NPI registry status
Active
2026 NPPES data Surgery Physician NPI 1457448219 M.D.
Verify on CMS → Richard Hwang, M.D.
Surgery Physician in Mobile, Alabama.
This profile is drawn from the federal National Provider Identifier Registry (CMS NPPES), which lists more than 7 million U.S. healthcare providers - including 36,199 in Surgery Physician, 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
29
Medicare Part D claims · 19 beneficiaries · Surgery Physician avg: 169
MIPS score
95.4/100
▲ 12 pts above national avg 83.1 · Exceptional
Industry payments
$226.33
3 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)
Compiled from official public sources by the PlainDoctor editorial team.
What the federal data shows
Richard Hwang, M.D. reported a CMS MIPS final score of 95.4/100 - above the 83.1 national average - and filed 29 Medicare Part D claims in 2023.
- 95.4/100
- MIPS score · +12 vs avg
- 29
- Part D claims, 2023
- 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.
Richard Hwang, 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
95 Top 21% higher than 79% of 477,587 scored providers
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
Where Richard Hwang, M.D. sits
This provider among surgery physician peers
Across the 7,525 surgery physician providers who report both Medicare Part D prescribing and a MIPS quality score, Richard Hwang, M.D. writes more Part D claims than 17% of them and scores higher on MIPS quality than 78% - placing this provider in the lower-volume, high-quality quadrant. Volume reflects patient-panel size and specialty, not quality; the two axes are independent.
Part D claim volume vs MIPS quality, by specialty percentile
Each dot is one surgery physician peer from a representative sample of 60; the gold marker is Richard Hwang, M.D.. Source: CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber data and the CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System, 2023.
✓
Board certification likely (heuristic, not verified)
Richard Hwang, M.D. practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty and shows active CMS Medicare participation + MIPS quality reporting - 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 Richard Hwang, M.D.?
High performer (top quartile)Primary specialty
Surgery Physician
Medicare Part D claims
29 83% vs specialty avg
MIPS final score
95.4/100 12.3 pts vs avg
Specialty distribution in Alabama
How Surgery Physician compares to other specialties among Alabama providers
Medicare quality performance, MIPS
Richard Hwang, M.D.'s 2023 MIPS final score plotted against the Surgery Physician national average
- MIPS Final Score
- 95.4/100
- vs 83.1 national avg · 2023 performance year
MIPS final score (Surgery Physician) - 95.4/100 vs national avg 83.1
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).
Richard Hwang, M.D. appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Surgery Physician provider holding M.D. credentials at 4402B OLD SHELL RD, Mobile, AL, 36608, with a listed phone of (251) 633-0123. NPI 1457448219 was issued on 10/05/2006.
Medicare Part D records for calendar year 2023 show 29 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 19 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $335 in drug spend, with an opioid prescribing rate of 37.9%. On the CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System, this provider earned a Final Score of 95.4/100 for the 2023 performance year (Quality 84.2), compared with the national average of 83.1.
Surgery Physician is a mid-sized specialty nationwide, with 36,199 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
Provider Details
| NPI | 1457448219 |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Surgery Physician |
| Credentials | M.D. |
| Gender | Male |
| NPI Issued | 10/05/2006 |
CMS Quality Score (MIPS)
Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) scores from CMS, 2023 performance year.
95.3578
Final Score
Avg: 83.1
84.2235
Quality
100
Promoting Interoperability
Reporting: Alternative Payment Model
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 Richard Hwang, M.D.. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.
Total received
$226
Largest payer
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 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.
Medicare Part D Prescribing Data
CMS Medicare Part D prescriber-level data for calendar year 2023.
29
Total Claims
$335
Total Drug Cost
19
Medicare Beneficiaries
Prescribing Breakdown
- 30-Day Fills
- 29
- Total Day Supply
- 202
- Generic Drug Cost
- $199
- Opioid Claims
- 11 (37.9% rate)
- Antibiotic Claims
- 11
Patient Demographics
- Average Patient Age
- 64.5 years
- Avg HCC Risk Score
- 1.04
Surgery Physician Overview
How Richard Hwang, M.D. fits within the Surgery Physician landscape nationally.
36,199
Surgery Physician Providers in US
56
States with Surgery Physician
169
Avg Claims per Provider
Richard Hwang, M.D.'s 29 claims are below the specialty average of 169.
Nearby Surgery Physician Providers in Alabama
Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in Alabama, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as Hwang.
Dr. Richard Abernathy
M.D.
Foley, AL
Peter Abraham
Birmingham, AL
Dr. Carol Adams
MD
Jasper, AL
Dr. William Adkins
MD
Opelika, AL
Dr. Rosebella Agola
M.D.
Birmingham, AL
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 Alabama 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.
Healthcare Guides
Learn more about finding, verifying, and understanding healthcare providers.
How to Find a Doctor
Step-by-step guide to choosing a provider
Verify Credentials
Check NPI, board certification & license status
Medical Specialties Explained
Who treats what and how specialties differ
Understanding Medicare Claims Data
What prescribing data reveals about a provider
In-Network vs Out-of-Network
How insurance networks affect your costs
Telehealth Guide
Virtual care options and coverage in 2026
Explore Alabama
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Richard Hwang, M.D.'s specialty? ▼
Richard Hwang, M.D. specializes in Surgery Physician and practices in Mobile, Alabama. Credentials: M.D..
How much does Richard Hwang, M.D. prescribe under Medicare Part D? ▼
In 2023, Richard Hwang, M.D. wrote 29 Medicare Part D claims totaling $335 in drug costs for 19 beneficiaries.
What is Richard Hwang, M.D.'s Medicare quality score? ▼
Richard Hwang, M.D. has a CMS MIPS Final Score of 95.4/100 (Quality: 84.2). The national average MIPS Final Score is 83.1. Source: CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2023.
Where is Richard Hwang, M.D. located? ▼
Richard Hwang, M.D. is located at 4402B OLD SHELL RD, Mobile, AL, 36608. Phone: (251) 633-0123.
What is Richard Hwang, M.D.'s NPI number? ▼
Richard Hwang, M.D.'s National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1457448219, issued on 10/05/2006.
Does Richard Hwang, M.D. prescribe opioids? ▼
Yes, Richard Hwang, M.D. had 11 opioid claims in 2023 with an opioid prescribing rate of 37.9%.
How many Surgery Physician providers are there in the US? ▼
There are 36,199 Surgery Physician providers across 56 states in the US. The average Surgery Physician provider writes 169 Medicare Part D claims per year.
Does Richard Hwang, M.D. accept Medicare? ▼
Richard Hwang, M.D. appears in CMS Medicare data with 29 Part D claims and 19 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify Richard Hwang, M.D.'s credentials? ▼
Richard Hwang, M.D.'s NPI is 1457448219 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
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 (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
Compiled from official public sources by the PlainDoctor editorial team.
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 May 2026.