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MA97 Remark Code: Demo Contract or Trial Number Invalid

MA97 means the claim was missing, or had an incomplete or invalid, Medicare Managed Care Demonstration contract number or clinical trial registry number. Supply the correct identifier and resubmit.

Quick facts

Code
MA97 (RARC MA97)
Status
Active In use since January 1, 1997; last modified February 29, 2008.
Code set
Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes
  • CO (Contractual Obligation): The claim was not paid because a required identifier was missing or wrong. The provider corrects it; the patient is not billed.
Official description
Missing/incomplete/invalid Medicare Managed Care Demonstration contract number or clinical trial registry number.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified
against the official X12 list.

What MA97 means

MA97 covers two identifiers: a Medicare Managed Care Demonstration contract number and a clinical trial registry number. Claims for demonstration projects or qualifying clinical trials must include the relevant number so Medicare can match the service to the right program. MA97 says that number was missing, incomplete, or invalid. It usually appears with CARC 16.

Most practices see MA97 on clinical research claims, where the trial’s registry number was left off.

Common causes

  • The trial’s registry number was not entered for a research patient.
  • The number was entered with the wrong format or extra characters.
  • Clinical trial coding (diagnosis Z00.6, Q0 or Q1 modifiers) was used without the registry number.
  • A demonstration contract number was missing or outdated.

How to fix it

  1. Get the correct number from your research office, or the demonstration contract from the program.
  2. Enter it in the right place: the claim’s reference information electronically, or item 19 on paper per contractor instructions.
  3. Check the related coding, including Z00.6 and trial modifiers where they apply.
  4. Resubmit as a new claim if rejected, or as a corrected claim with resubmission code 7 and the original claim number in item 22.

How to prevent it

  • Flag research patients in your practice management system and link each to its trial number.
  • Require the registry number whenever trial modifiers or Z00.6 appear on a claim.
  • A Claims Validator rule can catch trial claims that lack the identifier before submission.

Codes that may appear with MA97

  • CO-16 (Claim/service lacks information or has submission/billing error(s).): The claim lacks information needed for adjudication, specifically the demonstration or trial number.
  • MA50 (Missing/incomplete/invalid Investigational Device Exemption number or Clinical Trial number.): A missing or invalid investigational device exemption number or clinical trial number.
  • MA96 (Claim rejected.): A demonstration claim rejected because the patient is not in a Medicare managed care plan.
  • MA84 (Patient identified as participating in the National Emphysema Treatment Trial but our records indicate that this patient is either not a…): A study-specific remark for patients not confirmed in the National Emphysema Treatment Trial.

MA97 FAQ

What is a clinical trial registry number?

For Medicare clinical trial claims, it is the study's registry identifier, commonly the NCT number assigned at ClinicalTrials.gov. Medicare requires it on claims for items and services in qualifying trials.

Where does the number go?

Electronically it is reported in the claim's reference information for the trial or demonstration. On paper, Medicare contractors have directed it to CMS-1500 item 19. Check your contractor's instructions for the exact format.

Are other clinical trial claim elements needed?

Usually yes. Medicare clinical trial claims also involve diagnosis code Z00.6 and trial modifiers such as Q0 or Q1 when applicable.