Time is running out: Sign up for your NPI

Follow the example of more than 1.6 million health care providers and sign up for your National Provider Identifier before the May 23, 2007, deadline. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mandates the use of the 10-digit numeric identifier to make medical claims processing and payment issues better for physicians. CMS urges providers to get their NPI early and start using it for all health plan transactions.

Providers should include legacy identifiers with the associated state name and associated provider identifier type on the NPI application to aid health plans such as Medicare with the transition. If providers have already received an NPI and did not provide the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System with their legacy identifiers, CMS encourages them to update their information with the NPPES to include this information.

Find more about NPI provider requirements on the CMS NPI page of the CMS Web site. Providers can apply for an NPI online or can call the NPI enumerator to request a paper application (800) 465-3203.