• Hospital and Healthcare

  What is a PTAN number?

  Posted by Peter Lewis on October 25, 2022 at 2:01 pm

  Because Medicare is such an expansive system susceptible to fraud, it’s critical that the appropriate measures be taken to identify and authenticate providers. Using the combination of PTAN and NPI numbers in their respective places is critical to stay in compliance and protect the benefits of being involved in the Medicare system. To help you through the process of understanding PTAN numbers, we’ve provided a guide to what a PTAN number means, how providers can locate their numbers, and how it can be differentiated and used to fight system fraud.

  What Is a Provider Transaction Access Number (PTAN)?

  The Provider Transaction Access Number (PTAN) is a Medicare-issued number given to providers upon enrollment with Medicare. This number is usually six digits and assigned based on the type and location of the provider. Upon enrollment, MAC providers should receive their assigned PTAN number in their approval letter.
  The first two digits in the assigned code indicate the state of the provider or the state of the provider’s main billing address. For example, New York’s state code begins with 33 and Connecticut’s state code begins with 07. The CMS State Operations Manual provides the full list of codes according to states.
  The remaining four digits of the PTAN number, described as a “series,” indicate the type of facility, or whether it is a short-term facility, general hospital, or a skilled nursing facility. If a letter is included in the series, the facility is either a specialty short-term facility or general hospital.

  What Is the Difference Between NPI and PTAN Numbers?

  According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the NPI is a national standard under the Health Insurance Portability And Accountability Act (HIPAA). The provider’s NPI is a unique identification number issued by the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), which is used by all health plans and health care clearinghouses when submitting HIPPA standards transactions.
  Unlike the PTAN, the NPI is a 10-digit number that does not include information about the provider. The NPI is intended as an identification number to share with other suppliers and providers, health plans, clearinghouses, and any entity that may need it for billing purposes.
  A PTAN, on the other hand, is specific to Medicare and is issued to providers upon enrollment in Medicare. Thus, to participate in Medicare, a provider needs both an NPI and a PTAN number. While a provider has only one NPI, the provider may have multiple PTAN numbers, representing enrollment through multiple practices or with multiple Medicare contractors.
  An approved provider should use the NPI to bill the Medicare program and the PTAN to authenticate the provider when using MAC self-help tools. With the NPI and PTAN numbers, the provider or supplier in the Medicare program can be easily identified and transactions can be tracked.

  WHAT IS A PTAN NUMBER?

  Because Medicare is such an expansive system susceptible to fraud, it’s critical that the appropriate measures be taken to identify and authenticate providers. Using the combination of PTAN and NPI numbers in their respective places is critical to stay in compliance and protect the benefits of being involved in the Medicare system. To help you through the process of understanding PTAN numbers, we’ve provided a guide to what a PTAN number means, how providers can locate their numbers, and how it can be differentiated and used to fight system fraud.

  3 Steps to Locating Your PTAN

  Here are three ways you can find your PTAN number:

  1. Reference the notification letter sent by your MAC when your enrollment in Medicare was approved.
  2. Can’t locate the original notification letter? No problem. Login to the PECOS online portal. Simply click on the “My Enrollments” button, then “View Enrollments.” Locate the applicable enrollment and click on the “View Medicare ID Report” link. This will list all of PTANs active providers and suppliers. If approved, your healthcare provider or supplier will be on the list.
  3. Still lost? You can send a signed, written request on company letterhead to your MAC. Include your legal name or legal business name, national provider identifier (NPI), telephone, and fax numbers.

  Why Is My PTAN Number Important?

  While the paperwork can seem overwhelming or confusing, it’s critical to combat fraud through the tracking of Medicare providers and suppliers. A PTAN number is just one of the ways that federal benefits can be monitored, and patients can be protected. For administrators navigating the monitoring and compliance paperwork involved, there are many resources to guide the processes.

  Peter Lewis replied 2 years, 1 month ago 1 Member · 0 Replies
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