HCC News and Press
July 19, 2006 - National Provider Number
In January of 2004, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the adoption of the National Provider Identifier (NPI) as the standard unique health identifier for health care providers to use in filing and processing health care claims and other transactions.
The NPI will replace the current NCPDP Provider ID number (formerly known as the NABP number) as the standard Pharmacy identifier in standard electronic healthcare transactions named in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
The transition from pharmacy's existing NCPDP Provider ID Number to their NPI will occur over the next two years.
CMS has directed healthcare providers to not begin using the NPI until health plans and PBMs have issued specific instructions on accepting the NPI, which must begin no later than May 23, 2007.
Pharmacies can obtain this number by visiting www.ncpdp.org.
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