Getting an NPI
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) mandated standard unique identifiers for health care providers and health plans for electronic transmission of health information.
CMS developed the NPPES to assign these unique identifiers called NPIs.
NPIs are:
- 10-digit numeric identifiers that don’t change
- Used in HIPAA standard transactions
- Needed to enroll as a Medicare provider or supplier
Click the headings below to discover 3 ways to apply for an NPI:
Visit the NPPES
website and use your I&A login to get to the electronic application, which takes about 20 minutes to complete. You can use the same website and login credentials to view and update NPI records in the future. Institutional providers must create a login for NPPES only on this webpage to manage an NPI for a health care organization.
You can get a paper copy of the NPI application at
CMS.gov
or by contacting the NPI Enumerator at 1-800-465-3203. Complete, sign, and mail a paper application to the NPPES address listed on the form.
An EFI organization (EFIO) submits application data on behalf of a provider via EFI, also referred to as “bulk enumeration.” Because a file can include thousands of providers’ applications, this process reduces the administrative burden on both providers and CMS.