OA-96: Non-Covered Charges

What Does OA-96 Mean?

When paired with Group Code OA, CARC 96 (Non-Covered Charges) is processed as an adjustment outside the standard CO/PR classifications. This typically occurs in secondary payer or coordination of benefits scenarios. Review the remittance details and the COB arrangement to determine financial responsibility and appropriate next steps.

CARC 96 indicates non-covered charges. The payer determined that the service or a portion of it does not meet coverage criteria under the patient's current plan benefits or the applicable coverage rules.

Common scenarios that trigger this adjustment include: the payer determines that the billed service, procedure, or supply is explicitly excluded from coverage under the patient's policy, including experimental treatments, cosmetic procedures, or alternative therapies; The wrong CPT code, missing modifier, or unsupported diagnosis code was submitted, causing the payer's system to classify a covered service as non-covered; The provider is not in the payer's network and no prior authorization was obtained for out-of-network services, resulting in the charge being classified as non-covered under the contractual terms. The group code paired with CARC 96 determines who bears the financial responsibility — CO places it on the provider as a contractual obligation, PR shifts it to the patient, OA indicates a coordination of benefits or other payer adjustment.

How to Resolve

1. Review the coordination of benefits Examine the OA-96 adjustment to understand how it fits within the primary/secondary payer relationship or other multi-payer context.
2. Verify primary payer adjudication Review the primary payer's EOB to understand the basis for the secondary payer's OA adjustment.
3. Determine the responsible party Based on the COB review, identify whether the adjustment should be absorbed, billed to another payer, or if additional documentation is needed.
4. Appeal or resubmit if needed If the OA adjustment appears incorrect based on the COB arrangement, submit an appeal or corrected claim with the appropriate documentation.
5. Follow up Monitor the claim status and take additional action as needed based on the COB determination.

How to Prevent OA-96

• Maintain accurate coordination of benefits information
• Verify secondary payer requirements before claim submission

Also Filed As

The same CARC 96 may appear with different Group Codes:

Related Denial Codes