National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) FOIA-Disclosable Data to be Available on September 4, 2007

NPPES health care provider data that are disclosable under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) will be disclosed to the public by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). In accordance with the e-FOIA Amendments, CMS will be disclosing these data via the Internet. Data will be available in two forms:

  1. A query-only database, known as the NPI Registry.

  2. A downloadable file.

CMS has extended the period of time in which enumerated health care providers/suppliers can view their FOIA-disclosable NPPES data and make any edits they feel are necessary prior to our initial disclosure of the data. CMS will be making FOIA-disclosable NPPES health care provider/supplier data available beginning Tuesday, September 4, 2007. The NPI Registry will become operational on September 4 and the downloadable file will be ready approximately one week later. CMS has posted several documents to help providers/suppliers understand what the downloadable file will look like, including a "Read Me" file, Header File, and Code Value document for the downloadable file on the CMS NPI Web page at
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalProvIdentStand/06a_DataDissemination.asp.

* How to use the NPI correctly on Part A and Part B claims
 http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/SE0725.pdf

* Information on use of the NPI on the new CMS 1500 and UB-04 Forms
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/SE0729.pdf

Not sure what an NPI is and how you can get it, share it and use it? As always, more information and education on the NPI can be found through the CMS NPI page www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalProvIdentStand  on the CMS Web site. Providers/Suppliers can apply for an NPI online at

https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov  or can call the NPI enumerator to request a paper application at 1-800-465-3203.