2026 NPPES data Urology Physician NPI 1518057595 M.D.
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RICHARD LINK, M.D.

Urology Physician in HOUSTON, Texas. 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
540
Medicare Part D claims · 159 beneficiaries · Urology Physician avg: 1K
Generic prescribing
97%
generic claims · 3% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
MIPS score
91.3432/100
▲ 8 pts above national avg 83.1 · [object Object]
Industry payments
$119.9K
112 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)

What the federal data shows

RICHARD LINK, M.D. reported a CMS MIPS final score of 91.3432/100 — above the 83.1 national average — and filed 540 Medicare Part D claims in 2023.

91.3432/100
MIPS score · +8 vs avg
540
Part D claims, 2023
97%
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.

RICHARD LINK, 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

91 Top 37% higher than 63% of 477,587 scored providers

0–10: 8,684 scored providers (2%). Below this entry. 10–20: 3,008 scored providers (1%). Below this entry. 20–30: 3,069 scored providers (1%). Below this entry. 30–40: 2,746 scored providers (1%). Below this entry. 40–50: 2,928 scored providers (1%). Below this entry. 50–60: 5,882 scored providers (1%). Below this entry. 60–70: 13,906 scored providers (3%). Below this entry. 70–80: 118,074 scored providers (25%). Below this entry. 80–90: 129,887 scored providers (27%). Below this entry. 90–100: 189,403 scored providers (40%). This entry sits in this band. This provider 0 100 every MIPS-scored clinician, bucketed by value

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

Board certification likely (heuristic — not verified)

RICHARD LINK, M.D. practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty and shows active CMS Medicare participation + MIPS quality reporting + 1 hospital affiliation — 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 LINK, M.D.?

High performer (top quartile)

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 10/13/2006

NPI 1518057595

Primary specialty

Urology Physician

Mid-sized

13,350 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

540 58% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 1,280

MIPS final score

91.3432/100 8.243200000000002% pts

Exceptional band

vs 83.1 national avg

Specialty distribution in Texas

How Urology Physician compares to other specialties among Texas providers

Texas providers

Urology Physician share within Texas

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

Medicare quality performance — MIPS

RICHARD LINK, M.D.'s 2023 MIPS final score plotted against the Urology Physician national average

High performer (top quartile)
MIPS Final Score
91.3432/100
vs 83.1 national avg · 2023 performance year

MIPS final score (Urology Physician) — 91.3432/100 vs national avg 83.1

0%100%National avg83%91.3%
MIPS final score (Urology Physician) — 91.3432/100 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 LINK, M.D. appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Urology Physician provider holding M.D. credentials at 6620 MAIN ST, HOUSTON, TX, 77030, with a listed phone of (713) 798-4001. NPI 1518057595 was issued on 10/13/2006. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what LINK 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 540 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 159 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $30K in drug spend, split 3% brand-name and 97% generic by claim count, with an opioid prescribing rate of 9.8%. 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 91.3432/100 for the 2023 performance year (Quality 81.6474), compared with the national average of 83.1.

Urology Physician is a mid-sized specialty nationwide, with 13,350 enrolled providers across 54 states and an average of 1,280 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

6620 MAIN ST
HOUSTON, TX 77030

Provider Details

NPI 1518057595
Specialty Urology Physician
Credentials M.D.
Gender Male
NPI Issued 10/13/2006

CMS Quality Score (MIPS)

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

91.3432
Final Score
Avg: 83.1
81.6474
Quality
89.1302
Promoting Interoperability

Reporting: Alternative Payment Model

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where RICHARD LINK, M.D. 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.

BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
HOUSTON, TX

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 RICHARD LINK, M.D.. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

Total received

$119.9K

Largest payer

INTUITIVE SURGICAL, 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.

