RARC N381 Active Informational

RARC N381: Refer to Contract for Payment Restrictions

What This Means

The payer is directing you to review your contractual agreement for restrictions, billing rules, or payment details related to these charges. This often appears alongside adjustments where the allowed amount is less than the billed amount based on your contracted fee schedule. Check your payer contract for the applicable fee schedule or billing guidelines, and write off any contractual adjustment that aligns with the agreed-upon rates.

Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only. Always verify against your payer contracts and current coding guidelines.

Commonly Paired With

RARC N381 commonly appears alongside these CARC denial codes:

Code Name
PR-1 Deductible Amount (also CO-1, OA-1)
PR-2 Coinsurance Amount (also CO-2)
PR-3 Co-payment Amount (also CO-3)
CO-19 Workers' Compensation Claim
CO-20 Liability Carrier Responsible
CO-21 No-Fault Carrier Responsible
CO-22 Care Covered by Another Payer (COB)
CO-24 Charges Covered Under Capitation or Managed Care
OA-53 Payment Adjusted Due to Prior Payer Adjudication
CO-74 Indirect Medical Education Adjustment
CO-75 Direct Medical Education Adjustment
CO-76 Disproportionate Share Adjustment
PR-85 Patient Interest Adjustment
CO-89 Professional Fees Removed from Charges
CO-94 Processed in Excess of Charges
CO-96 Non-Covered Charges (also PR-96, OA-96)
OA-100 Payment Made to Patient/Insured
CO-101 Predetermination: Anticipated Payment
CO-102 Major Medical Adjustment (also PR-102, OA-102)
CO-104 Managed Care Withhold
OA-105 Tax Withholding Amount
OA-121 Indemnification Adjustment
CO-122 Psychiatric Services Reduction
CO-131 Claim-Specific Negotiated Discount
CO-132 Prearranged Demonstration Project Adjustment
CO-134 Technical Fees Removed
OA-137 Regulatory Surcharges, Assessments, or Health-Related Taxes
PR-142 Monthly Medicaid Patient Liability Amount
CO-144 Incentive Adjustment for Preferred Product/Service
CO-147 Provider Contracted/Negotiated Rate Expired or Not on File
OA-155 Patient Refused the Service/Procedure
CO-157 Service Denied — Provided Due to Act of War
CO-158 Service Provided Outside the United States
CO-159 Service Provided as Result of Terrorism
CO-160 Benefit Exclusion — Activity-Related Injury/Illness (also PR-160, OA-160)
CO-161 Provider Performance Bonus
CO-163 Attachment/Documentation Not Received
CO-164 Attachment/Documentation Not Received Timely
CO-166 Payer's Plan Responsibility Ended
CO-167 Diagnosis Not Covered (also PR-167, OA-167)
CO-169 Alternate Benefit Provided (also PR-169, OA-169)
CO-170 Payment Denied — Provider Type Not Eligible (also PR-170, OA-170)
CO-178 Spend Down Requirements Not Met (also PR-178, OA-178)
OA-192 Non-Standard COB Adjustment Code
PR-201 Workers' Comp Settlement — Patient Responsibility per Agreement
CO-202 Non-Covered Personal Comfort or Convenience Services
CO-203 Discontinued or Reduced Service
OA-209 Regulatory Non-Collectible Amount
CO-212 Administrative Surcharges Not Covered
PR-227 Patient/Insured Information Not Provided
PR-247 Professional Service Deductible on Institutional Claim
PR-248 Professional Service Coinsurance on Institutional Claim
CO-260 Medicaid ACA Enhanced Fee Schedule Adjustment (also OA-260)
CO-269 Anesthesia Not Covered for This Service (also PR-269)
CO-304 Benefits Not Available — Submit to Hearing Plan (also OA-304)
CO-305 Claim Forwarded to Hearing Plan (also OA-305)
CO-308 Contracted Funding Agreement Adjustment
CO-A5 Medicare PPS Capital Cost Outlier Amount (also OA-A5)
CO-B10 Allowed Amount Reduced — Component Already Paid (also OA-B10)
CO-B11 Claim Transferred to Proper Payer (also OA-B11, PR-B11)
CO-B12 Services Not Documented in Medical Records (also OA-B12)
CO-B13 Previously Paid Service (also OA-B13)
CO-B14 Only One Visit Per Physician Per Day Covered (also OA-B14)
CO-B15 Qualifying Service/Procedure Not Received (also OA-B15)
CO-B16 New Patient Qualifications Not Met (also OA-B16)
CO-B20 Service Furnished by Another Provider (also OA-B20)
CO-B22 Payment Adjusted Based on Diagnosis (also PR-B22, OA-B22)
CO-B23 Procedure Not Authorized per CLIA Proficiency Test (also OA-B23)
CO-B4 Late Filing Penalty (also OA-B4)
CO-B7 Provider Not Certified/Eligible (also PR-B7, OA-B7)
CO-B8 Alternative Services Not Utilized (also OA-B8)
CO-P1 State Mandated Requirement — Property and Casualty (also OA-P1)
OA-P10 Payment Reduced to Zero Pending Litigation
OA-P11 P&C Claim Disposition Pending Litigation
CO-P12 Workers' Compensation Jurisdictional Fee Schedule Adjustment
CO-P13 Workers' Compensation Jurisdictional Regulation Adjustment
CO-P14 Benefit Included in Another Same-Day Service
CO-P15 Workers' Compensation Medical Treatment Guideline Adjustment
CO-P16 Provider Not Authorized to Treat Injured Workers
CO-P2 Non-Work Related Injury/Illness
PR-P3 Workers' Compensation Case Settled — Patient Responsibility
CO-P4 Workers' Compensation Claim Non-Compensable
CO-P5 Reasonable and Customary Fee Adjustment (No Legislated Maximum)
CO-P6 Benefits Entitlement Adjustment
CO-P7 Billed Code Not in Fee Schedule/Database
OA-P8 Claim Under Investigation
CO-P9 No CPT/HCPCS Code Available for Service

Sources

  1. X12.org