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MA25 Remark Code: Hospice Provider Changed Too Often

MA25 means the patient may not change hospice providers more than once in a benefit period, and the payer's records show a change has already been used. The claim from the new hospice cannot be accepted as a valid transfer.

Quick facts

Code
MA25 (RARC MA25)
Status
Active In use since January 1, 1997.
Code set
Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes
  • CO (Contractual Obligation): The hospice is responsible for the denied amount because the transfer was not allowed under the election rules.
Official description
A patient may not elect to change a hospice provider more than once in a benefit period.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified
against the official X12 list.

What MA25 means

Medicare’s hospice benefit lets a patient change hospice providers, but only once per benefit period. MA25 says that allowance was already used, so the latest change does not count as a valid transfer. Claims from the hospice that tried to take over the patient’s care are then denied.

This is a hospice-specific, institutional code. It is about the patient’s election history, not the quality or necessity of the care.

Common causes

  • The patient transferred once earlier in the period and then moved again.
  • Records of a previous transfer are wrong or were duplicated.
  • The new hospice admitted the patient without checking election and transfer history.
  • The situation was actually a revocation followed by a new election, but it was processed as a transfer.

How to fix it

  1. Check the election history through the payer’s eligibility tools to see prior hospice elections and transfers.
  2. Identify the benefit period. Confirm whether the earlier transfer falls in the same period.
  3. Correct the records if the transfer history is wrong, coordinating with the other hospice.
  4. Submit corrected notices or claims through the payer’s hospice processes.
  5. Appeal if the history is accurate but you believe the rule was misapplied.

How to prevent it

Always review hospice election and transfer history before admitting a patient from another hospice, and document the patient’s choices carefully. Eligibility-driven denials are discussed in eligibility and COB denials.

Codes that may appear with MA25

  • CO-B9 (Patient is enrolled in a Hospice.): The patient is enrolled in a hospice, reflecting the existing election.
  • CO-96 (Non-covered charge(s).): The hospice care billed by the new provider is treated as non-covered.
  • MA54 (Physician certification or election consent for hospice care not received timely.): Physician certification or election consent for hospice care was not received timely.
  • CO-A1 (Claim/Service denied.): A general claim or service denial that must be explained by a remark code.
  • CO-272 (Coverage/program guidelines were not met.): Coverage or program guidelines were not met.

MA25 FAQ

Is a hospice transfer the same as revoking the benefit?

No. A transfer moves the patient from one hospice to another without ending the election. Under Medicare, a patient may transfer once in each benefit period, while revocation ends the election.

What if the patient's records show a transfer that did not happen?

Contact the payer and the other hospice to correct the election record, then request reprocessing.

Can the patient change hospices in a later benefit period?

Generally yes. The limit resets with each new benefit period, but confirm the patient's period dates with the payer.