DenialCode.com
Free Healthcare Billing Reference

Medical Denial Code
Lookup Tool

Instantly find explanations, causes, and resolution steps for every Claim Adjustment Reason Code (CARC) and Remark Code.

Popular: CO-16 CO-45 PR-1 CO-29 CO-4 CO-45 Remark Code
4,524+
Denial Codes
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Group Code Types
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2024
Updated CARC List
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What Are Denial Codes?

Claim Adjustment Reason Codes (CARC) explain why a payment differs from what was billed. Every 835 ERA and EOB uses these standardized codes.

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How to Use This Tool

Search any code or keyword above. Each page includes the full description, common causes, resolution steps, and appeal guidance.

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Remark Codes Too

Each denial code page also links to a dedicated Remark Code page — optimized for providers searching for ERA remark code context.

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Appeal Your Denial

Most denials are reversible. Our guides walk you through the correct steps to correct, resubmit, or formally appeal each denial type.

Claim Adjustment Reason Codes
Showing 4,524 codes — click any code for full explanation and resolution steps
Code Description View
1091RENTAL CAP EXCEEDED RENTAL CAP EXCEEDEDDetails →
1092NCCI DENIAL FOR COMPREHENSIVE/COMPONENT PROCEDURE NATIONAL CORRECT CODING INITIATIVE …Details →
1093NCCI DENIAL FOR MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE PROCEDURES NATIONAL CORRECT CODING INITIATIVE DENI…Details →
1094NATIONAL CORRECT CODING POLICY MANUAL GUIDELINE NATIONAL CORRECT CODING POLICY MANUAL…Details →
1095CLINICAL TRIAL REQUIRES APPROPRIATE DIAGNOSIS CLINICAL TRIAL REQUIRES APPROPRIATE DIA…Details →
1096COMPONENT OF CRITICAL CARE SERVICE COMPONENT OF CRITICAL CARE SERVICEDetails →
1097CO-SURGEONS CANNOT BE SAME SUBSPECIALTY CO-SURGEONS CANNOT BE SAME SUBSPECIALTYDetails →
1098REDUCTION FOR IONIC CONTRAST MEDIA REDUCTION FOR IONIC CONTRAST MEDIADetails →
1099EXCEEDS COVERAGE GUIDELINES EXCEEDS COVERAGE GUIDELINESDetails →
1100INVALID AGE FOR SERVICE PROVIDED INVALID AGE FOR SERVICE PROVIDEDDetails →
1101CPT RECODED TO A CMS DESIGNATED ALTERNATE HCPCS C CPT RECODED TO A CMS DESIGNATED ALT…Details →
1102HCPCS RECODED BASED ON AGE HCPCS RECODED BASED ON AGEDetails →
1103GENDER-SPECIFIC PROCEDURE PRIOVIDER ASSIGNED A GENDER-SPECIFIC PROCEDURE TO A PATIENT…Details →
1104HCPCS RECODED BASED ON GENDER HCPCS RECODED BASED ON GENDERDetails →
1105INCLUDED IN GLOBAL FEE INCLUDED IN GLOBAL FEEDetails →
1106CPT CODE NOT VALID FOR DOS CPT CODE NOT VALID FOR THIS DATE OF SERVICE. PLEASE RESUBM…Details →
1107CONVENIENCE ITEM - DOES NOT MEET DEFINITION OF DM CONVENIENCE ITEM - DOES NOT MEET DE…Details →
1108SERVICE CAN ONLY BE BILLED TO DMERC SERVICE CAN ONLY BE BILLED TO DMERCDetails →
1109DUPLICATE SERVICE WITHIN 30 DAYS DUPLICATE SERVICE WITHIN 30 DAYSDetails →
1110DUPLICATE SERVICE ON SAME DAY DUPLICATE SERVICE ON SAME DAYDetails →
1111DIAGNOSIS INAPPROPRIATE FOR AGE DIAGNOSIS INAPPROPRIATE FOR AGEDetails →
1112DIAGNOSIS INAPPROPRIATE FOR GENDER DIAGNOSIS INAPPROPRIATE FOR GENDERDetails →
1113PRINCIPAL DIAGNOSIS INAPPROPRIATELY CODED PRINCIPAL DIAGNOSIS INAPPROPRIATELY CODEDDetails →
1114E & M LEVEL OF SERVICE RECODED E & MLEVEL OF SERVICE RECODEDDetails →
1115E/M SERVICE INAPPROPRIATELY CODED E/M SERVICE INAPPROPRIATELY CODEDDetails →
1116EXCEEDS CLINICAL GUIDELINES THIS MANY SERVICES, THIS LENGTH OF SERVICE, THIS DOSAGE O…Details →
1117EXPERIMENTAL/INVESTIGATIONAL PROCEDURE/TREATMENT IS DEEMED EXPERIMENTAL/INVESTIGATION…Details →
