2026 NPPES data Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician NPI 1154585255 M.D
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SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D

Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician in PONCE, Puerto Rico. 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
1K
Medicare Part D claims · 192 beneficiaries · Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician avg: 1K
Generic prescribing
44%
generic claims · 56% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
Industry payments
$838.47
8 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)

What the federal data shows

SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D filed 1,042 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 as a Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician in PONCE, Puerto Rico, prescribing 44% generic.

1K
Part D claims, 2023
44%
generic prescribing
$838.47
industry payments (Sunshine Act)

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.

SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D's Medicare Part D volume vs every U.S. prescriber

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

1,042 Top 24% higher than 76% of 1,370,886 prescribers

0–200: 670,926 prescribers (49%). Below this entry. 200–400: 182,923 prescribers (13%). Below this entry. 400–600: 90,619 prescribers (7%). Below this entry. 600–800: 56,224 prescribers (4%). Below this entry. 800–1,000: 40,919 prescribers (3%). Below this entry. 1,000–1,200: 31,827 prescribers (2%). This entry sits in this band. 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

Board-eligible specialty (heuristic — not verified)

SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty but we don't have enough CMS-participation signals to confirm active board-certified status. Consult CertificationMatters.org (the official ABMS public lookup).

What does the federal data show about SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D?

Quality data not reported

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 07/17/2008

NPI 1154585255

Primary specialty

Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician

Mid-sized

6,631 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

1,042 3% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 1,069

Specialty distribution in Puerto Rico

How Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician compares to other specialties among Puerto Rico providers

Puerto Rico providers

Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician share within Puerto Rico

1. Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician42%2. Internal medicine21%3. Family medicine17%4. Surgical12%5. Pediatric8%
Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician share within Puerto Rico

Specialty board-certification context

Estimated specialty board-certified rate — Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician (ABMS / AOA reference)

Quality data not reported
Est. board-certified rate
78%
Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician ABMS/AOA estimate

Est. board-certified rate (Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician) — ABMS / AOA estimate

0%100%78%
Est. board-certified rate (Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician) — 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).

SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician provider holding M.D credentials at 917 AVE TITO CASTRO, PONCE, PR, 00716, with a listed phone of (787) 290-5577. NPI 1154585255 was issued on 07/17/2008. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what GALARZA-VARGAS 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 1,042 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 192 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $404K in drug spend, split 56% brand-name and 44% 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.

Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician is a mid-sized specialty nationwide, with 6,631 enrolled providers across 53 states and an average of 1,069 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

917 AVE TITO CASTRO
PONCE, PR 00716

Provider Details

NPI 1154585255
Specialty Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician
Credentials M.D
Gender Female
NPI Issued 07/17/2008

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 SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

Total received

$838

Largest payer

Boston Scientific 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 · Brand-heavy

SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D — brand share 56.0%
Specialty average (est.)

56% brand-name claims vs 44% generic, on 1,042 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.

1,042
Total Claims
$404K
Total Drug Cost
192
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
1,098
Total Day Supply
30,372
Brand vs Generic
56% brand / 44% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$395K

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
68.9 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
2.47
Gender Split
58% female / 42% male

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

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

What SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, 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
Montelukast Sodium
153
Fluticasone Propionate
132
Breo Ellipta
Fluticasone/Vilanterol
96
Albuterol Sulfate Hfa
Albuterol Sulfate
84
Trelegy Ellipta
Fluticasone/Umeclidin/Vilanter
78
Spiriva Respimat
Tiotropium Bromide
57
Anoro Ellipta
Umeclidinium Brm/Vilanterol Tr
55
Prednisone
50
Arnuity Ellipta
Fluticasone Furoate
37
Flovent Hfa
Fluticasone Propionate
29

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

Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician Overview

How SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D fits within the Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician landscape nationally.

6,631
Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician Providers in US
53
States with Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician
1,069
Avg Claims per Provider

SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D's 1,042 claims are below the specialty average of 1,069.

Nearby Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician Providers in Puerto Rico

Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in Puerto Rico, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as GALARZA-VARGAS.

Compare Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician nationally: see state-by-state distribution →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D's specialty?
SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D specializes in Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician and practices in PONCE, Puerto Rico. Credentials: M.D.
How much does SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D wrote 1,042 Medicare Part D claims totaling $404K in drug costs for 192 beneficiaries.
Where is SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D located?
SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D is located at 917 AVE TITO CASTRO, PONCE, PR, 00716. Phone: (787) 290-5577.
What is SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D's NPI number?
SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1154585255, issued on 07/17/2008.
Does SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D's prescribing is 56% brand-name and 44% generic drugs by claim count, with $395K in brand drug costs.
How many Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 6,631 Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician providers across 53 states in the US. The average Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine) Physician provider writes 1,069 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D's most frequently prescribed drugs include Montelukast Sodium, Fluticasone Propionate, Breo Ellipta. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D accept Medicare?
SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D appears in CMS Medicare data with 1,042 Part D claims and 192 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D's credentials?
SANDRA GALARZA-VARGAS, M.D's NPI is 1154585255 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.
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