Look up another code

MA98 Remark Code (Deactivated): Demo Contract Number

MA98 meant the claim was rejected because it did not include the correct Medicare Managed Care Demonstration contract number for the beneficiary. X12 deactivated it and suggested MA97.

X12 deactivated RARCMA98 on October 16, 2003. Payers should no longer use it on new remittances, but it can still appear on older ERAs, corrected claims, and appeals.

Code: MA98 (RARC MA98)
Status: Deactivated StoppedOctober 16, 2003 (in use since January 1, 1997).
Code set: Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes: CO (Contractual Obligation): Accompanied CO adjustments on rejected claims; the provider had to add the correct number.
Official description: Claim Rejected. Does not contain the correct Medicare Managed Care Demonstration contract number for this beneficiary.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified: September 24, 2026 against the official X12 list.

What MA98 meant

Remark MA98 applied to beneficiaries enrolled in a Medicare managed care demonstration project. Claims for those patients had to carry the demonstration’s contract number, and MA98 said the claim was rejected because the number was missing or not the right one for that beneficiary.

What replaced it

X12’s note suggested MA97. MA97 is active and covers a missing or invalid Medicare Managed Care Demonstration contract number, and also a clinical trial registry number. Payment adjustments tied to demonstration projects can appear as CARC CO-132. Missing-number rejections usually use CO-16.

If you still see MA98

It only appears in older Medicare data. If a current claim needs a demonstration or clinical trial number, confirm the beneficiary’s enrollment, get the correct number from the program’s billing instructions, add it in the specified field, and resubmit.

MA97 (Missing/incomplete/invalid Medicare Managed Care Demonstration contract number or clinical trial registry number.): The suggested replacement: missing, incomplete, or invalid Medicare Managed Care Demonstration contract number or clinical trial registry number.
CO-132 (Prearranged demonstration project adjustment.): Prearranged demonstration project adjustment.
CO-16 (Claim/service lacks information or has submission/billing error(s).): Claim lacks information or has billing errors.

MA98 FAQ

What is a Medicare managed care demonstration?

A time-limited project in which Medicare tests a different way of organizing or paying for care. Claims for enrolled beneficiaries may need the project's contract number.

Does MA97 cover anything else?

Yes. It also covers a missing or invalid clinical trial registry number, which some Medicare claims for clinical trial services require.

Important: read before using this information

This page is general educational information about a standard industry code set. It is not medical billing, coding, legal, reimbursement, or compliance advice, and it does not create a professional or advisory relationship with ClaimsRevenue.

Code definitions, payer usage, contracts, and laws change, and payers may apply the same code differently. The information is provided “as is,” without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including accuracy, completeness, or currency. You are solely responsible for verifying it against the current official X12 code lists, CMS guidance, your payer contracts, and payer policies before relying on it, and for every billing, coding, collection, and appeal decision you make.

Using this information does not guarantee that any claim will be paid or that any appeal will succeed. To the fullest extent permitted by law, ClaimsRevenue and MOODRX LLC are not liable for any loss or damage arising from its use. Official code descriptions are published by X12 and are quoted for reference only. See our full Claims Validation Disclaimer.