Eye and Vision Services Providers / 156FX1202X
Individual · specialization
156FX1202X Optometric Technician
156FX1202X is the taxonomy code for Optometric Technician, a specialization of Technician/Technologist, in the NUCC group “Eye and Vision Services Providers”. It is a code for individual providers — the kind used on a Type 1 NPI. It has no entry in the CMS Medicare taxonomy crosswalk.
- 1Taxonomy code 156FX1202X
- 2Level Specialization
- 3Medicare specialty Not in the crosswalk
- 4Codes in this group 17
Definition
An optometric technician assists optometrists by performing duties, including but not limited to, basic eye testing, diagnostic tests, and assistance with corrective lenses.
— NUCC Health Care Provider Taxonomy, version 26.1
Where 156FX1202X sits
- Group: Eye and Vision Services Providers — code 16 of 17 in the group
- Classification: Technician/Technologist 156F00000X
- Specialization: Optometric Technician 156FX1202X
Choose 156FX1202X over the general Technician/Technologist code (156F00000X) when the provider's training or certification is specifically in optometric technician; the general code covers the classification as a whole. A provider may report more than one taxonomy code on an NPI but marks one as primary.
Medicare
156FX1202X has no entry in the CMS Medicare Provider and Supplier Taxonomy Crosswalk. That usually means Medicare does not enroll this kind of provider under its own specialty — the provider can still hold an NPI and use this code on claims to other payers.
Related codes
| Code | Technician/Technologist — other specializations |
|---|---|
| 156FX1101X | Ophthalmic Assistant |
| 156FX1800X | Optician |
| 156FX1201X | Optometric Assistant |
| 156FX1900X | Orthoptist |
The nearest 4 of 9 other codes under Technician/Technologist; all are on the group page.
History of 156FX1202X
NUCC's earliest recorded change to 156FX1202X is from 2024 (modified definition).
- 2024-01-01 — modified definition
Find providers with 156FX1202X
Using 156FX1202X
The code goes in the taxonomy field of the NPI application in NPPES, and on claims where a payer asks for it — box 24J (shaded) or 33b on the CMS-1500 with the ZZ qualifier, or the PRV segment of an 837 electronic claim. Payers match it against the taxonomy on the NPI record and, for Medicare, against the specialty on the enrollment, so all three should agree. To see which code a provider uses, search their NPI in the lookup.
Sources: NUCC Health Care Provider Taxonomy code set, version 26.1 (CSV). Checked 2026-10-24. Methodology.