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By Frank Purcell
AANA Senior Director, Federal Government Affairs
Pamela Kirby
AANA Associate Director, Federal Regulatory & Payment Policy
CRNAs should apply today for a National Provider Identifier (NPI) number. Without this number, CRNAs will not be able to bill Medicare and Medicaid for their services.
Until recently, all CRNAs had to have their own Universal Provider Identification Number (UPIN), or be included in a group UPIN along with other anesthesia providers to bill the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for their services. Many CRNAs have multiple UPIN numbers, each number being tied to a facility in which the CRNA practices, or to a specific insurer he or she bills for anesthesia services.
To alleviate the paperwork and burden of tracking multiple UPIN numbers, CMS is replacing the UPIN with the NPI, and is now taking providers' applications for the NPI. For CRNAs who work in multiple regions and facilities, using multiple UPIN numbers has resulted in often-delayed payments for their services. The NPI will be especially useful for CRNAs since the NPI eliminates the need for multiple UPIN numbers. The NPI will stay with a CRNA throughout the CRNA's career no matter in which facility or region a CRNA may practice. Though many CRNAs assign their billing rights to another entity, such as a hospital or anesthesia group employer, individual CRNAs benefit from securing individual NPIs.
Medicare began issuing NPI numbers in 2005, and accepting NPI numbers on provider claims on January 3, 2006. The start date for accepting NPI numbers depends on the type of facility in which the provider works. However, by May 2007, CMS, the largest payor for healthcare services, will accept only NPI numbers.
A CRNA is eligible to apply and be assigned a NPI by Medicare on date of their certification as a CRNA. To apply for the NPI, CRNAs will also need to include a "taxonomy code" for CRNAs on the NPI application form. The taxonomy code for CRNAs is: 367500000X - Nurse Anesthetist, Certified, Registered.
See the link below for CMS NPI application information. CRNAs can apply online for a NPI using this link.
For More Information:
National Provider Identifier (NPI) - NPI Application & Information
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalProvIdentStand
**For all questions and information on your NPI, please contact the NPI Enumerator.
By phone:
1-800-465-3203
(NPI Toll-Free)
1-800-692-2326
(NPI TTY)
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By e-mail
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By mail at:
NPI Enumerator
PO Box 6059
Fargo, ND 58108-6059
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CMS' May 25, 2006, NPI press release http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press/release.asp?Counter=1870
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