National Provider Identifier Letter
Dear Superintendent/Business Official or Commissioner/Director:
In May, 2005, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released its initiative to create a new identifier for use in standard electronic health care transactions. This initiative, the National Provider Identifier (NPI), will be the single provider identifier, replacing any currently-used identifiers for which school districts, counties and §4201 schools now utilize for Federal Medicaid reimbursement. This change is due to the implementation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. The new NPI initiative will take effect May, 2007.
School districts, counties and §4201 schools currently use their Medicaid Provider Identification Number (PID) to submit files for Medicaid reimbursement. While this number will still be used by New York State, each school district, county and §4201 school will require an NPI number for Federal Medicaid reimbursement.
At this time,
we are requesting each school district, county and §4201 school
complete the NPI application/update form online at https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov
by
following the attached instructions. Applications may also be completed
manually by calling 1-800-465-3203 and requesting an application be mailed
to you. Note that manual applications may take months to process. It is
suggested you use the online application process. For more information on
NPI, please visit the online tutorial at https://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/npi/npiviewlet.asp .
Contact 1-800-465-3203 (NPI call center) or Steven Wright at (518) 486-4887 or swright2@mail.nysed.gov with any questions or issues pertaining to the online application process.
When the application is completed and submitted (either online or via mail), please e-mail your local Regional Information Center alerting them that the process has been completed. We request that the application be completed and submitted by February 1, 2007. If your local RIC does not receive notification of your submitted application, you will be contacted again. Failure to complete this required process may result in lost or delayed Medicaid payments. Once you are issued your NPI, please e-mail your local RIC what NPI you have been issued.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Enclosures