2026 NPPES data Ophthalmology Physician NPI 1821177155 MD
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RICHARD LAZARO, MD

Ophthalmology Physician in LAS CRUCES, New Mexico. 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
817
Medicare Part D claims · 205 beneficiaries · Ophthalmology Physician avg: 1K
Generic prescribing
47%
generic claims · 53% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
MIPS score
0/100
▼ 83 pts below national avg 83.1 · [object Object]
What the federal data reveals: RICHARD LAZARO, MD is a Ophthalmology Physician ([object Object]) practicing in LAS CRUCES, New Mexico with a Medicare Part D prescribing footprint of 817 claims across 205 beneficiaries — 53% brand-name prescribing . Their CMS MIPS Final Score of 0/100 (national average: 83.1) reflects performance across Quality, Cost, Interoperability, and Improvement Activities .

What stands out: RICHARD LAZARO, MD reported a CMS MIPS final score of 0 out of 100, below the 83.1 national average, and filed 817 Medicare Part D claims in 2023. Every figure on this page comes straight from federal CMS records, with no proprietary rating applied.

Board certification likely (heuristic — not verified)

RICHARD LAZARO, MD 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).

RICHARD LAZARO, MD at a glance

Below national average

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 11/06/2006

NPI 1821177155

Primary specialty

Ophthalmology Physician

Mid-sized

22,090 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

817 42% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 1,420

MIPS final score

0/100 83.1% pts

Penalty band band

vs 83.1 national avg

Specialty distribution in New Mexico

How Ophthalmology Physician compares to other specialties among New Mexico providers

New Mexico providers

Ophthalmology Physician share within New Mexico

1. Ophthalmology Physician42%2. Internal medicine21%3. Family medicine17%4. Surgical12%5. Pediatric8%
Ophthalmology Physician share within New Mexico

Medicare quality performance — MIPS

RICHARD LAZARO, MD's 2023 MIPS final score plotted against the Ophthalmology Physician national average

Below national average
MIPS Final Score
0/100
vs 83.1 national avg · 2023 performance year

MIPS final score (Ophthalmology Physician) — 0/100 vs national avg 83.1

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

RICHARD LAZARO, MD is a Ophthalmology Physician provider practicing in LAS CRUCES, New Mexico, according to the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES). Credentials: MD. NPI: 1821177155. This profile includes practice location, specialty classification, and organizational affiliations from the CMS provider registry. Provider information is self-reported to CMS and updated monthly.

RICHARD LAZARO, MD appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Ophthalmology Physician provider holding MD credentials at 1505 S DON ROSER DR STE A, LAS CRUCES, NM, 88011, with a listed phone of (575) 522-7676. NPI 1821177155 was issued on 11/06/2006. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what LAZARO 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 817 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 205 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $161K in drug spend, split 53% brand-name and 47% generic by claim count. 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 0/100 for the 2023 performance year (Quality 0), compared with the national average of 83.1.

Ophthalmology Physician is a mid-sized specialty nationwide, with 22,090 enrolled providers across 56 states and an average of 1,420 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

1505 S DON ROSER DR STE A
LAS CRUCES, NM 88011

Provider Details

NPI 1821177155
Specialty Ophthalmology Physician
Credentials MD
Gender Male
NPI Issued 11/06/2006

CMS Quality Score (MIPS)

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

0
Final Score
Avg: 83.1
0
Quality

Reporting: Individual

Brand vs generic prescribing mix · Brand-heavy

RICHARD LAZARO, MD — brand share 53.0%
Specialty average (est.)

53% brand-name claims vs 47% generic, on 817 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.

817
Total Claims
$161K
Total Drug Cost
205
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
1,758
Total Day Supply
51,037
Brand vs Generic
53% brand / 47% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$138K
Generic Drug Cost
$23K

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
77.9 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
1.32
Gender Split
62% female / 38% male

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

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

Drug Claims
Latanoprost
325
Timolol Maleate
61
Fluorometholone
48
Prednisolone Acetate
38
Brimonidine Tartrate
35
Brimonidine Tartrate-Timolol
Brimonidine Tartrate/Timolol
34
Combigan
Brimonidine Tartrate/Timolol
33
Dorzolamide-Timolol
Dorzolamide Hcl/Timolol Maleat
31
Lumigan
Bimatoprost
28
Restasis
Cyclosporine
28

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

Ophthalmology Physician Overview

How RICHARD LAZARO, MD fits within the Ophthalmology Physician landscape nationally.

22,090
Ophthalmology Physician Providers in US
56
States with Ophthalmology Physician
1,420
Avg Claims per Provider

RICHARD LAZARO, MD's 817 claims are below the specialty average of 1,420.

Nearby Ophthalmology Physician Providers in New Mexico

Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in New Mexico, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as LAZARO.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is RICHARD LAZARO, MD's specialty?
RICHARD LAZARO, MD specializes in Ophthalmology Physician and practices in LAS CRUCES, New Mexico. Credentials: MD.
How much does RICHARD LAZARO, MD prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, RICHARD LAZARO, MD wrote 817 Medicare Part D claims totaling $161K in drug costs for 205 beneficiaries.
What is RICHARD LAZARO, MD's Medicare quality score?
RICHARD LAZARO, MD has a CMS MIPS Final Score of 0/100 (Quality: 0). The national average MIPS Final Score is 83.1. Source: CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2023.
Where is RICHARD LAZARO, MD located?
RICHARD LAZARO, MD is located at 1505 S DON ROSER DR STE A, LAS CRUCES, NM, 88011. Phone: (575) 522-7676.
What is RICHARD LAZARO, MD's NPI number?
RICHARD LAZARO, MD's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1821177155, issued on 11/06/2006.
Does RICHARD LAZARO, MD prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
RICHARD LAZARO, MD's prescribing is 53% brand-name and 47% generic drugs by claim count, with $138K in brand drug costs.
How many Ophthalmology Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 22,090 Ophthalmology Physician providers across 56 states in the US. The average Ophthalmology Physician provider writes 1,420 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does RICHARD LAZARO, MD prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, RICHARD LAZARO, MD's most frequently prescribed drugs include Latanoprost, Timolol Maleate, Fluorometholone. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does RICHARD LAZARO, MD accept Medicare?
RICHARD LAZARO, MD appears in CMS Medicare data with 817 Part D claims and 205 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify RICHARD LAZARO, MD's credentials?
RICHARD LAZARO, MD's NPI is 1821177155 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.
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