This week, the CMS NPPES registry recorded 172 deactivations within the Physicians segment across the United States. Of these, 171 records had retrievable names, while one record was scrubbed of identifying information by CMS in accordance with its privacy policy. New York led all states with 24 deactivations during the period of May 11-17, 2026.
Geographic Deactivation Trends
Geographically, New York accounted for the highest number of physician NPI deactivations this week, with 24 records, representing 14% of the national total. California followed with 16 deactivations, comprising 9%. Florida recorded 12 deactivations, or 7%. New Jersey and Pennsylvania each saw 10 deactivations, both at 6% of the total. Massachusetts and Texas each reported 8 deactivations, or 5%. Ohio and Washington each had 7 deactivations, accounting for 4%. This concentration in states with large populations and established healthcare infrastructures is a consistent pattern in NPI registry activity, reflecting the broader distribution of the U.S. physician workforce and typical rates of administrative changes.
Specialty Mix in Deactivations
Among the 171 named deactivated records, Family Medicine was the most frequently observed primary specialty, accounting for 19 deactivations, or 11%. Internal Medicine followed closely with 16 deactivations, representing 9%. Pediatrics and Psychiatry each saw 14 deactivations, both at 8%. Obstetrics & Gynecology recorded 10 deactivations, or 6%. Other notable specialties included Anesthesiology with 8 deactivations (5%), and Diagnostic Radiology and Emergency Medicine, each with 7 deactivations (4%). This mix of primary care and various medical and surgical specialties suggests a typical cross-section of the physician workforce undergoing administrative NPI status changes.
Context of NPI Deactivations
NPI deactivations are an administrative status change within the federal registry and do not, by themselves, indicate a license action, malpractice, or that a provider has ceased practicing. These changes are a routine part of registry maintenance, reflecting various administrative events such as providers obtaining new NPIs, retiring, changing their entity type, or having their records retired for clerical reasons. The consistent occurrence of deactivations year over year is a natural consequence of the registry's ongoing evolution and the dynamic nature of the U.S. healthcare workforce.
