NPDB Insights - November 2024

Is It Reportable?

A patient made a written demand for a refund for services and, in response, the practitioner made the payment out of her personal funds. Should the payment be reported to the NPDB?

No. A refund made by an individual out of personal funds should not be reported to the NPDB. However, if the practitioner's malpractice insurer reimburses the practitioner for her out-of-pocket expenses, the insurer must report the payment.

Identity Verification Troubleshooting

Using a Personal ID.me Account for the NPDB

What Is ID.me?

ID.me is an identity verification service operated by a trusted technology provider. ID.me is certified using federal standards to provide secure login and identity verification. ID.me is used by the Department of Health and Human Services and many other federal and state agencies. Using ID.me for multi-factor authentication, or MFA, and identity verification safeguards your account.

As part of the federal government, the NPDB takes information security seriously. Because of this, we use ID.me to comply with the federal government's cybersecurity requirements.

You can only have one verified ID.me account because it is tied to your individual identity. If you already have an ID.me account that is identity verified, it is important that you use that same account to complete identity verification for the NPDB. Even if you have already completed identity verification for a different organization, you may have to provide additional information to complete identity verification for the NPDB.

After completing identity verification for the NPDB, you have the option to add additional email addresses to your verified account.

For additional help resolving issues with multiple ID.me accounts, ID.me provides the following resources:

• What to do if you have a duplicate account Exit Image
• Troubleshooting merged accounts Exit Image
• How to use an email address that’s on your duplicate account Exit Image
• Setting up your account for work Exit Image
• ID.me Help Center for NPDB Users Exit Image

Dear NPDB

How do I know if my state board is compliant with the NPDB?

You can check the compliance status of your state licensing and certification authority (or state board) at any time by visiting our Compliance Map. Select a state to view the results for each profession or filter by profession to view its compliance status across all states and territories.

What Is Compliance, and How Does My State Board Attest?

As part of the NPDB's ongoing mission to improve health care quality, protect the public, and reduce health care fraud and abuse in the U.S., the Health Resources and Services Administration, or HRSA, reviews the completeness and accuracy of reports that state boards submit to the NPDB. HRSA does this by comparing the publicly available data regarding adverse actions taken by certain state boards and certification agencies to the actions submitted to the NPDB by state boards. We call this our compliance review.

Every 2 years all organizations must renew their registration and attest. As part of attestation, all state boards review and verify the professions they regulate. After attestation, you can view your Compliance Summary, which includes your compliance status. Your Compliance Summary also states whether you are selected for a compliance review, and whether you have any actions to take regarding a compliance review.

What Happens if My State Board Is Not Compliant?

There are two possible scenarios which require a response:

• Data Required: If you see a "data required notice" on your Compliance Summary, it means that we could not find public data from your website regarding adverse actions taken by your board for certain professions. To reconcile this, follow the instructions to complete a data worksheet and return it to us by the due date on the notice. The data worksheet must include all actions for the time period under review for the requested professions on the notice. For more information regarding reportable actions, visit the NPDB Guide to Reporting State Licensure Actions.
• Unmatched Actions: If we identify reportable adverse actions within our review timeframe that cannot be matched to a report, your Compliance Summary will indicate an unmatched action and a due date by which it must be resolved. There are three ways to resolve an unmatched action:
  • Submit a report of the action
  • Provide the report number if the action was reported
  • Provide information citing NPDB regulations proving that the action is not reportable

All reportable actions must be submitted within 30 days of the action being taken. Even if your state board is behind in reporting, you are still required to submit all reportable actions as soon as possible.

Need help? Visit the resources listed below, or contact your compliance officer (using the information on the top right corner of your account's Compliance Summary page)–they're here to help!

• Compliance Status Definitions
• State Board Compliance Overview Infographic
• State Licensing and Certification Agencies
• About Compliance