2026 NPPES data Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician NPI 1487709986 M.D.
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STEPHEN KAROL, M.D.

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician in MERRILLVILLE, Indiana. 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
2K
Medicare Part D claims · 317 beneficiaries · Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician avg: 781
MIPS score
70.0414/100
▼ 13 pts below national avg 83.1 · [object Object]
Industry payments
$44.77
2 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)

What the federal data shows

STEPHEN KAROL, M.D. reported a CMS MIPS final score of 70.0414/100 — below the 83.1 national average — and filed 1,547 Medicare Part D claims in 2023.

70.0414/100
MIPS score · -13 vs avg
2K
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.

STEPHEN KAROL, 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

70 8th percentile higher than 8% 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%). This entry sits in this band. 80–90: 129,887 scored providers (27%). Above this entry. 90–100: 189,403 scored providers (40%). Above this entry. 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)

STEPHEN KAROL, M.D. practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty and shows active CMS Medicare participation + MIPS quality reporting + 2 hospital affiliations — 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 STEPHEN KAROL, M.D.?

Below national average

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 01/24/2007

NPI 1487709986

Primary specialty

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician

Mid-sized

15,306 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

1,547 98% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 781

MIPS final score

70.0414/100 13.058599999999998% pts

Mid-tier band

vs 83.1 national avg

Specialty distribution in Indiana

How Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician compares to other specialties among Indiana providers

Indiana providers

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician share within Indiana

1. Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician42%2. Internal medicine21%3. Family medicine17%4. Surgical12%5. Pediatric8%
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician share within Indiana

Medicare quality performance — MIPS

STEPHEN KAROL, M.D.'s 2023 MIPS final score plotted against the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician national average

Below national average
MIPS Final Score
70.0414/100
vs 83.1 national avg · 2023 performance year

MIPS final score (Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician) — 70.0414/100 vs national avg 83.1

0%100%National avg83%70%
MIPS final score (Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician) — 70.0414/100 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).

STEPHEN KAROL, M.D. is a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician provider practicing in MERRILLVILLE, Indiana, according to the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES). Credentials: M.D.. NPI: 1487709986. 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.

STEPHEN KAROL, M.D. appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician provider holding M.D. credentials at 521 E 86TH AVE, MERRILLVILLE, IN, 46410, with a listed phone of (219) 769-0777. NPI 1487709986 was issued on 01/24/2007. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what KAROL 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 1,547 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 317 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $86K in drug spend, with an opioid prescribing rate of 14.1%. 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 70.0414/100 for the 2023 performance year (Quality 80.668, Cost 25.914), compared with the national average of 83.1.

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician is a mid-sized specialty nationwide, with 15,306 enrolled providers across 54 states and an average of 781 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

521 E 86TH AVE
MERRILLVILLE, IN 46410

Provider Details

NPI 1487709986
Specialty Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician
Credentials M.D.
Gender Male
NPI Issued 01/24/2007

CMS Quality Score (MIPS)

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

70.0414
Final Score
Avg: 83.1
80.668
Quality
25.914
Cost

Reporting: Group practice

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where STEPHEN KAROL, 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.

CHESTERTON PHYSICAL THERAPY INC
CHESTERTON, IN
RCI (WRS) LLC
VALPARAISO, IN

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 STEPHEN KAROL, M.D.. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

Total received

$45

Largest payer

Merz Pharmaceuticals, LLC

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.

1,547
Total Claims
$86K
Total Drug Cost
317
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
1,667
Total Day Supply
41,675
Generic Drug Cost
$23K
Opioid Claims
218 (14.1% rate)
Antibiotic Claims
22

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
75.2 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
2.61
Gender Split
55% female / 45% male
Age Distribution
<65: 31, 65-74: 110, 75-84: 119, 85+: 57

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

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

Drug Claims
Atorvastatin Calcium
99
Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen
Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen
79
Gabapentin
68
Ondansetron Odt
Ondansetron
64
Amlodipine Besylate
55
Oxycodone-Acetaminophen
Oxycodone Hcl/Acetaminophen
55
Lisinopril
52
Furosemide
50
Metoprolol Tartrate
40
Carvedilol
38

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

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician Overview

How STEPHEN KAROL, M.D. fits within the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician landscape nationally.

15,306
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician Providers in US
54
States with Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician
781
Avg Claims per Provider

STEPHEN KAROL, M.D.'s 1,547 claims are above the specialty average of 781.

Nearby Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician Providers in Indiana

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

Compare Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician nationally: see state-by-state distribution →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is STEPHEN KAROL, M.D.'s specialty?
STEPHEN KAROL, M.D. specializes in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician and practices in MERRILLVILLE, Indiana. Credentials: M.D..
How much does STEPHEN KAROL, M.D. prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, STEPHEN KAROL, M.D. wrote 1,547 Medicare Part D claims totaling $86K in drug costs for 317 beneficiaries.
What is STEPHEN KAROL, M.D.'s Medicare quality score?
STEPHEN KAROL, M.D. has a CMS MIPS Final Score of 70.0414/100 (Quality: 80.668, Cost: 25.914). The national average MIPS Final Score is 83.1. Source: CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2023.
Where is STEPHEN KAROL, M.D. located?
STEPHEN KAROL, M.D. is located at 521 E 86TH AVE, MERRILLVILLE, IN, 46410. Phone: (219) 769-0777.
What is STEPHEN KAROL, M.D.'s NPI number?
STEPHEN KAROL, M.D.'s National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1487709986, issued on 01/24/2007.
Does STEPHEN KAROL, M.D. prescribe opioids?
Yes, STEPHEN KAROL, M.D. had 218 opioid claims in 2023 with an opioid prescribing rate of 14.1%.
How many Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 15,306 Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician providers across 54 states in the US. The average Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician provider writes 781 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does STEPHEN KAROL, M.D. prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, STEPHEN KAROL, M.D.'s most frequently prescribed drugs include Atorvastatin Calcium, Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen, Gabapentin. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does STEPHEN KAROL, M.D. accept Medicare?
STEPHEN KAROL, M.D. appears in CMS Medicare data with 1,547 Part D claims and 317 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify STEPHEN KAROL, M.D.'s credentials?
STEPHEN KAROL, M.D.'s NPI is 1487709986 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