Next year, physicians will no longer have to keep track of and use multiple identification numbers assigned to them by health plans. Effective May 23, 2007, physicians will instead use a single “national provider identifier” (NPI).

The HIPAA-mandated national provider identification system promises to simplify electronic health care transactions and create a more easily accessible database of provider information for credentialing and contracting purposes.

NPIs will, however, pose a unique challenge to your software systems, including billing and electronic health records. Will your software systems be current with the new number when it is required? Physicians are advised to start an inventory as soon as it is practical.

CMA’s HIPAA partner, PrivaPlan Associates Inc., has developed an inexpensive CD-ROM toolkit to help physicians navigate the NPI process. CMA members pay $99. CMA members who have purchased PrivaPlan’s other HIPAA toolkits pay $79. Nonmember pay $129. Order the toolkit by calling 877/218-7707.

More information on NPIs is available in CMA ON-CALL document #1608, “National Provider Identification Numbers.” ON-CALL documents are free to members at CMA's members-only website. Nonmembers can purchase ON-CALL documents for $2 per page in CMA's online bookstore.

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