CO-250: Incorrect Attachment/Documentation Received
CO-250 means you sent the wrong document. Find the correct one, verify the patient and claim details, and resubmit.
What Does CO-250 Mean?
When paired with Group Code CO, the incorrect attachment is the provider's error and the provider bears responsibility for correcting it. The claim cannot be processed until the correct document is provided. The provider cannot transfer this cost to the patient.
CARC 250 indicates that the payer received an attachment or supporting document with your claim, but it was the wrong one. The document the payer actually needs has not been provided. This is distinct from CARC 251 (incomplete documentation) — with CARC 250, the problem is not that the document is missing pages or details, but that an entirely incorrect document was submitted.
Common scenarios include sending medical records for the wrong patient, attaching operative notes when office visit notes were requested, submitting an outdated version of a required document, or having an electronic attachment linking error where the wrong file was associated with the claim.
The accompanying RARC codes on the remittance advice are important because they specify what document the payer was expecting. Review these codes carefully before resubmitting to ensure you send the correct attachment the second time.
Common Causes
| Cause | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Wrong document attached to the claim The provider submitted the wrong attachment or documentation with the claim — the document received does not match what was requested or required | Most Common |
| Attachment for a different patient or claim The documentation submitted belongs to a different patient or a different claim number | Common |
| Incorrect version of documentation submitted An outdated or incorrect version of the required document was attached to the claim | Common |
| Document type does not match the request The payer requested a specific document type (e.g., operative notes) but received a different type (e.g., office notes) | Common |
| Electronic attachment submission error A system error caused the wrong electronic attachment to be linked to the claim during submission | Occasional |
How to Resolve
- Identify the expected document from RARC codes Review the remark codes to determine what specific document the payer needed.
- Locate the correct document Find the right document that matches the claim, patient, and date of service.
- Verify all identifiers before resubmitting Confirm the document matches the correct patient name, claim number, and date of service.
- Resubmit with the correct attachment Send the claim with the right document using the payer's preferred attachment method.
- Check electronic linking If using electronic submission, verify the attachment is correctly linked to the claim before transmitting.
The wrong document was submitted with the claim. Locate and submit the correct attachment, then resubmit the claim. An appeal is not appropriate — simply provide the correct documentation.
Common RARC Pairings
The RARC code tells you exactly what triggered the CO-250:
| RARC | Description |
|---|---|
| MA130 | Your claim contains incomplete and/or invalid information, and no appeal rights are afforded. Submit the correct document and resubmit the claim → |
| N479 | Missing/incomplete/invalid information. Identify the specific document needed and submit the correct attachment → |
How to Prevent CO-250
- Implement a quality check process for claim attachments before submission
- Verify that the attached document matches the claim number, patient name, and date of service
- Use electronic attachment systems with built-in validation to prevent mismatched documents
- Train staff on proper attachment procedures and document identification
- Maintain organized document management systems that make it easy to locate the correct records
- Double-check attachment selections before electronic claim submission
Also Filed As
The same CARC 250 may appear with different Group Codes:
Related Denial Codes
Sources
- https://x12.org/codes/claim-adjustment-reason-codes
- https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/ohs/health-it-advisory-council/apcd-advisory-group/data-submission-guide-workgroup/meeting-materials/6-30-22/carc-codes_final.pdf
- https://www.aapc.com/resources/claim-adjustment-reason-codes
- Codes maintained by X12. Visit x12.org for official definitions.