PTAN Lookup and Request Tool

Published 09/21/2023

The Railroad Medicare PTAN Lookup and Request Tool is an online tool that allows providers to obtain their Railroad Medicare Provider Transaction Access Number (PTAN) or request a new Railroad Medicare PTAN. This tool replaces the "Request for Railroad Medicare PTAN for Electronic Submitters" form. You can access the tool at www.PalmettoGBA.com/RR/PTAN.

Last Reviewed: 9/21/2023

To look up an existing Railroad Medicare PTAN for an individual provider or supplier (physician, nonphysician practitioner, ambulance, laboratory, ambulatory surgical center, etc.), enter the following:

  • PTAN assigned to the individual provider or supplier by the local Part B MAC
  • Individual NPI
  • Last five digits of Tax Identification Number (TIN)*

* If the provider is enrolled under a Social Security Number (SSN), please call our Provider Contact Center at 888–355–9165 for assistance. Choose option 3 for Provider Enrollment.

Look up an existing Railroad Medicare PTAN for a group/practice, enter the following:

  • PTAN* assigned to the group/practice by the local Part B MAC
  • Group/practice NPI
  • Last five digits of Tax Identification Number (TIN)

* If the Railroad Medicare PTAN is linked to multiple NPI numbers, please call our Provider Contact Center at 888–355–9165 for assistance. Choose option 3 for Provider Enrollment.

If you are employed by a clearinghouse or third-party biller, you must contact the provider to obtain the PTAN.

Last Reviewed: 9/21/2023

Please make sure that both the Part B MAC PTAN and the NPI you are entering are correct for the individual provider or the group provider you are trying to look up. A common error we see is a provider entering a group MAC PTAN with group member’s individual NPI, or an individual MAC PTAN with a group’s NPI. If you are looking up an individual provider, you must enter an individual MAC PTAN and an individual NPI. If you are looking up a group provider, you must enter a group MAC PTAN and a group NPI.

The PTAN Lookup and Request Tool is currently not able to look up an existing Railroad Medicare PTAN in the following circumstances:

  • The provider is enrolled under a Social Security Number (SSN) instead of under a Tax Identification Number (TIN)
  • The provider’s Railroad Medicare PTAN is not active

If one of those scenarios applies to you, please call our Provider Contact Center at 888–355–9165 for assistance. Choose option 3 for Provider Enrollment.

If you are employed by a clearinghouse or third-party biller, you must contact the provider to obtain the PTAN.

Last Reviewed: 9/21/2023

To request a new Railroad Medicare PTAN for an individual provider or supplier (physician, nonphysician practitioner, ambulance, laboratory, ambulatory surgical center, etc.), enter the following:

  • PTAN assigned to the provider or supplier by the local Part B MAC
  • NPI linked to the PTAN the request is for
  • Last five digits of Tax Identification Number (TIN)*

*If the provider is enrolled with their Part B MAC under a Social Security Number (SSN), please call our Provider Contact Center at 888–355–9165 for assistance. Choose option 3 for Provider Enrollment.

Last Reviewed: 9/21/2023

Please verify the date your Part B MAC PTAN was assigned, and allow 14 business days from that date before requesting a Railroad Medicare PTAN through the PTAN Lookup and Request Tool. Also, remember you should not request a Railroad Medicare PTAN until you have a Part B claim to submit for a Railroad Medicare patient.

Last Reviewed: 9/21/2023

The PTAN Lookup and Request Tool is currently not able to assign a new Railroad Medicare PTAN in the following circumstances:

  • The provider is enrolled under a Social Security Number (SSN) instead of under a Tax Identification Number (TIN)
  • The provider’s local Part B MAC PTAN is linked to multiple NPIs

If one of those scenarios applies to you, please call our Provider Contact Center at 888–355–9165 for assistance. Choose option 3 for Provider Enrollment.

If you are employed by a clearinghouse or third-party biller, please advise the provider to contact Provider Enrollment directly.

Last Reviewed: 9/21/2023

A new group PTAN will be created when a new group member PTAN is assigned to the first group member. Once enrollment for the new group has been completed with your local Part B MAC, and a group member has seen a Railroad Medicare patient, that provider will need to request a new Railroad Medicare PTAN using their new local MAC PTAN for the group member. We will verify their MAC PTAN enrollment and assign a new Railroad Medicare PTAN to the provider and create a new group PTAN at this time.

Last Reviewed: 9/21/2023

Please make sure you have allowed at least 30 days for processing and that you are entering the provider’s local Part B MAC PTAN, NPI and TIN exactly as you entered them on the request. The reference number you received is for documentation purposes only. You do not need to enter the reference number in the PTAN Lookup and Request tool when following up on your PTAN request.

If you are still unable to retrieve the PTAN, please call our Provider Contact Center at 888–355–9165 for assistance. Choose option 3 for Provider Enrollment.

Last Reviewed: 9/21/2023


Was this article helpful?