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N179 Remark Code: Info Requested From the Member

N179 means the payer has asked the member (the patient or subscriber) for additional information and will reconsider the charges once it receives the response. The provider usually cannot resolve it alone; the patient has to answer the payer.

Code: N179 (RARC N179)
Status: Active In use since February 28, 2003.
Code set: Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes: PR (Patient Responsibility): Some payers park the balance with the patient until the requested information is returned. The amount may change once the payer reconsiders.
CO (Contractual Obligation): Used when the payer holds or denies the charge pending the member's reply. The provider should not treat it as a final write-off.
OA (Other Adjustment): Other adjustment while the claim waits for the member's response.
Official description: Additional information has been requested from the member. The charges will be reconsidered upon receipt of that information.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified: September 24, 2026 against the official X12 list.

What N179 means

N179 tells the provider that the ball is in the patient’s court. The payer has reached out to the member for information it needs before it can finish processing, and it has committed to reconsidering the charges when a reply comes back. It is often paired with CARC 227 (information requested from the patient was not provided) or CARC 22 when the question is about other insurance.

Because the request goes to the member, the remittance rarely tells you what was asked. The patient’s copy of the EOB or a separate letter from the plan usually does.

Common causes

The payer is running an annual or triggered coordination of benefits check and needs the member to confirm whether other coverage exists.
The diagnosis suggests an injury, so the payer wants accident details to evaluate third-party liability.
A dependent’s student status or eligibility needs confirmation.
The payer needs the member’s signature or authorization on a form.

What to do

Contact the patient promptly and explain that their plan is waiting on them, not on your office.
Ask the patient to check their mail, member portal, or EOB for the request and to respond directly to the plan.
Set a follow-up task for your team to check claim status after a reasonable interval.
If the patient has already responded, call the payer to confirm receipt and ask for reprocessing.
If the request stalls, follow your financial policy; some practices move the balance to the patient after a set period of non-response, which the patient should be told about.

For how member-side questionnaires fit into broader coverage problems, see eligibility and COB denials.

How to prevent it

Ask about other coverage and accident details at every registration and update the payer when you learn something new. Encouraging patients to complete plan questionnaires promptly avoids many of these holds.

Codes that may appear with N179

CO-227 (Information requested from the patient/insured/responsible party was not provided or was insufficient/incomplete.): Information requested from the patient or insured was not provided or was incomplete; N179 says the request is out and reconsideration will follow.
OA-22 (This care may be covered by another payer per coordination of benefits.): The payer suspects other coverage and has asked the member to complete a coordination of benefits questionnaire.
CO-16 (Claim/service lacks information or has submission/billing error(s).): The claim lacks information, and in this case the member is the source.

N197 (The subscriber must update insurance information directly with payer.): The subscriber must update insurance information directly with the payer, a common reason for a member request.
N155 (Alert: Our records do not indicate that other insurance is on file.): Alert that no other insurance is on file and other coverage details should be submitted.
CO-228 (Denied for failure of this provider, another provider or the subscriber to supply requested information to a previous payer for their adjudication): Denied because someone failed to supply information requested by a previous payer.

N179 FAQ

What information is the payer usually asking for?

Common requests are coordination of benefits questionnaires, accident or injury details, and confirmation of other insurance. The member's EOB or a letter from the payer will say exactly what was requested.

Should I rebill the claim after N179?

Usually not. The payer said it will reconsider once the member responds. Rebilling can create a duplicate. Follow up after the patient confirms they replied.

Can the provider answer on the patient's behalf?

Sometimes, if the payer accepts information from providers, but questions like other coverage or accident details generally need the member's own response.

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