Privacy Act of 1974; system of records--HCFA.
HCFA is proposing to revise the systems notice for the "Medicare Physician Identification and Eligibility System (MPIES)," System No. 09-70-0525. The following alterations will be made to this system of records: 1. The purpose statement for the system will be revised to better reflect the system's expanded function. The new purpose of this system of records will read as follows: "to maintain unique identification of each physician, practitioner, and medical group practice requesting and/or receiving Medicare reimbursement." 2. The name of the system will be changed from the "Medicare Physician Identification and Eligibility System (MPIES)," to the "Unique Physician/Practitioner Identification Number (UPIN) System." 3. The name of the "Unique Physician Identification Number (UPIN)" will be changed to the "Unique Physician/Practitioner Identification Number." Despite this amendment, the acronym UPIN will not be changed because Federal and state agencies and private and public insurance entities are familiar with the use of this acronym. 4. The structure of the UPIN identifier is being changed from a 6-digit identifier to a 10-digit identifier so as to uniquely identify all physicians, practitioners and medical group practices, and to rectify current problems with existing individualized identification systems. 5. Tax identification numbers will be collected and added to the data fields maintained on all physicians, practitioners, and medical group practices in this system. 6. HCFA is also proposing to add a new routine use (number 10) to this system notice for the release of data to other Federal and state agencies.
D014487:Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S. / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D006123:Group Practice / Q000145:classification / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D015442:Medicare Assignment / Q000145:classification*; D016345:Medicare Part B / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010820:Physicians / Q000145:classification; D018907:Privacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014481:United States