GetMax

Remittance advice remark code

N286
Missing or invalid referring provider identifier

What N286 means

The referring provider's NPI is missing or invalid.

How to fix it

  1. Add the referring provider's name and NPI
  2. Required for many diagnostic tests and specialist services

Check the remark code (RARC) that came with the denial and the payer's own policy, since rules vary by payer and plan. This is a plain-English summary written by GetMax; the official code text is published by X12 at x12.org/codes.

Prevent it next time

Most denials are caused before the claim is sent. See 12 ways to reduce claim denials, or let our denial management team work them for you.

Let us work your denials.

We triage every denial by code and payer, fix or appeal it, and stop it repeating.