CO-29: Timely Filing Limit Expired

What Does CO-29 Mean?

With CO (Contractual Obligation), the CARC 29 denial for timely filing limit expired is the provider's contractual responsibility. The patient is not liable for this amount. However, the provider may appeal with supporting clinical or administrative documentation if the denial is believed to be in error.

CARC 29 indicates timely filing limit expired. The payer rejected the claim because it was not received within the required filing deadline specified by the payer's guidelines or the provider contract.

Common scenarios that trigger this adjustment include: provider failed to submit the claim within the payer's timely filing limit (typically 90 days to 1 year from date of service); Waiting for primary payer adjudication caused the secondary claim to miss the filing deadline; Original claim was denied and the corrected resubmission exceeded the timely filing limit. The group code paired with CARC 29 determines who bears the financial responsibility — CO places it on the provider as a contractual obligation, OA indicates a coordination of benefits or other payer adjustment, PR shifts it to the patient.

Common Causes

How to Resolve

1. Review the denial Examine the CO-29 denial and any RARC codes to understand the specific basis for the coverage determination.
2. Gather supporting documentation Collect medical records, clinical notes, authorization documents, or other evidence that supports the medical necessity or coverage of the denied service.
3. File the appeal Appeal with proof of timely filing: EDI acceptance report (not just submission report), clearinghouse timestamp, 997/999 EDI acknowledgment, or MAC portal confirmation. For extenuating circumstances (system outages, natural disasters), provide documentation of the barrier. Medicare requires Redetermination within 120 days. Without proof of timely filing, the appeal will likely fail.
4. Track the appeal outcome Monitor the appeal status and follow up as needed. If denied again, consider further levels of appeal if available.

Common RARC Pairings

The RARC code tells you exactly what triggered the CO-29:

How to Prevent CO-29

• Submit claims within 48-72 hours of service date
• Implement automated filing deadline reminders and alerts
• Track pending claims with aging reports
• Submit secondary claims promptly after receiving primary EOB
• Monitor clearinghouse transmission confirmations
• Maintain a filing deadline calendar for each payer

Also Filed As

The same CARC 29 may appear with different Group Codes:

Related Denial Codes