CMS Delays NPI Registry until September

BALTIMORE–CMS announced last week that it will delay
dissemination of data from the National Plan and Provider
Enumeration System until Sept. 4.

In May, CMS had said its registry of National Provider
Identifier numbers would be available June 28, then delayed its
release until August, explaining that would give providers time to
analyze their information for the new Internet database and to make
any updates or changes. (See HomeCare Monday, July 2.)

The agency said it has once again pushed back release of the
registry so providers “can view their FOIA-disclosable NPPES data
and make any edits they feel are necessary prior to our initial
disclosure of the data.” To be available in a real-time, query-only
database and a downloadable file, the NPI registry will include
data from providers that are disclosable under the Freedom of
Information Act.

Providers must submit their edits no later than Monday, Aug. 20,
so that any problems with the edits can be resolved, the agency
said.

The registry will become operational on Sept. 4, and the
downloadable file will be ready approximately one week later,
according to the announcement.

Each month thereafter, CMS will provide a full replacement file
that reflects updates and changes to the NPPES records. Providing a
replacement file instead of monthly updates will eliminate problems
users might have in trying to link updates to records included in
the initial file, the agency said.

Some of the key data elements that are FOIA-disclosable are:

• NPI
• Entity Type Code (1-Individual or 2-Organization)
• Replacement NPI
• Provider Name (First Name, Middle Name, Last Name, Prefix,
  Suffix, Credential(s), OR the Legal Business Name for
  Organizations)
• Provider Other Name (First Name, Middle Name, Last Name, OR
  ‘Doing Business As’ Name, Former Legal Business Name, Other Name
  for Organizations)
• Provider Business Mailing Address (First line address, Second
  line address, City, State, Postal Code, and Country Code if outside
  U.S., Telephone Number, Fax Number)
• Provider Business Location Address (First line address, Second
  line address, City, State, Postal Code, and Country Code if outside
  U.S., Telephone Number, Fax Number)
• Healthcare Provider Taxonomy Code(s)
• Other Provider Identifier(s)
• Other Provider Identifier Type Code
• Provider Enumeration Date
• Last Update Date
• NPI Deactivation Reason Code
• NPI Deactivation Date
• NPI Reactivation Date
• Provider Gender Code
• Provider License Number
• Provider License Number State Code
• Authorized Official Contact Information (First Name, Middle
  Name, Last Name, Title or Position, Telephone Number)

CMS cautioned that the delay does not alter a requirement that
HIPAA-covered entities must comply with the NPI Final Rule no later
than May 23, 2008. “All NPI contingencies that may be in place must
be lifted by that date,” the agency said.

To read the CMS announcement in full, click here.