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The NPI Number: What It Is and When to Update It
Your NPI is a permanent identifier, but the record attached to it needs to stay accurate because payers and facilities read it.
What it is
The NPI is a 10-digit identifier assigned to health care providers in the United States through the NPPES system run by CMS. It does not expire, and it does not change when you change jobs or states.
What to keep current
The NPPES record holds your name, taxonomy, practice location and license information. Federal rules have asked providers to report changes to NPPES within a set number of days, commonly cited as 30, so update the record promptly when something changes. Confirm the current rule with CMS.
Look one up
You can read any public record with our NPI lookup or the official registry.
Other systems that depend on it
CAQH, payer enrollment and facility applications all use the NPI, so a mismatch in NPPES can cause delays. See the CAQH guide.
Keep the whole file on your own devices
MedLicense is free for individual clinicians. It needs no account, and your records stay encrypted on your own devices.
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