Updates to Publication 100-04, Chapters 1 and 27, to Replace Remittance Advice Remark (RARC) MA61 with N382

Change Request (CR) 10619 initiates both Medicare manual changes and operational changes related to the New Medicare Card. Medicare will replace the use of Remittance Advice Remark Code (RARC) MA61, referenced in the Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapters 1 and 27, with RARC N382 – missing/incomplete/invalid patient identifier (HICN or MBI). Effective for claims processed on or after the effective date of CR10619, MACs will use N382 in place of MA61 to communicate reject/denials for patient identifiers (HICN or MBI) in all remittance advices and 835 transactions. However, MACs will continue to use RARC MA61 only when/if communicating rejections/denials related to a missing/incomplete/invalid social security number. Make sure your billing staffs are aware of these updates.

CR#10619

Source: https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM10619.pdf