Dr. Paul A Nelson , PhD
Psychologist • Tacoma, WA
1530 S Union Ave, Suite 16
Tacoma, WA 984051954
This profile restates public CMS/NPPES data; T-MedInfo gives no medical advice — consult a licensed professional, and call 911 for emergencies.
-
NPI assigned on July 28, 2005; this date does not establish years in practice.
-
Published CMS data list 242 Original Medicare Part B services in 2020.
Source: CMS, Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners – by Provider and Service, 2020. Published rows only; this is not a quality measure.
-
Published Part B service records, 2020:
- 90837 — Psychotherapy: 242 service units.
Source: CMS, Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners – by Provider and Service, 2020. Units differ by code; these are not visits or a measure of quality.
CPT® only copyright 2019 American Medical Association. All rights reserved. Service names are shortened from CPT Consumer Friendly Descriptors (CMS data, 2020). CPT notice
See the full table · Guide: How to read Medicare Part B data
-
Medicare Part B services went from 274 in 2017 to 242 in 2020.
Source: CMS, Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners – by Provider and Service, 2017–2020.
Practice Location & Contact Primary Location
1530 S Union Ave
Suite 16
Tacoma, WA 984051954
Matched by practice address or phone in NPPES. A shared address or phone does not confirm that this clinician works there.
What Public CMS Data Show
Psychologist: NPPES taxonomy is a reported classification, not proof of board certification.
Medicare patients
22 people with Original Medicare in 2020
It gives a sense of how many people with Medicare this clinician treated that year.
Source: CMS, Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners – by Provider, 2020.
Medicare-allowed amount
About $33,435 in 2020
The total amount Medicare approved for these services in 2020. It includes what Medicare paid and what patients or their other insurance owed, such as the deductible and coinsurance.
It shows the total cost of this clinician's Original Medicare services under Medicare's fee rules.
What this does not show: Medicare-allowed amount
This is not the clinician's income. Part of it can go to a clinic or group practice, staff, equipment or drugs. It is not the price you will pay.
Source: CMS, Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners – by Provider and Service, 2020.
Paid by Medicare
About $25,892 in 2020
The part of the Medicare-allowed amount that Medicare itself paid in 2020, after patients' deductibles and coinsurance.
The gap between the allowed amount and this number is roughly what patients and their other insurance paid.
What this does not show: Paid by Medicare
This is not the clinician's income and not a measure of quality.
Source: CMS, Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners – by Provider and Service, 2020.
NPI first issued
2005
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.
What this does not show: NPI first issued
NPIs have been issued only since 2005, so this year is not necessarily when the clinician started practicing.
Source: CMS NPPES NPI Registry.
Medicare assignment not listed
CMS data do not show whether this clinician accepts Medicare assignment. This does not mean they do not accept Medicare. Ask the office.
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, CMS release of October 2, 2026; Medicare.gov, “Does your provider accept Medicare as full payment?”
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, CMS release of October 2, 2026.
Compared with the same specialty in Tacoma and Washington
Billing and prescribing volume is not a quality rating.
Medicare Part B
Comparisons use 2024 data. The latest CMS data for Dr. Nelson are from 2020.
129 active clinicians are listed under Psychologist with a practice address in Tacoma, WA (1,098 in Washington).
Addresses are self-reported to NPPES and may be out of date.
Telehealth indicator in Tacoma
3.1% of these 129 clinicians have the CMS telehealth indicator.
8.5% of these 129 clinicians are listed by CMS as accepting Medicare assignment.
CMS data by year
Changes may reflect reporting, coverage or privacy limits, not changes in care quality.
-
Medicare Part B services
Medicare Part B services decreased 12% from 274 in 2017 to 242 in 2020.
- 2017: 274
- 2018: 318
- 2019: 175
- 2020: 242
-
Medicare-allowed amount
Medicare-allowed amount varied from year to year: $32,642 in 2017 and $33,435 in 2020.
- 2017: $32,642
- 2018: $40,068
- 2019: $23,578
- 2020: $33,435
-
Paid by Medicare
Paid by Medicare varied from year to year: $25,205 in 2017 and $25,892 in 2020.
- 2017: $25,205
- 2018: $30,566
- 2019: $18,039
- 2020: $25,892
Sources: CMS Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners (2020), CMS Doctors and Clinicians, CMS release of October 2, 2026, CMS NPPES NPI Registry. Specialty names follow the NUCC Health Care Provider Taxonomy.
Text: T-MedInfo · Report an error.
Performed Procedures & Service Volume
CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association. CPT codes, descriptions and other data only are copyright 2016–2019 American Medical Association. All rights reserved. Applicable FARS/HHSARS apply. Descriptions of CPT codes are the AMA's CPT Consumer Friendly Descriptors as published by CMS in the Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners – by Provider and Service data, 2017–2020; they are plain-language summaries, not for clinical coding or documentation. HCPCS Level II codes and descriptions are from CMS. Fee schedules, relative value units, conversion factors and/or related components are not assigned by the AMA, are not part of CPT, and the AMA is not recommending their use. The AMA does not directly or indirectly practice medicine or dispense medical services. The AMA assumes no liability for data contained or not contained herein.
| HCPCS Code | Services | Patients | Submitted Charge | Medicare Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
90837
Psychotherapy, 1 hour
|
242 | 22 | $180.00 | $138.16 |
Source: CMS Part B by Provider and Service, 2020; services under 11 beneficiaries omitted by CMS. Privacy limits
Submitted charges are billed amounts, not a price quote for your visit.
Specialties & License Numbers Reported to NPPES
NUCC Taxonomy Code: 103T00000X
A psychologist is an individual who is licensed to practice psychology which is defined as the observation, description, evaluation, interpretation, and modification of human behavior by the application of psychological principles, methods, and procedures, for the purpose of preventing or eliminating symptomatic, maladaptive, or undesired behavior and of enhancing interpersonal relationships, work and life adjustment, personal effectiveness, behavioral health, and mental health. The practice of psychology includes, but is not limited to, psychological testing and the evaluation or assessment of personal characteristics, such as intelligence, personality, abilities, interests, aptitudes, and neuropsychological functioning; counseling, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, hypnosis, biofeedback, and behavior analysis and therapy; diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorder or disability, alcoholism and substance abuse, disorders of habit or conduct, as well as of the psychological aspects of physical illness, accident, injury, or disability; and psycheducational evaluation, therapy, remediation, and consultation. Psychological services may be rendered to individuals, families, groups and the public.
Additional State Medicaid & Healthcare Payer Identifiers
Clinicians Sharing This Practice Address or Phone
Clinicians sharing this NPPES address, phone or fax; a shared contact does not mean they work together.
Nurse Practitioner - Psychiatric/Mental Health
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Board Certified)
Psychologist
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Nurse Practitioner - Psychiatric/Mental Health
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Board Certified)
Psychologist - Clinical
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)
Psychologist
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)
Psychologist
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Career & Practice History
NPI enumerated July 28, 2005.
No changes to the name, practice address, taxonomy or NPI status in this record have been observed in the monthly NPPES data files from January 2017 to November 2026.
NPI Administrative Meta
Other Psychologists in Tacoma
- Dr. Barbara Dahl, PhD
- Dr. Colette Demonte, PsyD
- Dr. Jodi Nagy, PhD
- Dr. Trenton Williams, PhD
- Dr. William Mccaw, PsyD
- Dr. Philip Frank, PhD
Mailing Address
1530 S Union Ave, Suite 16
Tacoma, WA 984051954
Phone: 2537527320