant Providers in South Dakota
Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in South Dakota, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as Higgins.
One of 108 Medical Physician Assistant providers enrolled in South Dakota, 5 are shown here.
Ashley Anziano
PA-C
Rapid City, SD
Andrew Arends
PA-C
Beresford, SD
Amber Authier
PA-C
Yankton, SD
James Awuah
PA-C, MPH
Martin, SD
Mariah Baier
PA-C
Sioux Falls, SD
Compare Medical Physician Assistant nationally: see state-by-state distribution →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Nicole Higgins, PA-C's specialty? ▼
Nicole Higgins, PA-C specializes in Medical Physician Assistant and practices in Huron, South Dakota. Credentials: PA-C.
How much does Nicole Higgins, PA-C prescribe under Medicare Part D? ▼
In 2024, Nicole Higgins, PA-C wrote 923 Medicare Part D claims totaling $128K in drug costs for 45 beneficiaries.
Where is Nicole Higgins, PA-C located? ▼
Nicole Higgins, PA-C is located at 33 3RD ST SE STE 201, Huron, SD, 57350. Phone: (605) 677-6274.
What is Nicole Higgins, PA-C's NPI number? ▼
Nicole Higgins, PA-C's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1215274451, issued on 01/08/2013.
Does Nicole Higgins, PA-C prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs? ▼
Nicole Higgins, PA-C's prescribing is 22% brand-name and 76% generic drugs by claim count, with $119K in brand drug costs.
How many Medical Physician Assistant providers are there in the US? ▼
There are 40,694 Medical Physician Assistant providers across 55 states in the US. The average Medical Physician Assistant provider writes 1,139 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does Nicole Higgins, PA-C prescribe most often? ▼
Based on 2024 Medicare Part D data, Nicole Higgins, PA-C's most frequently prescribed drugs include Ozempic, Metformin Hcl, Atorvastatin Calcium. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does Nicole Higgins, PA-C accept Medicare? ▼
Nicole Higgins, PA-C appears in CMS Medicare data with 923 Part D claims and 45 Medicare beneficiaries in 2024. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify Nicole Higgins, PA-C's credentials? ▼
Nicole Higgins, PA-C's NPI is 1215274451 with credentials PA-C. 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 (2024). 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 August 2026 (NPPES) / 2024 (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
Every figure on PlainDoctor is rendered directly from the federal CMS NPPES registry, Medicare Part D, MIPS, and Open Payments records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.