Unique Identifiers Overview

HIPAA establishes and requires unique identifiers for:

• Employers – EIN, or Employer Identification Number, is issued by the Internal Revenue Service and is used to identify employers in electronic transactions.
• Providers – NPI, or National Provider Identifier, is a unique 10-digit number used to identify health care providers.
• Health plans – There is no longer an adopted standard to identify health plans.
• Patients – There is no adopted standard to identify patients.

NPIs and EINs must be used on all HIPAA transactions.