A final rule establishing the National Provider Identifier (NPI) as the
standard unique health identifier for all health care providers, including
physicians, was published on January 23, 2004. The NPI will replace
"legacy" identifiers issued by individual payors. All physicians who
electronically transmit claims or related transactions (for example, to
verify a patient's enrollment in a health plan) are required to obtain a
single NPI and use that 10-digit number on all transactions. The NPI
contains no embedded information about the person it identifies. An entity
known as the enumerator, operating under a contract with the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), will process applications for NPIs.
You do not need to take any action now to receive an NPI. A two-year
enrollment period will begin May 23, 2005, during which individuals will be
able to apply for and receive an NPI. Additional information about NPI
implementation, including the details of the application process, will be
made available closer to implementation of the enrollment period. The rule
is available at
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-1149.pdf
.