ðə tɹænsˈɪʃən tə ðɪ ˌɛnpˌiːˈaɪ wʌz mændˈeɪɾᵻd æz pˈɑːɹt ʌvðɪ ɐdmˈɪnɪstɹˌeɪɾɪv sˌɪmplɪfɪkˈeɪʃənz pˈoːɹʃən ʌvðə hˈɛlθ ɪnʃˈʊɹɹəns pˌoːɹɾəbˈɪlᵻɾi ænd ɐkˌaʊntəbˈɪlᵻɾi ˈækt ʌv nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɪks hˈɪpɑː.
The transition to the NPI was mandated as part of the Administrative Simplifications portion of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).