Originally posted to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Headlines e-mail list on September 30, 2005.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued Part 2 in a series of Medlearn Matters designed to provide additional provider education in obtaining and using a National Provider Identifier (NPI). The Medlearn Matters article is available in PDF format and can be found at on the CMS Web site at www.cms.hhs.gov/medlearn/matters/mmarticles/2005/SE0555.pdf.
All health care providers and organizations are eligible to receive NPIs. Effective May 27, 2007, providers and organizations that are defined as covered entities under HIPAA will be required to have an NPI in order to identify themselves in HIPAA standard transactions. For covered entities, the NPI will replace the current health care provider numbers. CMS cautions that an application and request for an NPI does not replace the enrollment process for health plans.
For additional information on HIPAA or the NPI, visit ASHA's Web site at www.asha.org/about/legislation-advocacy/federal/hipaa/ or contact Amy Hasselkus, ASHA's Associate Director of SLP Health Care Services, via e-mail at ahasselkus@asha.org or by phone at 800-498-2071, ext. 4514.
Reprinted by permission of the American Speech-Lanuage-Hearing Association.
