Health Information Compliance Alert

Delay will help create a more accurate resource, says CMS.

Just when it seemed like physicians' and other health care providers' NPIs would be at your fingertips, it turns out you'll be making do for a little longer.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services had planned to give you access to the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) database at the end of June. This would have allowed you to look up your providers' National Provider Identifier numbers or just download the whole database.

But now CMS is delaying your access to this information until Aug. 1.

Reason: CMS is concerned that you might need more time to look up your information in the NPPES database.

The agency is urging providers to use the extra time to delete any information they wouldn't want the public to be able to view and make any updates. CMS will soon announce the deadline to make changes you want included in the downloadable file.

CMS says it understands providers have an "urgent need" for this data. But at the same time, CMS wants to make sure the data is as accurate as possible.

Resource: You can find out more information, including a list of the "data elements" that will be publicly disclosed, at www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalProvIdentStand/06a_DataDissemination.asp.