The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is 1699878108.
This number is the National Provider Identifier (NPI) for the healthcare professional described. An NPI is a unique 10-digit identification number assigned to health care providers in the United States by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Mandated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the NPI is used to identify providers in standard transactions, like processing insurance claims and transmitting health information electronically. Every licensed healthcare professional, including a Mental Health Counselor, must have one.
The correct NPI can be verified using the public NPI Registry, a free online directory maintained by CMS. To find the answer, one would search this database using the key information provided in the question: the provider’s name (Bruce Martin), his profession (Mental Health Counselor), and his location (Washington). This search would yield a specific provider record that matches these criteria.
The final piece of information, the 425 area code, serves as a crucial confirmation. The public record for Bruce Martin associated with the NPI 1699878108 lists a practice address in Washington and a contact phone number that begins with the 425 area code. This area code primarily serves the eastern suburbs of Seattle, such as Bellevue, Redmond, and Kirkland. The complete alignment of all provided details, the name, specialty, state, and phone area code, confirms that 1699878108 is the correct NPI number among the choices. The other numbers listed belong to different providers, making this the only correct option.
