N318Remark Code (RARC)Active
N318 Remark Code - Missing Discharge or End of Care Date
The N318 remark code indicates that there is a missing, incomplete, or invalid discharge or end of care date for the service billed. This remark supplements a Claim Adjustment Reason Code, providing additional detail on why the claim was adjusted or denied due to this specific date issue.
How It Relates to the Denial
The N318 remark typically accompanies adjustment reason codes related to billing discrepancies regarding discharge or end of care dates. This combination signals that the payer requires clarification or correction regarding the patient's care timeline to process the claim accurately.
Common Scenarios
1A hospital submitted a claim for inpatient services, but the remittance indicates an adjustment due to a missing discharge date.
→ In this case, the N318 remark points out that the discharge date was not provided, which is necessary for the payer to assess the claim properly.
2A skilled nursing facility billed for a patient’s services but received a remittance showing an adjustment for an invalid end of care date.
→ Here, the N318 remark highlights that the end of care date is either missing or incorrectly formatted, prompting the need for correction before resubmission.
3An outpatient therapy claim was submitted, but the payer denied it, indicating the need for an end of care date in the remittance advice.
→ The N318 remark indicates that the claim cannot be processed without a valid end of care date, signaling to the biller to verify and provide this information.
What to Do
- Obtain the correct discharge or end of care date for the patient.
- Update the claim with the missing or corrected date.
- Resubmit the claim with the necessary documentation to support the correction.
What to Check
- The patient's medical record for accurate discharge or end of care dates.
- The claim submission documentation to ensure all required dates were included.
- The previous remittance advice to confirm the adjustment rationale and any accompanying reason codes.