Use those NPI numbers, CMS says
By HME News Staff
Updated Sun September 30, 2007
WASHINGTON - The long-awaited national provider identification number (NPI) registry was up and running Sept. 4, with a downloadable file version made available a week later.
It's important for providers to verify that the information contained in the database is correct and make necessary changes to it, CMS stated in a release.
Also, starting Sept. 3, Medicare Fiscal Intermediaries and the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) began transitioning their systems to reject claims when NPIs and legacy numbers cannot be found on Medicare crosswalks.
"I told all my clients to go ahead and submit using the NPI," said Medicare consultant Andrea Stark. "(By now) most providers have NPIs."
While HME providers must include their NPIs on claims, they do not yet need to include the NPIs of referring physicians. Physicians have until May 2008 to obtain and begin using NPIs.
Contractors have begun calling providers with a high volume rejections or those who are not yet submitting NPIs.
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