The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is 1699878108.
To find the correct National Provider Identifier (NPI) number for Dr. Joseph Brown, it is necessary to cross-reference the information provided in the question with a public database. The key details are the provider’s name (Joseph Brown), his specialty (Plastic Surgeon), his location (Florida), and the clue that his phone number has an 813 area code.
The NPI is a unique 10-digit identification number for covered health care providers in the United States. It is issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and is used in standard transactions like processing health insurance claims. Information associated with each NPI is publicly available through the NPPES (National Plan and Provider Enumeration System) NPI Registry.
A search in this public registry for a plastic surgeon named Joseph Brown practicing in Florida yields a specific result. The NPI 1699878108 is assigned to Dr. Joseph Frank Brown, whose specialty is listed as Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. His practice location is in Tampa, Florida. The most critical piece of verifying information is his practice phone number, which begins with the 813 area code. This area code serves the Tampa Bay region, perfectly aligning with all the details mentioned in the prompt.
By systematically verifying each piece of information from the question against the official NPI registry data, we can confidently identify the correct provider. The name, specialty, state, and specific area code all point directly to the NPI number 1699878108. The other NPI numbers listed as options belong to different providers or do not match the combination of criteria given. Therefore, the first option is the only one that satisfies all the conditions outlined in the problem.
