Joseph Smith, an internal medicine physician in California, has a phone number with the area code 858. What is his National Provider Identifier (NPI) number? a. A unique 6-digit number b. A unique 9-digit number c. A unique 10-digit number d. A unique 12-digit number

Final answer: An NPI number is a unique 10-digit identifier assigned to healthcare providers in the United States, not related to their phone number or area code. Explanation: The National Provider Identifier (NPI) is a unique identification number for covered health care providers under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The correct answer to the question is c. A unique 10-digit number. An NPI is a 10-digit numeric identifier. It is independent of other personal information, such as the state of practice, provider type, or the provider's phone number with a specific area code. Therefore, Joseph Smith's phone number area code of 858 does not determine his NPI number.

C) The National Provider Identifier (NPI) is a unique 10-digit number assigned to health care providers in the United States for identification in standard transactions. The National Provider Identifier (NPI) is a unique 10-digit number assigned to health care providers in the United States by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). An NPI is used to identify a health care provider in standard transactions, such as billing and claims. Joseph Smith, an internal medicine physician in California, regardless of his area code being 858, would be assigned a 10-digit NPI.