What identifies the rendering provider on the CMS-1500?

• A. The rendering provider is identified by the provider’s name and license number in the provider information section.
• B. The physician's medical license number alone identifies the rendering provider.
• C. The rendering provider is identified by the provider’s name, NPI, and often the TIN in the provider information section.
• D. The billing provider's name.

Answer: (C)

The rendering provider is identified on the CMS-1500 by the provider’s name together with the National Provider Identifier (NPI), and often the Tax Identification Number (TIN) in the provider information section. The NPI is the standard, unique identifier used across payers for individual clinicians, so including the NPI ensures the precise clinician who performed the service is linked to the claim. The name provides human readability, and the TIN may be included for tax and practice identification if applicable. License numbers aren’t used alone because they aren’t a universal, payer-facing identifier and can vary by state; the billing provider’s name is the entity billing the claim, not the clinician who rendered the service.