License & disciplinary context — Texas TMB 2023 annual report

Aggregate state board data only — NOT a determination of any individual provider's status. The figures below describe statewide disciplinary activity across all ~77K Texas medical licensees in 2023 — they are NOT specific to RICHARD LINK, M.D.. To verify RICHARD LINK, M.D.'s current license status, search the TMB public license lookup directly, or check the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) verification service.

344
Total board actions, Texas 2023
Across 334 cases
4.47
Actions per 1,000 licensees
Texas statewide rate
probation
Most common action type
94 cases

TMB publishes annual disciplinary statistics as part of public-record reporting under each state's Administrative Procedure Act. See the full breakdown by action type and year on the Texas disciplinary trends page. Cross-checked against FSMB U.S. Medical Regulatory Trends.

Brand vs generic prescribing mix · Generic-heavy

RICHARD LINK, M.D. — brand share 3.0%
Specialty average (est.)

3% brand-name claims vs 97% generic, on 540 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.

540
Total Claims
$30K
Total Drug Cost
159
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
1,079
Total Day Supply
29,118
Brand vs Generic
3% brand / 97% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$5K
Generic Drug Cost
$25K
Opioid Claims
53 (9.8% rate)
Antibiotic Claims
84

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
72.7 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
1.34
Gender Split
28% female / 72% male

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

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

What RICHARD LINK, M.D. 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
Tamsulosin Hcl
153
Potassium Citrate Er
Potassium Citrate
58
Oxybutynin Chloride Er
Oxybutynin Chloride
51
Finasteride
42
Tramadol Hcl
29
Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim
Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim
21
Alfuzosin Hcl Er
Alfuzosin Hcl
17
Acetaminophen-Codeine
Acetaminophen With Codeine
15
Ciprofloxacin Hcl
15
Oxybutynin Chloride
14

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

Urology Physician Overview

How RICHARD LINK, M.D. fits within the Urology Physician landscape nationally.

13,350
Urology Physician Providers in US
54
States with Urology Physician
1,280
Avg Claims per Provider

RICHARD LINK, M.D.'s 540 claims are below the specialty average of 1,280.

Nearby Urology Physician Providers in Texas

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is RICHARD LINK, M.D.'s specialty?
RICHARD LINK, M.D. specializes in Urology Physician and practices in HOUSTON, Texas. Credentials: M.D..
How much does RICHARD LINK, M.D. prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, RICHARD LINK, M.D. wrote 540 Medicare Part D claims totaling $30K in drug costs for 159 beneficiaries.
What is RICHARD LINK, M.D.'s Medicare quality score?
RICHARD LINK, M.D. has a CMS MIPS Final Score of 91.3432/100 (Quality: 81.6474). The national average MIPS Final Score is 83.1. Source: CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2023.
Where is RICHARD LINK, M.D. located?
RICHARD LINK, M.D. is located at 6620 MAIN ST, HOUSTON, TX, 77030. Phone: (713) 798-4001.
What is RICHARD LINK, M.D.'s NPI number?
RICHARD LINK, M.D.'s National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1518057595, issued on 10/13/2006.
Does RICHARD LINK, M.D. prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
RICHARD LINK, M.D.'s prescribing is 3% brand-name and 97% generic drugs by claim count, with $5K in brand drug costs.
Does RICHARD LINK, M.D. prescribe opioids?
Yes, RICHARD LINK, M.D. had 53 opioid claims in 2023 with an opioid prescribing rate of 9.8%.
How many Urology Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 13,350 Urology Physician providers across 54 states in the US. The average Urology Physician provider writes 1,280 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does RICHARD LINK, M.D. prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, RICHARD LINK, M.D.'s most frequently prescribed drugs include Tamsulosin Hcl, Potassium Citrate Er, Oxybutynin Chloride Er. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does RICHARD LINK, M.D. accept Medicare?
RICHARD LINK, M.D. appears in CMS Medicare data with 540 Part D claims and 159 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify RICHARD LINK, M.D.'s credentials?
RICHARD LINK, M.D.'s NPI is 1518057595 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

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