Claim adjustment reason code
Denial code CO-22 meaning
CARC 22, usually seen as CO-22: Coordination of benefits shows another plan may need to pay first.
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- Reason code
- CARC 22
- Short name
- Another payer may be primary
- Plain meaning
- Coordination of benefits shows another plan may need to pay first.
- Group codes
- CO-22: Contractual obligation. The provider absorbs the amount under its contract or the payer's rules. Do not bill the patient for it. OA-22: Other adjustment. An adjustment that is neither the provider's nor the patient's, often from coordination of benefits.
Plain-English summary written by Rivvi. X12 owns the CARC list and its exact wording, which is not reproduced here. Read it on the X12 CARC list (list dated November 1, 2025, checked October 23, 2026). This page does not decide how a claim is paid.
Common causes
- The patient has other coverage on file that is primary.
- The other insurance information on the claim is missing or out of date.
What to check before resubmitting
- Ask the patient about other coverage and update the order of payers.
- Bill the primary payer, then send its remittance to this payer.
Remark codes that often come with it
Related reason codes
Related pages
Questions
What does denial code CO-22 mean?
Coordination of benefits shows another plan may need to pay first. This is Rivvi's plain-English summary of CARC 22. X12's exact wording is on x12.org.
How do I fix CO-22?
Ask the patient about other coverage and update the order of payers. Bill the primary payer, then send its remittance to this payer.
Can I bill the patient for CO-22?
With group code CO, no. CO means the provider absorbs the amount under its contract or the payer's rules.
Which group codes come with CARC 22?
Most often CO (contractual obligation) or OA (other adjustment). The group code, not the reason code, says who owes the amount.
What is the difference between a CARC and a RARC?
A claim adjustment reason code (CARC) says why a claim line was paid differently than billed. A remittance advice remark code (RARC) adds detail, such as which field is missing.