As you know, yesterday was the official deadline to obtain your NPI. Despite all the talk about a one-year “grace period,” the reality is that if you don’t have your NPI your claims could be delayed or denied.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) last month announced a one-year grace period during which physicians will not be penalized for noncompliance as long as they have a contingency plan in place and are able to demonstrate “good faith efforts” to comply with the regulations.

To prove good faith, you must obtain your NPI as soon as possible. Since there are very few barriers to obtaining an NPI (it is a simple application), few physicians can argue that they need a contingency plan! Apply online at https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov or call the NPI Enumerator at 800/465-3203 and request a paper application form.

Obtaining an NPI now will help you avoid cash flow disruptions. Even though the grace period also allows payors to continue accepting legacy ID numbers until May 23, 2008, they may at any time during the next year decide to stop accepting legacy numbers and to only accept NPIs.

CMA’s legal department has also written a primer to help physicians with the NPI process. The primer, available through the CMA ON-CALL system, is available free to members at the members-only website. See document #1608, “National Provider Identifiers.” Nonmembers can purchase ON-CALL documents for $2 per page in the CMA Bookstore.

CMS has posted information on its website about NPI contingency planning. Go to http://cms.hhs.gov and click on “Regulations and Guidance” then “National Provider Identifier Standard” under “HIPAA Administrative Simplification.”

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