As of October 1, all audiologists who provide services to Medicare patients must use their own National Provider Identifier (NPI) on claims submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). No longer can audiologists performing services under the supervision of an otolaryngologist use the otolaryngologist’s NPI for billing their services.
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November 2008In addition to obtaining their own NPI, all audiologists who see Medicare patients must enroll in Medicare as providers. Audiologists must obtain both NPIs and full certification as Medicare providers before Medicare will consider payment of their claims.
Although October 1 is the actual date in which these changes in audiology billing to Medicare went into effect, physicians and practices that offer audiological services have been urged since April to begin making changes issued in the transmittals by CMS that require multiple changes in the way audiology services to Medicare patients are rendered and billed.