Free tool · Official CMS and OIG data
NPI lookup with OIG exclusion check
Find any provider in the national NPI Registry and see, in the same result, whether they appear on the federal list of people and businesses barred from Medicare and Medicaid.
Search the NPI Registry
Every result is automatically checked against the OIG exclusion list.
What most practices don’t know
per item or service is the maximum civil penalty for billing federal health programs through someone you knew or should have known was excluded, plus up to 3 times the amount claimed.
Source: 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7a (civil monetary penalties)of the 84,094 people and businesses on OIG’s exclusion list include an NPI. Searching by NPI alone misses about 94% of them, so name checks matter.
Source: HHS OIG, LEIE downloadable database. Our count from OIG’s September 2026 file.counts, not just clinicians. OIG’s rule covers anyone you hire whose work is paid for directly or indirectly by Medicare or Medicaid, including billing and administrative staff.
Source: HHS OIG, Background Information and Exclusion Authoritiesis how often OIG updates the list, by the 10th of each month. A check from last quarter can already be out of date.
Source: HHS OIG, Exclusions database helpWhat this check can and can’t tell you
- A name match is not proof. OIG says to confirm a possible match with the person’s Social Security number (or a business’s EIN) on its own search site; the downloadable list doesn’t include them.
- This check covers the federal OIG list. It doesn’t yet cover SAM.gov exclusions or the separate lists kept by state Medicaid programs, which many payers also expect you to check.
- People can appear under a former name. Check maiden names and other names a new hire has used.
- The NPI Registry is self-reported by providers. License numbers shown there are not verified by CMS; confirm licenses with the state board.
- An NPI can show as active even if a license has lapsed. NPI status and license status are separate.
How to screen staff the right way
- Before hiring or contracting: check every candidate by name, every former name, and NPI if they have one.
- Confirm any possible match on OIG’s own search with the person’s Social Security number before acting.
- Re-check everyone monthly, after OIG’s update around the 10th. People can be excluded after you hire them.
- Keep a dated record of every check. If an auditor asks, the record shows you did your part.
- Include vendors and contractors whose services are billed to Medicare or Medicaid, such as billing companies and staffing agencies.
Questions
What is an NPI number?
A National Provider Identifier is a unique 10-digit number that CMS assigns to health care providers and organizations in the US. It is used on every claim to Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers.
Where does this NPI data come from?
From the official CMS NPPES NPI Registry, fetched live when you search. The OIG exclusion check uses OIG’s List of Excluded Individuals and Entities, refreshed from OIG’s monthly file.
How can I tell if an NPI number is real?
Every NPI ends in a check digit calculated with the Luhn formula and the prefix 80840. The tool tells you as you type whether the number passes that check; a number that fails can’t be a real NPI.
What does “No match on the OIG exclusion list” mean?
No current exclusion was found under that NPI or name in OIG’s latest monthly list. It doesn’t cover SAM.gov or state Medicaid lists, and someone excluded under a different name won’t match.
What should I do if there is a possible match?
Don’t assume it’s the same person. Confirm on OIG’s own search by entering the person’s Social Security number. If it is confirmed, stop billing federal programs for their services and get compliance advice.
Do I need to check staff who aren’t clinicians?
Yes. OIG’s rule applies to anyone whose work is paid for directly or indirectly by federal health programs, including billing, administrative and management staff. Use the exclusion check mode for people without an NPI.
How often should I check?
Before hiring and then regularly. OIG updates its list monthly, so many compliance programs re-check everyone monthly.
Why does a provider show as active if their license expired?
NPI status and license status are separate. An NPI stays active unless it is deactivated, so confirm licenses with the state licensing board.
Can I save the result?
Yes. Use “Print or save as PDF” to keep a dated record of the screening.
Is my search stored?
No. NPI searches go to the CMS registry without being saved, and the exclusion check runs in your browser.
Sources
- HHS OIG, Background Information and Exclusion Authorities
- HHS OIG, Exclusions database help
- HHS OIG, LEIE downloadable database
- 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7a (civil monetary penalties)
- CMS NPPES NPI Registry
- OIG Special Advisory Bulletin on the Effect of Exclusion (2013), summary
This tool gives information from public government data, not legal or compliance advice. Confirm any possible exclusion match on OIG’s website before taking action.