How to update missing information in physician directory on medicare.gov

Health care providers who find themselves or practices not listed in the Care Compare directory on medicare.gov may need to update their enrollment information in internet-based PECOS (Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System). This can be done by submitting the appropriate paper form or using PECOS.

If health care professionals have not sent in a Medicare application to report any changes to their Medicare enrollment information since November 2003, they may not have enrollment records in PECOS. These individuals will need to submit an initial Medicare enrollment application.

Health care providers can click here to search the Care Compare directory to confirm if they and/or their practice are listed.

Note: If you have made an update in PECOS and don’t see the change reflected in the directory, be patient. There is usually a two- to three-month lag for any changes made in PECOS to be reflected in the Care Compare directory.

See below for the enrollment options that can be performed via PECOS to address missing practice locations, incorrect practice locations, an outdated practice location, a partially incorrect practice location, or duplicate practice locations:

• Establish a new enrollment record -- for individual physicians or healthcare professionals who do not have an established enrollment record in PECOS
• Change to an existing enrollment record -- for individuals with at least one existing enrollment in PECOS and wants to report a change of information for the enrollment record
• Add or change reassignment of benefits -- for individuals who want to add, change, or end an existing reassignment of benefits
• Reactivation of enrollment or voluntary withdrawal -- for individuals who want to reactivate an existing enrollment record that has been deactivated or voluntarily withdraws from Medicare program. When a physician or other healthcare professional retires, surrenders his or her license for any reason, or chooses to no longer participate in the Medicare program, he/she should voluntarily withdraw from the Medicare program.

For instruction on how to submit these types of changes using a paper form, please click here to navigate to the appropriate area of the medicare.gov website.