In the CMS Interoperability and Patient Access final rule, CMS finalized the policy to publicly report the names and National Provider Identifiers (NPIs) of those providers (or clinicians) who do not have digital contact information included in the NPPES system beginning in the second half of 2020 (85 FR 25584). CMS also noted that we would engage in public education efforts to ensure providers were aware of the benefits of including digital contact information in NPPES, including Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources® (FHIR) Application Programming Interfaces (API) endpoints, and when and where this information will be posted. Based on stakeholder inquiries, CMS decided to wait to publish the public report until the programming for the bulk upload of provider information was completed to allow larger organizations to complete the process of adding the digital contact information into NPPES in an efficient manner. The Electronic File Interchange (EFI) process now supports bulk upload capability which enables provider organizations to submit data element changes for their providers, including the addition of the digital contact information. CMS plans to publicly report providers with missing digital contact information by the end of 2021, to give all providers additional time to enter their digital contact information in NPPES, either individually or through the bulk upload. All EFI documents are available here: https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Administrative-Simplification/NationalProvIdentStand/efi.

CMS has been responding to individual inquiries through the Health Informatics and Interoperability mail box or through the enumerator. This document serves as a public education tool for the wider stakeholder community.

The list of providers who do not have digital contact information in NPPES is available on data.cms.gov. (here)