National provider identifier posting doesn't make personal data accessible
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Posted June 20, 2007 |
By Arlene Furlong Dentists shouldn't be concerned their personal information will become compromised when national provider identifier data is posted on the Web.
"Social Security numbers, individual tax identification numbers and dates of birth will not be accessible," said Dr. John Luther, ADA senior vice president, Dental Practice/Professional Affairs.
Dentists submitted personal and practice information, such as names, business addresses, business phone numbers and fax numbers, license numbers, gender and provider type to the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System when applying for a national provider identifier. The NPI is the 10-digit standard identification number for health care providers required under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act for transmitters of electronic transactions.
All the records, excluding Social Security numbers, individual tax ID numbers and dates of birth, will be accessible to help health plans update their databases and match NPIs to legacy identifiers. (Legacy numbers are the identifiers in common use, such as dental plan specific identifiers, license numbers and Social Security numbers that plans use to identify health care providers.)
"The only information that may be accessible through NPPES that isn't already readily available to anyone who might be looking for it is probably the practice fax number," added Dr. Luther.
"There's no question that the information that will be available on the Web is already out there," reiterated Dr. Robert Ahlstrom, a member of both the Council on Dental Practice and the Dental Content Committee. It all falls under the Freedom of Information Act."
NPPES says NPI data will be accessible June 30 by downloadable files from a Web site, a query-only database or through written request.
"Posting NPI information on the Web will prove to be the most efficient and cost-effective way to convey this information," said Dr. Ahlstrom. He acknowledges that there may be a few "squeaks or cracks" in any HIPAA process initially, and that's why the ADA is sponsor and chair of the Dental Content Committee.
The committee was established under the administrative simplification provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 to cooperate in the maintenance of the standards adopted under HIPAA. The secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services named the content committee a designated standards maintenance organization. The committee addresses standard transaction content on behalf of the dental sector of the health care community.
As it stands right now, the NPPES isn't planning any restrictions or limitations on who can access the NPI data, excluding Social Security numbers, tax ID numbers and dates of birth. Dr. Ahlstrom thinks the federal government will look at a way to limit that capability to the entities that need to have it. He also believes third-party payers and clearinghouses will institute their own methodologies for securing transactions and information.
"Spammers and junkers are everywhere and always will be," commented Dr. Ahlstrom. "Meantime, what dentists should do is pay due diligence to their own security systems."
He recommends changing passwords frequently, having a good firewall system and not opening unknown files from unknown entities.
"The benefits for dentists of using the NPI, a single identifier, will in the long-run, far outweigh any potential negative consequences," he said.
Members with questions, comments or concerns can e-mail NPI@ada.org or call the ADA Department of Dental Informatics, Ext. 4608.
To read the Federal Register notice, go to www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalProvIdentStand/Downloads/DataDisseminationNPI.pdf  .
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