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MA08 Remark Code: Claim Not Forwarded to Supplemental

MA08 is an informational alert. Medicare did not forward the claim to the patient's supplemental insurer, either because that coverage is not a Medigap plan or because you do not participate in Medicare. You need to bill the supplemental insurer yourself.

Quick facts

Code
MA08 (RARC MA08)
Status
Active In use since January 1, 1997; last modified April 1, 2007.
Code set
Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes
  • PR (Patient Responsibility): The remaining deductible or coinsurance is patient responsibility under Medicare and may be billed to the supplemental insurer directly.
Official description
Alert: Claim information was not forwarded because the supplemental coverage is not with a Medigap plan, or you do not participate in Medicare.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified
against the official X12 list.

What MA08 means

MA08 explains why a claim stopped at Medicare. Medicare can pass claims on to some supplemental insurers, but MA08 says it did not in this case because the supplemental coverage is not a Medigap policy, such as an employer retiree plan, or because you are not a participating Medicare provider.

Nothing about the Medicare payment changes. The alert is a prompt to move the balance to the next payer yourself.

What to do

  1. Identify the supplemental coverage. Confirm the insurer name, policy number, and whether it is Medigap or another type of plan.
  2. Bill it directly. Submit a secondary claim with the Medicare adjudication data or remittance, following the insurer’s rules.
  3. Track the balance. Keep the remaining amount open against the supplemental insurer rather than the patient until it responds.
  4. Update your records. Note that this patient’s secondary coverage does not cross over, so future claims go straight to your secondary billing queue.

For the broader coordination-of-benefits picture, see eligibility and COB denials.

Codes that may appear with MA08

  • PR-1 (Deductible Amount): Deductible left after Medicare processing, which the supplemental insurer may cover if billed directly.
  • PR-2 (Coinsurance Amount): Coinsurance that was not sent on to the supplemental insurer.
  • MA18 (Alert: The claim information is also being forwarded to the patient's supplemental insurer.): The opposite outcome: the claim was forwarded to the supplemental insurer.
  • MA19 (Alert: Information was not sent to the Medigap insurer due to incorrect/invalid information you submitted concerning that insurer.): The claim was not forwarded because the Medigap insurer information you submitted was wrong.
  • MA07 (Alert: The claim information has also been forwarded to Medicaid for review.): The claim was forwarded to Medicaid.

MA08 FAQ

Why is participation relevant?

Medicare's Medigap claim-based crossover is tied to participating providers. If you do not participate, Medicare will not send the claim to a Medigap insurer for you.

What should I send to the supplemental insurer?

A claim with the Medicare remittance information attached or included, following that insurer's billing rules for secondary claims.

Can I bill the patient instead?

You can bill the patient for their share only after considering their supplemental coverage and your agreements. Billing the supplemental insurer first is usually best for everyone.