Physicians Can Apply for National Provider Identifiers May 23
[Posted 05/12/05]

Physicians can apply for national provider identifiers (NPIs) beginning Monday, May 23. When the HIPAA-mandated national provider identification system is fully implemented in 2007, physicians will no longer have to keep track of and use multiple identification numbers assigned to them by health plans. Physicians will still, however, need to provide their taxpayer identification number to plans for tax reporting purposes.

Providers who are not “covered entities” under HIPAA do not have to obtain NPIs, but they may do so if they wish. Physicians who are covered by HIPAA will need these standard unique identifiers to submit HIPAA-compliant claims.

The application will be available on May 23 and can be filled out online or downloaded, printed, and submitted by mail. Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) has not said how long it will take to process NPI applications. CMS’s “Enumerator Hotline” to assist physicians with the application process will go live on May 23 (800/465-3203).

Although CMS will start accepting applications May 23, the agency will not begin using NPIs until the May 2007 compliance deadline.

More details on the application process is available at the CMS website.

Contact: CMA’s legal information line, 415/882-5144 or legalinfo@cmanet.org.