2026 NPPES data Dermatology Physician NPI 1770557878 M.D., PHD
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VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD

Dermatology Physician in YOUNGSVILLE, North Carolina. 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
923
Medicare Part D claims · 337 beneficiaries · Dermatology Physician avg: 729
Generic prescribing
96%
generic claims · 4% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs

What the federal data shows

VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD filed 923 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 as a Dermatology Physician in YOUNGSVILLE, North Carolina, prescribing 96% generic.

923
Part D claims, 2023
96%
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.

VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD's Medicare Part D volume vs every U.S. prescriber

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

923 Top 25% higher than 75% 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%). This entry sits in this band. 1,000–1,200: 31,827 prescribers (2%). Above this entry. 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 certification likely (heuristic — not verified)

VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD practices in an ABMS-board-eligible specialty and shows active CMS Medicare participation + 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 VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD?

Quality data not reported

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 02/15/2006

NPI 1770557878

Primary specialty

Dermatology Physician

Mid-sized

14,610 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

923 27% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 729

Specialty distribution in North Carolina

How Dermatology Physician compares to other specialties among North Carolina providers

North Carolina providers

Dermatology Physician share within North Carolina

1. Dermatology Physician42%2. Internal medicine21%3. Family medicine17%4. Surgical12%5. Pediatric8%
Dermatology Physician share within North Carolina

Specialty board-certification context

Estimated specialty board-certified rate — Dermatology Physician (ABMS / AOA reference)

Quality data not reported
Est. board-certified rate
78%
Dermatology Physician ABMS/AOA estimate

Est. board-certified rate (Dermatology Physician) — ABMS / AOA estimate

0%100%78%
Est. board-certified rate (Dermatology 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).

VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD is a Dermatology Physician provider practicing in YOUNGSVILLE, North Carolina, according to the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES). Credentials: M.D., PHD. NPI: 1770557878. 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.

VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Dermatology Physician provider holding M.D., PHD credentials at 82 WHEATON DR, YOUNGSVILLE, NC, 27596, with a listed phone of (919) 562-8887. NPI 1770557878 was issued on 02/15/2006. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what LIGHTNER 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 923 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 337 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $121K in drug spend, split 4% brand-name and 96% 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.

Dermatology Physician is a mid-sized specialty nationwide, with 14,610 enrolled providers across 53 states and an average of 729 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

82 WHEATON DR
YOUNGSVILLE, NC 27596

Provider Details

NPI 1770557878
Specialty Dermatology Physician
Credentials M.D., PHD
Gender Female
NPI Issued 02/15/2006

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD 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.

DUKE HEALTH INTEGRATED PRACTICE INC
RALEIGH, NC

Affiliations sourced from CMS Doctors and Clinicians National Downloadable File; hospital ratings from CMS Hospital General Information dataset (cross-referenced by facility name + state).

Brand vs generic prescribing mix · Generic-heavy

VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD — brand share 4.0%
Specialty average (est.)

4% brand-name claims vs 96% generic, on 923 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.

923
Total Claims
$121K
Total Drug Cost
337
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
1,111
Total Day Supply
27,547
Brand vs Generic
4% brand / 96% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$92K
Generic Drug Cost
$29K
Antibiotic Claims
73

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
75.2 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
1.19
Gender Split
55% female / 45% male
Age Distribution
<65: 17, 65-74: 141, 75-84: 131, 85+: 48

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

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

Drug Claims
Triamcinolone Acetonide
202
Ketoconazole
125
Hydrocortisone
105
Mupirocin
61
Clobetasol Propionate
43
Doxycycline Monohydrate
39
Nystatin
39
Clindamycin Phosphate
33
Fluocinonide
31
Doxycycline Hyclate
24

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

Dermatology Physician Overview

How VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD fits within the Dermatology Physician landscape nationally.

14,610
Dermatology Physician Providers in US
53
States with Dermatology Physician
729
Avg Claims per Provider

VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD's 923 claims are above the specialty average of 729.

Nearby Dermatology Physician Providers in North Carolina

Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in North Carolina, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as LIGHTNER.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD's specialty?
VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD specializes in Dermatology Physician and practices in YOUNGSVILLE, North Carolina. Credentials: M.D., PHD.
How much does VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD wrote 923 Medicare Part D claims totaling $121K in drug costs for 337 beneficiaries.
Where is VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD located?
VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD is located at 82 WHEATON DR, YOUNGSVILLE, NC, 27596. Phone: (919) 562-8887.
What is VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD's NPI number?
VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1770557878, issued on 02/15/2006.
Does VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD's prescribing is 4% brand-name and 96% generic drugs by claim count, with $92K in brand drug costs.
How many Dermatology Physician providers are there in the US?
There are 14,610 Dermatology Physician providers across 53 states in the US. The average Dermatology Physician provider writes 729 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD's most frequently prescribed drugs include Triamcinolone Acetonide, Ketoconazole, Hydrocortisone. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD accept Medicare?
VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD appears in CMS Medicare data with 923 Part D claims and 337 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD's credentials?
VIRGINIA LIGHTNER, M.D., PHD's NPI is 1770557878 with credentials M.D., PHD. 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