Taxonomy Code

A unique 10-character alphanumeric code assigned to healthcare providers that classifies their specialty, subspecialty, and provider type for use in electronic health transactions and claims submissions.

A taxonomy code is a 10-character alphanumeric code that identifies your specialty and subspecialty within the healthcare provider taxonomy system. It is maintained by the National Uniform Claim Committee and is used on your NPI registration, CAQH profile, and many payer enrollment applications. The taxonomy code system is hierarchical. The first level identifies the broad provider type (like Allopathic & Osteopathic Physicians). The second level identifies your specialty (like Internal Medicine). The third level identifies your subspecialty (like Cardiology). So a cardiologist might use taxonomy code 207RC0000X, where 207R is Internal Medicine and C0000X is the Cardiovascular Disease subspecialty. Why does this matter for credentialing? Because payers use your taxonomy code to determine which network you belong to and what services you are authorized to provide. If your taxonomy code says you are a family medicine physician but you are applying to a payer's cardiology network, there is going to be a problem. Providers can have multiple taxonomy codes on their NPI if they practice in more than one specialty. For example, an internist who also does geriatric medicine might have both the internal medicine and geriatric medicine taxonomy codes. Your primary taxonomy code should reflect your main area of practice. A common credentialing delay happens when the taxonomy code on your NPI does not match what you listed on your CAQH profile or payer application. Make sure your taxonomy codes are consistent everywhere. If you changed specialties or added a subspecialty, update your NPI, your CAQH profile, and your payer enrollment records. You can look up taxonomy codes at nucc.org. If you are unsure which code to use, check what other providers in your specialty use, or ask your credentialing specialist.