Joel Passer, M.D.
Joel Passer, M.D. is a Neurological Surgery Physician in Houston, TX, registered under NPI 1003251554.
Getting there
Here is what surrounds this office in Houston, based on OpenStreetMap data collected Aug 30, 2026. Parking is available about 0.37 mi away at Texas Medical Center Garage 4. The nearest transit stop is 0.40 mi away. A pharmacy sits 0.25 mi from the entrance (Walgreens), which helps if you leave with a prescription. If you arrive early, there is a coffee shop 0.45 mi away.
Getting here and what is nearby
Restaurant Chick-fil-A 180 ft ~1 min
1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston 77030
Mo-Fr 11:00-19:00; Su off
Restaurant Chick-fil-A 675 ft ~3 min
6550 Bertner Avenue, Houston 77030
Mo-Fr 07:00-14:00; Su off
Restaurant Einstein Bros. Bagels 1,010 ft ~4 min
Coffee Starbucks 0.24 mi ~5 min
Pharmacy CVS Pharmacy 0.25 mi ~5 min
6622 Fannin Street, Houston 77030
Pharmacy Walgreens 0.25 mi ~5 min
Hotel The Westin Houston Medical Center 0.26 mi ~6 min
Parking Scurlock Tower Parking 0.29 mi ~6 min
6560 Fannin Street, Houston 77030
Parking Smith Tower Parking 0.31 mi ~7 min
6550 Fannin Street, Houston 77030
Transit Holcombe Blvd @ Fannin St 0.36 mi ~8 min
Parking Texas Medical Center Garage 4 0.37 mi ~8 min
1406 Cambridge Street, Houston 77030
Hotel SureStay Plus by Best Western Houston Medical Center 0.38 mi ~8 min
Transit Texas Medical Center Transit Center 0.40 mi ~8 min
Transit 0.40 mi ~8 min
Hotel InterContinental 0.40 mi ~9 min
Coffee Albert and Hazel Herzstein Trading Post 0.45 mi ~9 min
6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston 77030
Coffee Twiga Café 0.45 mi ~10 min
6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston 77030
Distances are straight‑line estimates — walking routes may be longer. Hours and phone numbers can change; call ahead to confirm.
Credentials and Medicare
| Licence | State | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
| 290194 | MA | Neurological Surgery Physician primary |
| MD459587 | PA | Neurological Surgery Physician |
| S5244 | TX | Neurological Surgery Physician |
Licences are recorded in 3 states: MA, PA, TX. Providers licensed in several states often practise near a state border or deliver telehealth across state lines.
- Status
- Approved
- Provider type
- Practitioner - Neurosurgery
- PAC ID
- 7517255904
Enrolled in Medicare 2 times, across 2 states:
| State | Enrollment ID | Provider type |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | I20211001000536 | Practitioner - Neurosurgery |
| New Hampshire | I20260608001459 | Practitioner - Neurosurgery |
Medicare enrolment is recorded as approved under the provider type Practitioner - Neurosurgery. There are 2 separate enrolment records across 2 states (MA, NH). Multiple enrolments usually mean the provider bills Medicare from more than one practice location, or has kept an earlier enrolment after moving. Each record carries its own enrolment ID, listed above. Being enrolled means the provider can bill Medicare; it does not tell you whether they are currently accepting new Medicare patients. Call the office to confirm.
Licensed in 3 states
This provider holds licences in 3 states: Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Texas. The practice address on file is in Houston, TX, but a licence in another state usually means they see patients there too — either at a second location or by telehealth. If the address above is far from you, it is worth calling to ask whether they practise closer to where you live.
- Licence
- S5244
- Specialty
- Neurological Surgery Physician
Licence numbers are self-reported to NPPES at registration. They do not confirm a licence is currently active, in good standing, or valid for the specialty shown — only the state board can tell you that, which is why we link to each one.
What Neurological Surgery covers
A neurological surgeon provides the operative and non-operative management (i.e., prevention, diagnosis, evaluation, treatment, critical care, and rehabilitation) of disorders of the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their supporting structures and vascular supply; the evaluation and treatment of pathological processes which modify function or activity of the nervous system; and the operative and non-operative management of pain. A neurological surgeon treats patients with disorders of the nervous system; disorders of the brain, meninges, skull, and their blood supply, including the extracranial carotid and vertebral arteries; disorders of the pituitary gland; disorders of the spinal cord, meninges, and vertebral column, including those which may require treatment by spinal fusion or instrumentation; and disorders of the cranial and spinal nerves throughout their distribution. NUCC Health Care Provider Taxonomy, code 207T00000X
All registered taxonomy codes
This provider registers 3 taxonomy codes. The primary code is what appears on most claims; the others record additional recognised specialties.
| Code | Specialty | Licence | State | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 207T00000X | Neurological Surgery Physician | 290194 | MA | primary |
| 207T00000X | Neurological Surgery Physician | MD459587 | PA | |
| 207T00000X | Neurological Surgery Physician | S5244 | TX |
The taxonomy records how the provider classifies their own practice. It does not confirm which conditions they currently treat, whether they are accepting new patients, or which insurance they take — call the office for that.
Full NPPES record
An NPI-1 identifies a single person. It stays with the clinician for life, even if they move practice or change state, which is why the address on file can lag behind where they actually work today.
| NPI | 1003251554 valid check digit |
|---|---|
| Entity type | Individual (NPI-1) |
| Enumeration date | May 9, 2013 |
| Last updated | Sep 29, 2021 |
| Status | Active |
| Sole proprietor | No |
| Gender | Male |
| Credential | M.D. |
| Practice address |
1515 HOLCOMBE BLVD Houston, TX 77030 (713) 792-6161 |
| Mailing address |
LAHEY PROVIDER ENROLLMENT DEPARTMENT 41 MALL ROAD Burlington, MA 01805 |
| Other identifiers |
412619501
· Medicaid (TX) 412619502 · Other (TX) |
Number check
How the check works, step by step
Every NPI carries a Luhn check digit — the same scheme used on credit cards. CMS prefixes the number with 80840 before computing it, which marks it as a US health identifier.
| Digit | 8 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doubled? | — | ×2 | — | ×2 | — | ×2 | — | ×2 | — | ×2 | — | ×2 | — | ×2 |
| Value | 8 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
Sum = 46 · next multiple of 10 = 50 · check digit = 4 · actual last digit = 4
A valid check digit only means the number is well-formed. It does not mean the provider is licensed, active, or in good standing — those are separate questions answered by the sections above.