1118THIS DATE OF SERVICE IS AFTER THE PATIENT'S DEATH THIS DATE OF SERVICE IS AFTER THE P…Details →
1119RESUBMIT WITH APPROPRIATE MEDICARE G CODE RESUBMIT WITH APPROPRIATE MEDICARE G CODEDetails →
1120ADJUSTMENT ADJUSTMENT FOR COMPONENT OF PROFESSIONAL, TECHNICAL OR GLOBAL SERVICESDetails →
1121PARTIAL HOSPITALIZATION REQUIRES MENTAL HEALTH DI PARTIAL HOSPITALIZATION REQUIRES ME…Details →
1122INCLUDED IN PHYSICAL MEDICINE SERVICE INCLUDED IN PHYSICAL MEDICINE SERVICEDetails →
1123INCLUDE IN MONTHLY RENTAL FEE INCLUDE IN MONTHLY RENTAL FEEDetails →
1124INCLUDED IN OTHER CODE INCLUDED IN OTHER CODEDetails →
1125PROCEDURE CODE IS AN "INCIDENT TO" SERVICE PROCEDURE CODE IS AN "INCIDENT TO" SERVICEDetails →
1126REIMBURSEMENT FOR SERVICE IS INCLUDED REIMBURSEMENT FOR SERVICE IS INCLUDED IN THE PA…Details →
1127PLEASE CODE ICD9 TO HIGHEST LEVEL PLEASE CODE ICD9 TO HIGHEST LEVEL OF SPECIFICITY US…Details →
1128MODIFIER INAPPROPRIATE FOR PROCEDURE MODIFIER INAPPROPRIATE FOR PROCEDUREDetails →
1129SERVICE PART OF AN INPATIENT ONLY PROCEDURE SERVICE PART OF AN INPATIENT ONLY PROCEDU…Details →
1130INVALID REVENUE CODE INVALID REVENUE CODEDetails →
1131SEPARATE PROCEDURES NOT SEPARATELY PAYABLE SEPARATE PROCEDURES NOT SEPARATELY PAYABLEDetails →
1132IMPLANT PROCEDURE REQUIRES IMPLANT DEVICE IMPLANT PROCEDURE REQUIRES IMPLANT DEVICEDetails →
1133EXCEED LAB PANEL PRICE PRICE OF LAB PANEL COMPONENTS EXCEED LAB PANEL PRICEDetails →
1134RECODED TO THE LEAST COSTLY ALTERNATIVE RECODED TO THE LEAST COSTLY ALTERNATIVEDetails →
1135MODIFIER REMOVED MODIFIER REMOVED, TERMINATED PROCEDURE CANNOT BE BILLED BILATERALLYDetails →
1136SITE OF SERVICE DIFFERENTIAL SITE OF SERVICE DIFFERENTIALDetails →
1137MULTIPLE ENDOSCOPY REVIEW MULTIPLE ENDOSCOPY REVIEWDetails →
1138OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT LIMITATION APPL…Details →
1139MODIFIER INAPPROPRIATELY CODED MODIFIER INAPPROPRIATELY CODEDDetails →
1140CPT MODIFIER IS NOT VALID CPT MODIFIER IS NOT VALIDDetails →
1141MODIFIER CA ONLY ALLOWED ONCE PER DOS MODIFIER CA ONLY ALLOWED ONCE PER DATE OF SERVI…Details →
1142MODIFIER DENOTES FULL OR PARTIAL DEVICE CREDIT MODIFIER DENOTES FULL OR PARTIAL DEVIC…Details →
1143MODIFIERS RE-ORDERED MODIFIERS RE-ORDEREDDetails →
1144SERVICE CODE IS INCONSISTENT THE SERVICE CODE IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE MODIFIER USED …Details →
1145MODIFIER INAPPROPRIATE FOR PROVIDER TYPE MODIFIER INAPPROPRIATE FOR PROVIDER TYPEDetails →
1146MODIFIER INAPPROPRIATE FOR PLACE OF SERVICE MODIFIER INAPPROPRIATE FOR PLACE OF SERVI…Details →
1147MODIFIER ADJUSTMENT MODIFIER ADJUSTMENTDetails →
1148ONLY ONE ANESTHESIA SERVICE PER OPERATIVE SESSION ONLY ONE ANESTHESIA SERVICE PER OPE…Details →
1149MULTIPLE NUCLEAR MEDICINE STUDIES MULTIPLE NUCLEAR MEDICINE STUDIESDetails →
1150MULTIPLE PROCEDURE REVIEW MULTIPLE PROCEDURE REVIEWDetails →

Understanding Medical Claim Denial Codes

Medical claim denial codes — formally known as Claim Adjustment Reason Codes (CARC) — are standardized identifiers maintained by the X12 standards body and used across all Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial payer 835 electronic remittance transactions. When a claim is paid at a different amount than billed, at least one CARC code must accompany the remittance advice to indicate the specific reason for the adjustment.

The most frequently encountered codes include CO-16 (missing or invalid claim information), CO-45 (charges exceeding fee schedule), PR-1 (patient deductible), CO-29 (timely filing deadline exceeded), and CO-4 (procedure code inconsistent with modifier). Each represents a distinct, actionable reason that has a defined resolution pathway.