Only -355 more days until the National Provider Identifier (NPI) compliance date!
Do you have your NPI?

NPI Tip

When applying for your NPI, CMS urges you to include your legacy identifiers, not only for Medicare but for all payors. If reporting a Medicaid number, include the associated State name. This information is critical for payors in the development of crosswalks to aid in the transition to the NPI.

View a letter (located in the Downloads section below) from CMS Administrator, Dr. Mark B. McClellan, announcing the start of NPI enumeration for all health care providers.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) mandated that the Secretary of Health and Human Services adopt a standard unique health identifier for health care providers. On January 23, 2004, the Secretary published a Final Rule that adopted the National Provider Identifier (NPI) as this identifier. 

All HIPAA covered healthcare providers, whether they are individuals or organizations, must obtain an NPI for use to identify themselves in HIPAA standard transactions. Once enumerated, a provider's NPI will not change. The NPI remains with the provider regardless of job or location changes.

HIPAA covered entities such as providers completing electronic transactions, healthcare clearinghouses, and large health plans, must use only the NPI to identify covered healthcare providers in standard transactions by May 23, 2007. Small health plans must use only the NPI by May 23, 2008.

Downloads
Dear Provider Letter from CMS Administrator [PDF, 125KB]
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Page Last Modified: 8/30/06 3:00 PM
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