Headline News
CMS Delays NPI Registry until September
BALTIMORE--CMS announced last week that it will delay dissemination of data from the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System until Sept. 4.
In May, CMS had said its registry of National Provider Identifier numbers would be available June 28, then delayed its release until August, explaining that would give providers time to analyze their information for the new Internet database and to make any updates or changes. (See HomeCare Monday, July 2.)
The agency said it has once again pushed back release of the registry so providers "can view their FOIA-disclosable NPPES data and make any edits they feel are necessary prior to our initial disclosure of the data." To be available in a real-time, query-only database and a downloadable file, the NPI registry will include data from providers that are disclosable under the Freedom of Information Act.
Providers must submit their edits no later than Monday, Aug. 20, so that any problems with the edits can be resolved, the agency said.
The registry will become operational on Sept. 4, and the downloadable file will be ready approximately one week later, according to the announcement.
Each month thereafter, CMS will provide a full replacement file that reflects updates and changes to the NPPES records. Providing a replacement file instead of monthly updates will eliminate problems users might have in trying to link updates to records included in the initial file, the agency said.
Some of the key data elements that are FOIA-disclosable are:
