NPI missing
A required National Provider Identifier (billing, rendering, referring or facility) is missing from the claim.
CO = Contractual Obligation. The provider owes the difference. The patient cannot be billed for this amount. The same reason code can appear with a different group code; the group decides who may be billed.
Usual causes
- Rendering NPI left blank when the billing provider is a group.
- Referring or ordering NPI missing on a service that requires one.
- Service facility NPI missing for a place of service other than the office.
The fix
Add the missing NPI in the correct loop and send a corrected claim. Set a scrubber rule that stops claims with blank NPI fields.
Appeal or corrected claim?
Corrected claim.
Deadline to watch
Timely filing limit.
Exact limits are in your payer contract or provider manual. When in doubt, send the correction or appeal this week.
CO-206 in short
What does CO-206 mean?
A required National Provider Identifier (billing, rendering, referring or facility) is missing from the claim. The official X12 text reads: "National Provider Identifier - missing."
What usually causes a CO-206 denial?
Rendering NPI left blank when the billing provider is a group. Referring or ordering NPI missing on a service that requires one. Service facility NPI missing for a place of service other than the office.
How do I fix CO-206?
Add the missing NPI in the correct loop and send a corrected claim. Set a scrubber rule that stops claims with blank NPI fields.
Should I appeal CO-206 or send a corrected claim?
Corrected claim. Corrected claim.
What deadline applies to CO-206?
Timely filing limit.