What is the Medicare Unique Physician Identification Number (UPIN), how does a physician/provider get one, and when is a UPIN required?
Whenever an applicant completes the enrollment application process for Medicare Part B, the information is submitted to the National Registry using the PECOS Medicare provider enrollment system. A UPIN is then assigned and returned to Cahaba GBA. A notification letter with both the Cahaba GBA Medicare Part B PIN and the issued UPIN is sent to the applicant, depending on the specialty of the provider. Occasionally a hospital may require its physicians to obtain a UPIN as admitting privileges policy although they may not perform services for Medicare beneficiaries. Under these circumstances, Cahaba GBA will issue both the PIN and the UPIN, but will terminate the PIN after assigning the UPIN since there is no intention for billing Medicare.
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