2026 NPPES data Physician Assistant NPI 1962161133 PA
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NICOLE HUGHES, PA

Physician Assistant in WEST COLUMBIA, South Carolina. 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
53
Medicare Part D claims · 20 beneficiaries · Physician Assistant avg: 790

What the federal data shows

NICOLE HUGHES, PA filed 53 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 as a Physician Assistant in WEST COLUMBIA, South Carolina.

53
Part D claims, 2023

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.

NICOLE HUGHES, PA's Medicare Part D volume vs every U.S. prescriber

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

53 0th percentile higher than 0% 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

What does the federal data show about NICOLE HUGHES, PA?

Quality data not reported

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 12/15/2021

NPI 1962161133

Primary specialty

Physician Assistant

High-volume

149,975 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

53 93% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 790

Specialty distribution in South Carolina

How Physician Assistant compares to other specialties among South Carolina providers

South Carolina providers

Physician Assistant share within South Carolina

1. Physician Assistant42%2. Internal medicine21%3. Family medicine17%4. Surgical12%5. Pediatric8%
Physician Assistant share within South Carolina

Specialty board-certification context

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

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

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

0%100%78%
Est. board-certified rate (Physician Assistant) — 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).

NICOLE HUGHES, PA appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Physician Assistant provider holding PA credentials at 308 SPRINGCREEK CT, WEST COLUMBIA, SC, 29170, with a listed phone of (803) 385-7504. NPI 1962161133 was issued on 12/15/2021. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what HUGHES 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 53 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 20 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $3K in drug spend. 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.

Physician Assistant is a high-volume specialty nationwide, with 149,975 enrolled providers across 56 states and an average of 790 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

308 SPRINGCREEK CT
WEST COLUMBIA, SC 29170

Provider Details

NPI 1962161133
Specialty Physician Assistant
Credentials PA
Gender Female
NPI Issued 12/15/2021

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where NICOLE HUGHES, PA 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.

MUSC COMMUNITY PHYSICIANS
CHESTER, SC

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

Medicare Part D Prescribing Data

CMS Medicare Part D prescriber-level data for calendar year 2023.

53
Total Claims
$3K
Total Drug Cost
20
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
63
Total Day Supply
1,486
Generic Drug Cost
$557

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
74.3 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
2.42

Physician Assistant Overview

How NICOLE HUGHES, PA fits within the Physician Assistant landscape nationally.

149,975
Physician Assistant Providers in US
56
States with Physician Assistant
790
Avg Claims per Provider

NICOLE HUGHES, PA's 53 claims are below the specialty average of 790.

Nearby Physician Assistant Providers in South Carolina

Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in South Carolina, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as HUGHES.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NICOLE HUGHES, PA's specialty?
NICOLE HUGHES, PA specializes in Physician Assistant and practices in WEST COLUMBIA, South Carolina. Credentials: PA.
How much does NICOLE HUGHES, PA prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, NICOLE HUGHES, PA wrote 53 Medicare Part D claims totaling $3K in drug costs for 20 beneficiaries.
Where is NICOLE HUGHES, PA located?
NICOLE HUGHES, PA is located at 308 SPRINGCREEK CT, WEST COLUMBIA, SC, 29170. Phone: (803) 385-7504.
What is NICOLE HUGHES, PA's NPI number?
NICOLE HUGHES, PA's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1962161133, issued on 12/15/2021.
How many Physician Assistant providers are there in the US?
There are 149,975 Physician Assistant providers across 56 states in the US. The average Physician Assistant provider writes 790 Medicare Part D claims per year.
Does NICOLE HUGHES, PA accept Medicare?
NICOLE HUGHES, PA appears in CMS Medicare data with 53 Part D claims and 20 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify NICOLE HUGHES, PA's credentials?
NICOLE HUGHES, PA's NPI is 1962161133 with credentials PA. 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