Christopher Valdez , MSW

Years since graduation

13 years (graduated 2013)

CMS Doctors and Clinicians data list 2013 as the year this clinician finished professional school.

It tells you roughly how long ago the clinician finished school.

Source: CMS Doctors and Clinicians National Downloadable File.

NPI first issued

2018

The year this clinician's National Provider Identifier (NPI) was issued. An NPI is a unique 10-digit ID that US health care providers use for billing.

Source: CMS NPPES NPI Registry.

Accepts Medicare assignment

CMS data list this clinician as accepting Medicare assignment. This means agreeing to take the Medicare-approved amount as full payment for covered services.

With Original Medicare, you usually pay only your deductible and coinsurance, and the office sends the claim to Medicare for you.

Medicare assignment applies to Original Medicare. It does not tell you whether the clinician is in a Medicare Advantage plan's network, accepts other insurance, or is taking new patients.

Source: CMS Doctors and Clinicians; Medicare.gov, “Does your provider accept Medicare as full payment?”

Guide: What Medicare assignment means

No telehealth indicator

CMS shows this indicator only when recent Medicare claims include telehealth services. The clinician may still offer telehealth; ask the office.

Source: CMS, Telehealth Indicator on Medicare Care Compare (fact sheet, January 2023); CMS Doctors and Clinicians.

Guide: How Medicare covers telehealth

Enrolled in Medicare (PECOS)

Christopher Valdez has a Medicare enrollment record in PECOS, the CMS system clinicians use to enroll so they can bill Medicare or order services for people with Medicare.

It does not show whether the clinician accepts assignment, is in your plan's network, or is taking new patients.

Source: CMS Medicare Fee-For-Service Public Provider Enrollment (PECOS); CMS Order and Referring file.

Guide: What Medicare enrollment (PECOS) means

Can order Medicare-covered services

CMS lists Christopher Valdez as eligible to order or refer Medicare Part B clinical laboratory and imaging services and durable medical equipment (DME) for people with Medicare.

Medicare pays for these items and services only when they are ordered by an eligible clinician.

Source: CMS Medicare Fee-For-Service Public Provider Enrollment (PECOS); CMS Order and Referring file.

Guide: What ordering and referring status means