Neurosurgery Coding Alert
Reader Question ~ Get Creative to Find NPI Applications
Question: I went to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Web site to apply for a National Provider Identifier (NPI), but I could not find the application. Did I just miss the application section, or did CMS remove the applications from the site?
Maryland Subscriber
Answer: You did not miss the link; CMS removed the applications from its Web site. As of Sept. 20, the PDF version of the NPI Application is no longer available for download at CMS, and there will not be a link to that form from the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) page.
Try these alternatives: However, you can still apply for NPI numbers in one of three ways, CMS says:
- The Web-based NPI application process. Log on to the NPPES and apply online at https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/NPPES/Welcome.do.
- Have an Electronic File Interchange Organization (EFIO) submit application data on your practice's behalf.
- Obtain a copy of the paper NPI Application/Update Form and mail the completed, signed application to the NPI Enumerator located in Fargo, N.D.
The form is now available only if you request it through the NPI Enumerator. You can contact the NPI Enumerator by phone at (800) 465-3203, by e-mail at customerservice@npienumerator.com, or by mail at PO Box 6059, Fargo, ND 58108-6059.
Neurosurgery Coding Alert
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