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N164 Remark Code (Deactivated): Transport Destination

N164 meant transportation to or from this destination was not covered. X12 deactivated it soon after it was created and suggested N157, which carries the same wording and remains active.

X12 deactivated RARCN164 on January 31, 2004. Payers should no longer use it on new remittances, but it can still appear on older ERAs, corrected claims, and appeals.

Code: N164 (RARC N164)
Status: Deactivated StoppedJanuary 31, 2004 (in use since February 28, 2003).
Code set: Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes: CO (Contractual Obligation): Used with CO when the transport provider absorbed the non-covered trip.
PR (Patient Responsibility): Used with PR when the patient was responsible, for example after agreeing in advance.
Official description: Transportation to/from this destination is not covered.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified: September 24, 2026 against the official X12 list.

What N164 meant

Remark N164 applied to ambulance and other transportation claims. It told the provider that the trip was denied because of where the patient was taken, or picked up from. The destination was not one the payer’s benefit covered.

What replaced it

X12’s note suggests N157. N157 has identical wording and is still active. Destination-based limits can also appear as CARC CO-117, which limits coverage to the closest facility able to provide care. The companion remark N158 covers transport in a vehicle other than an ambulance.

If you still see N164

It was only in use for a short period, so it should appear only in older files. For a current destination denial, check the origin and destination modifiers on the claim and the payer’s list of covered destinations, correct any coding error, and consider an appeal if the destination was medically necessary.

N157 (Transportation to/from this destination is not covered.): The suggested replacement, with the same text: transportation to or from this destination is not covered.
CO-117 (Transportation is only covered to the closest facility that can provide the necessary care.): Transportation is only covered to the closest facility that can provide the necessary care.
N158 (Transportation in a vehicle other than an ambulance is not covered.): Transportation in a vehicle other than an ambulance is not covered.

N164 FAQ

Why was a code with the same wording replaced?

X12 renumbered several transportation remarks shortly after they were added. N164 through N169 were retired in favor of N157 through N161 with matching text.

What destinations are commonly not covered?

Payers vary, but ambulance benefits often cover only certain destinations, such as hospitals or skilled nursing facilities, and may exclude trips to a physician's office or a patient's preferred facility farther away.

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