ABSTRACT
Codes and numbers The healthcare industry has codes and numbers that describe anything and everything that is billed for-from bandages to brain surgery. In the United States, each provider and the medical facility where they work is required to obtain their own unique National Provider Identier (NPI), which is a unique 10-digit identication number. The NPIs are issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The provider’s NPI is assigned to them permanently even if they change jobs or locations. Physicians, nurses, dentists, physical therapists, pharmacies, laboratories, medical equipment companies, and more must get their own unique NPI.
