Medicare number or name wrong
The Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) or the patient name on the claim does not match Medicare's record.
Usual causes
- Old HICN used instead of the MBI, or a typo in the MBI.
- Name differs from the Medicare card (middle initial, suffix, hyphen).
- MBI changed after the card was reissued.
The fix
Check the MBI with the MAC's lookup tool, copy the name exactly as printed on the card and send a new claim.
Appeal or corrected claim?
New claim. Medicare returns these as unprocessable (MA130), so there are no appeal rights.
Deadline to watch
Medicare timely filing: 12 months from the date of service.
Exact limits are in your payer contract or provider manual. When in doubt, send the correction or appeal this week.
MA27 in short
What does MA27 mean?
The Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) or the patient name on the claim does not match Medicare's record. The official X12 text reads: "Missing/incomplete/invalid entitlement number or name shown on the claim."
What usually causes a MA27 denial?
Old HICN used instead of the MBI, or a typo in the MBI. Name differs from the Medicare card (middle initial, suffix, hyphen). MBI changed after the card was reissued.
How do I fix MA27?
Check the MBI with the MAC's lookup tool, copy the name exactly as printed on the card and send a new claim.
Should I appeal MA27 or send a corrected claim?
Corrected claim. New claim. Medicare returns these as unprocessable (MA130), so there are no appeal rights.
What deadline applies to MA27?
Medicare timely filing: 12 months from the date of service.