March 1 deadline for NPI numbers approaching
ACP was recently informed by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that 300,000 claims a day are still being submitted without a National Provider Identifier (NPI) number.
The NPI is a standard that was created under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. NPI numbers are unique identifiers for health care providers that will be used by all health plans and health care clearinghouses.
Beginning March 1 all Medicare Fee-for-Service 837-P and CMS-1500 claims must use an NPI. If these claims are submitted after March 1 without an NPI they will be rejected as unprocessable and will not be paid.
CMS is urging providers who have not already done so to begin testing their Medicare claims using their NPI numbers. To do so providers must first submit claims containing both the NPI number and legacy identifiers. After these claims have been paid they should send a small batch of claims using only the NPI number. If these claims are successfully paid providers should begin using only the NPI number.
If you have not already obtained your NPI number you need to do so as soon as possible. Providers can apply for an NPI at https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/NPPES/Welcome.do.
Further information about NPI numbers can be found on the CMS website.
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