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M49 Remark Code: Value Code or Amount Invalid

M49 means the payer found a value code or value amount on the claim missing, incomplete, or invalid. Value codes report monetary or numeric data the payer uses in pricing, so the claim could not be processed.

Quick facts

Code
M49 (RARC M49)
Status
Active In use since January 1, 1997; last modified February 28, 2003.
Code set
Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes
  • CO (Contractual Obligation): The claim is unpaid until the value code data is corrected. It is not billed to the patient.
Official description
Missing/incomplete/invalid value code(s) or amount(s).
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified
against the official X12 list.

What M49 means

Value codes are the institutional claim’s way of reporting numbers that are not charges: payments from other insurers, special rates, counts of days, and similar data. Each value code comes with an amount. M49 says either the code, the amount, or both did not pass the payer’s checks.

It is a Medicare-rooted remark used by many payers processing UB-04 and 837I claims, usually with CARC 16.

Common causes

  • A value code required by the bill type or payer was omitted.
  • The amount was blank, zero, or formatted incorrectly.
  • Secondary claims reported another payer’s payment with the wrong value code.
  • A value code was used that does not apply to the provider type.
  • Decimal placement errors created an implausible amount.

How to fix it

  1. Identify the value code the payer flagged and check its definition in the NUBC manual.
  2. Verify the amount against source data, such as the primary payer’s remittance for other-payer amounts.
  3. Correct form locators 39-41 or the electronic segment.
  4. Resubmit as instructed, using a new claim or adjustment.

How to prevent it

Automate value codes from source data wherever possible, especially other-payer payments on secondary claims, and validate formats before submission. More on data-driven rejections is in the CO-16 guide.

Codes that may appear with M49

  • CO-16 (Claim/service lacks information or has submission/billing error(s).): The claim is missing information or has a billing error.
  • CO-A1 (Claim/Service denied.): The claim was denied at claim level with M49 as the explanation.
  • M44 (Missing/incomplete/invalid condition code.): A condition code is missing or invalid.
  • M46 (Missing/incomplete/invalid occurrence span code(s).): An occurrence span code is missing or invalid.
  • N153 (Missing/incomplete/invalid room and board rate.): The room and board rate is missing or invalid.

M49 FAQ

Where are value codes on the UB-04?

In form locators 39 through 41, each with a code and an amount. Electronic claims carry them in the value information segment.

What do value codes report?

Numeric information such as amounts paid by other payers, deductible or coinsurance amounts, covered days counts, and other items defined by the National Uniform Billing Committee.

Can an amount be invalid even if the code is right?

Yes. Negative amounts, amounts in the wrong format, or amounts that conflict with other claim data can all trigger M49.