CARCContractual Obligation
CARC 181: Procedure code was invalid on the date of service
The CPT or HCPCS procedure code on the claim wasn't valid for the date the service was performed.
What this means for your claim
Procedure codes are updated annually. Using a retired or not-yet-effective code for a given service date causes an automatic rejection. This is almost always a fixable billing error.
What to do next
- 1
Ask your provider to verify the procedure code was active for your date of service.
- 2
Request a corrected claim with the valid procedure code for that period.
- 3
Track the resubmission and confirm a new EOB is issued.
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