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N190 Remark Code: Missing Contract Indicator

N190 means the claim was missing a contract indicator, a data element some payers use to identify which contract or pricing arrangement applies to the services billed. Without it the payer could not price or adjudicate the claim.

Quick facts

Code
N190 (RARC N190)
Status
Active In use since February 28, 2003; last modified August 1, 2004.
Code set
Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes
  • CO (Contractual Obligation): The claim was denied or held for missing billing data. This is correctable by the provider and not billable to the patient.
  • OA (Other Adjustment): Some payers treat it as an other adjustment until a corrected claim is received.
Official description
Missing contract indicator.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified
against the official X12 list.

What N190 means

A handful of payers need to know which contract governs a claim before they can price it. A provider might have a standard fee-for-service agreement, a capitated arrangement for some members, and a negotiated case rate for certain services, all with the same payer. The contract indicator tells the payer which one applies. N190 says that indicator was absent.

Typically the remark explains CARC 16. The X12 notes link it to N229, which is used when the indicator was sent but could not be accepted.

Common causes

  • The payer’s companion guide requires contract information for a service, and the practice management system does not populate it.
  • A new contract took effect and the billing system has not been set up to send the indicator.
  • A clearinghouse stripped or failed to map the field.
  • Paper claims were sent to a payer that expects the indicator only on electronic submissions.

How to fix it

  1. Check the payer’s companion guide or provider manual for when a contract indicator is required and which values are valid.
  2. Confirm with your contracting team which agreement covers this service and member.
  3. Add the indicator to the claim and send a corrected claim, using resubmission code 7 and the original claim number if the payer accepts replacements.
  4. If your system cannot send the field, ask your clearinghouse or vendor to map it.

The spec for this field varies considerably by payer, so treat the payer’s instructions as the final word.

How to prevent it

When you sign a contract with non-standard pricing, ask the payer up front what claim data it expects. Build a payer-level rule so claims for the affected services cannot leave without the indicator.

Codes that may appear with N190

  • CO-16 (Claim/service lacks information or has submission/billing error(s).): The claim lacks information needed for adjudication; N190 identifies the contract indicator.
  • CO-256 (Service not payable per managed care contract.): Service not payable per managed care contract, sometimes seen when the contract cannot be identified.
  • N229 (Incomplete/invalid contract indicator.): The companion code for a contract indicator that was sent but is incomplete or invalid.
  • OA-24 (Charges are covered under a capitation agreement/managed care plan.): Charges covered under a capitation agreement or managed care plan.
  • N131 (Total payments under multiple contracts cannot exceed the allowance for this service.): Total payments under multiple contracts cannot exceed the allowance.

N190 FAQ

Where does the contract indicator go?

It depends on the payer. Electronic claims include a contract information segment that some payers require for certain arrangements. Ask the payer or check its companion guide for the exact element and values.

Do all payers use a contract indicator?

No. Many never require one. N190 usually comes from payers with multiple contract types, such as capitated, carved-out, or specially negotiated arrangements.

What value should I enter?

Use the value in your contract or the payer's companion guide. Do not guess, since the wrong value can change how the claim is priced.