PAMED Clarifies Requirements for Physician-Identifiers on Scripts

Keystone Mercy Health Plan recently notified its providers that effective May 1, 2011, prescribing providers will be required to include their National Provider Identifier (NPI) number on prescriptions.

This notification caused some confusion among physicians about what prescriber identification numbers are required to appear on a script.

Due to various state and federal requirements, as well as mandates by managed care plans, physician practices purchasing pre-printed prescription pads should consider inclusion of all of the following for each physician:

  • License number – A Board of Medicine regulation mandates that medical doctors print or pre-print their name and license number on all written prescriptions unless the drug, service, or equipment is provided as part of inpatient services.
  • NPI – Since May 23, 2008, all Medicare outpatient pharmacy claims must include an NPI for the prescribing practitioner. Effective January 3, 2011, the Affordable Care Act extended this requirement to Medicaid fee-for-service claims (including ACCESS Plus). While pharmacies often can obtain a prescriber’s NPI from other sources, a Medical Assistance Bulletin mandates that prescribing practitioners include their NPI on program prescriptions. 
    Space for DEA number (not the number) – Pennsylvania and federal law requires that a physician’s DEA number must be included on prescriptions for controlled substances. Pennsylvania prohibits pre-printing of DEA numbers on prescription pads. It must be added at the time of the prescription, so a pre-printed prescription pad should only have a space where the DEA number can be written.
Please note that this article is limited to the requirements for physician identification numbers; it does not address other content requirements, such as regulations specifying language regarding generic substitution, additional content requirements for controlled substances prescriptions, or requirements for physician assistants or CRNPs. 

If you have any questions regarding the requirements for writing prescriptions, please contact Amy Green, associate director of governmental affairs at the Pennsylvania Medical Society, at (800) 228-7823, ext. 2648.

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Comments: 4


Maybe the Society could mock up some suitable prescription pads in different styles, that one could add one's numbers, then take to the printer and know that the requirements are all met.

jpnelson40 at 5/7/2011 2:19:03 PM


If the trend is toward NPIs then that should be the ONLY required number. Pharmacies and appropriate organizations could then access whatever database cross reference needed. I agree the government should be striving to reduce the hassle factors in caring for patients, not adding "just one more."

anonymous at 4/30/2011 5:48:42 AM


one more regulation that makes life easier for govt, harder for physicians, more expensive for physicians, no cost for anyone else!!! no wonder I will not encourage my children to pursue this profession!!!!!!!

anonymous at 4/29/2011 7:56:23 AM


Why so many numbers - I have a spreadsheet at my office with ten to twelve numbers for each clinician on my staff - The various governments, who are desperate for primary care physicians, are creating an unnecessary burden - MRG

anonymous at 4/28/2011 6:06:19 PM

Last Updated: 5/5/2011
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