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MA71 Remark Code: Provider Signature Date Missing

MA71 means the date that accompanies the provider or authorized representative signature on the claim was missing, incomplete, or invalid, so the payer returned or adjusted the claim until it is corrected.

Quick facts

Code
MA71 (RARC MA71)
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 was not paid because the certification date was defective. Correct and resubmit; the patient is not responsible.
Official description
Missing/incomplete/invalid provider representative signature date.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified
against the official X12 list.

What MA71 means

MA71 is the companion to MA70. The signature on the claim may be fine, but the date beside it is not. Payers treat the signature and its date as one certification: without a valid date they cannot confirm when the provider attested to the claim. MA71 usually appears with CARC 16.

Most MA71 remarks come from paper claims, because electronic claims carry a transaction date automatically.

Common causes

  • The signature date in item 31 was blank.
  • The date was written in an unreadable or partial format.
  • The signature date falls before the last date of service on the claim.
  • A form was photocopied or re-used and the original date no longer applied.

How to fix it

  1. Check item 31 on the claim image or your print file.
  2. Enter a complete signature date on or after the last date of service.
  3. Confirm the signature is valid too, so the claim does not come back with MA70.
  4. Resubmit. Send a new claim if the original was rejected, or a corrected claim (resubmission code 7 and the original claim number in item 22) if it was processed.

How to prevent it

  • Let your billing system print the signature date automatically when claims are generated.
  • Avoid pre-dating paper claim batches.
  • Consider moving remaining paper claims to electronic submission, which removes this field as a manual step. For more on claims returned for technical defects, see claim rejection vs. denial.

Codes that may appear with MA71

  • CO-16 (Claim/service lacks information or has submission/billing error(s).): Missing information needed for adjudication, with MA71 naming the signature date.
  • MA70 (Missing/incomplete/invalid provider representative signature.): The signature itself, rather than its date, was missing or invalid.
  • MA75 (Missing/incomplete/invalid patient or authorized representative signature.): The patient or authorized representative signature on the claim.
  • M59 (Missing/incomplete/invalid 'to' date(s) of service.): An invalid date of service, which is a different date field on the claim.

MA71 FAQ

Which date is the signature date?

It is the date the provider or representative signed the claim, reported next to the signature in CMS-1500 item 31. It is not the date of service.

Can the signature date be before the date of service?

Payers generally expect the claim to be signed on or after the last date of service. A signature dated earlier can be treated as invalid.

What date format should I use?

Follow the form's instructions, typically a six- or eight-digit date. Mixed or partial formats can cause the date to be read as invalid.