Office Administrator (OA) Change Tips: How to Answer the Continued Access Question in an OA Change Request

When completing an OA change request, users will see the question “Do you want the existing user to continue to have access to this NPI?” with answer choices of yes or no. This answer determines future access for NPIs previously associated with the OA.

Selecting yes means all other users (previously associated with the NPI) will remain associated with the NPI. Selecting no means most other users will NOT remain associated with the NPI. Regardless of answering yes or no, all existing owners and managing relationship (MR) users will remain associated with the NPI.

What Happens to Users When Yes is Selected?

When yes is selected, the user administrators, general users, MR users and/or enrollment specialists of the previous OA will be transferred to the new OA.

The previous OA and MR users will still have access to the NPI on the Status and Management page because they are still an owner/MR user. The previous OA is still able to submit manage change requests (MCRs), re-verification and re-enrollment applications on behalf of the provider. The new OA must complete an MCR to end-date all owner/MR user relationships that are no longer associated with the NPI. If the new OA wishes to terminate a user’s access to the NPI, they can update the user’s access via the User Maintenance function.

What Happens to Users When No is Selected?

When no is selected, only the previous OA and any MR users for that NPI will be transferred to the new OA. No other previous users will be transferred to the new OA.

The previous OA and MR users will still have access to the NPI on the Status and Management page because they are still an owner/MR user. The previous OA is still able to submit MCRs, re-verification and re-enrollment applications on behalf of the provider. The new OA must complete an MCR to end-date all owner/MR user relationships that are no longer associated with the NPI. If the new OA wishes to terminate a user’s access to the NPI, they can update the user’s access via the User Maintenance function.

When Should I Select Yes or No?

The answer you select may also depend on whether you are an individual or part of an organization. Below are examples for individual providers and organizations.

Scenarios for When to Select Yes or No for Organization NPIs

Select yes if the OA transfer is within the same organization.

Examples – the previous OA is John Doe at ABC Practice:

  1. John Doe leaves  (retires, resigns, is fired, etc.) and Jane Smith is taking over.
  2. XYZ acquired ABC Practice and is keeping the same employees from ABC Practice, and Jane smith will be the OA for ABC Practice.
  3. OA John Doe lost access to his NCID and had to get a new NCID.

Select no if the OA transfer is not from within the same organization.

  • Example: XYZ acquired ABC Practice and is not keeping the same users from ABC Practice and Jane Smith will be the OA for ABC Practice.

Scenarios for When to Select Yes or No for Individual NPIs

Select yes if the OA transfer is within the same organization.

Examples – the previous OA is John Doe at ABC Practice:

  1. John Doe leaves  (retires, resigns, is fired, etc.) and Jane Smith is taking over.
  2. The practitioner is taking over ownership of their own individual provider record but wants the existing users to still have access to the NPI.
  3. OA John Doe lost access to his NCID and had to get a new NCID.

Select no if the OA transfer is not from within the same organization.

Example – the previous OA is John Doe at ABC Practice:

  • The practitioner no longer works at ABC Practice and is exclusively at XYZ; ABC Practice no longer needs access to the practitioner’s record.

 

More information on the OA change process and common questions can be found on the FAQ page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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