CO-183: Referring Provider Not Eligible to Refer
CO-183 means the payer says the provider named as referring isn't eligible to make that referral — often a missing or wrong referring NPI, or a referrer not enrolled with the payer.
Why payers issue CO-183
- The referring provider's NPI was missing, wrong, or mistyped
- The referring provider isn't enrolled/eligible with this payer
- An ordering vs referring provider distinction was mishandled
- The referrer's enrollment lapsed on the date of service
Is it recoverable? Recoverable by supplying a valid, eligible referring provider NPI and confirming the referrer's enrollment for the date of service.
Common questions
What does CO-183 mean?
CO-183 means the payer says the provider named as referring isn't eligible to make that referral — often a missing or wrong referring NPI, or a referrer not enrolled with the payer. The referring provider is not eligible to refer the service billed.
How do I appeal or fix a CO-183 denial?
Recoverable by supplying a valid, eligible referring provider NPI and confirming the referrer's enrollment for the date of service. Common causes: the referring provider's NPI was missing, wrong, or mistyped; the referring provider isn't enrolled/eligible with this payer; an ordering vs referring provider distinction was mishandled; the referrer's enrollment lapsed on the date of service.
Is a CO-183 denial worth appealing?
Recoverable by supplying a valid, eligible referring provider NPI and confirming the referrer's enrollment for the date of service. You only pay on what's actually recovered, so there's no cost to working the ones that are winnable.
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