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N132 Remark Code: Payments Ending for Excluded Provider

N132 is an alert that the payer will stop paying for services rendered by a provider who has been debarred or excluded by the US Government, once the 30-day grace period previously announced has ended. The current claim may be paid, but later ones will not be.

Quick facts

Code
N132 (RARC N132)
Status
Active In use since October 31, 2002; last modified April 1, 2007.
Code set
Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes
  • CO (Contractual Obligation): After the grace period, services by the excluded provider are denied as provider liability and should not be billed to the patient.
  • OA (Other Adjustment): During the grace period, any adjustment reported with the alert is informational.
Official description
Alert: Payments will cease for services rendered by this US Government debarred or excluded provider after the 30 day grace period as previously notified.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified
against the official X12 list.

What N132 means

When a provider is debarred or excluded from federal programs, payers typically give notice and a short grace period before stopping payment. N132 is that reminder on the remittance. It tells you the grace period is running, or has recently been announced, and that payments for services by this provider will cease after 30 days.

This is a compliance matter, not just a billing one.

What to do

  1. Identify the provider the alert refers to, using the rendering provider on the claim.
  2. Verify the exclusion on the OIG exclusion list and in SAM.
  3. Involve compliance and leadership immediately to address scheduling, employment or contract status, and any legal questions.
  4. Stop billing services by the excluded provider after the grace period, and do not shift those charges to patients.
  5. Review past claims with your compliance advisors to determine whether any were paid improperly.

Routine monthly screening of all clinicians and staff against exclusion lists is the standard way to catch this before a payer does. The provider enrollment guide covers related provider-status issues.

Codes that may appear with N132

  • CO-B7 (This provider was not certified/eligible to be paid for this procedure/service on this date of service.): Once the grace period ends, services are denied because the provider is not eligible to be paid.
  • CO-185 (The rendering provider is not eligible to perform the service billed.): The rendering provider is not eligible to perform the service billed.
  • CO-170 (Payment is denied when performed/billed by this type of provider.): Payment is denied when billed by this type of provider.
  • N95 (This provider type/provider specialty may not bill this service.): A provider type or specialty restriction, a different and less serious eligibility issue.

N132 FAQ

Where can I check whether a provider is excluded?

The HHS Office of Inspector General maintains the List of Excluded Individuals/Entities, and the federal System for Award Management lists debarments. Many organizations check both monthly.

What happens if we keep billing for the excluded provider?

Payers will deny the claims after the grace period. Beyond denials, organizations that employ or contract with excluded individuals can face serious federal penalties.

Does N132 mean our organization is excluded?

Not necessarily. It refers to the provider who rendered the service, which may be one individual clinician in your group.