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N268 Remark Code: Ordering Provider Contact Info

N268 means the contact information for the ordering provider, typically a phone number and contact name, was missing, incomplete, or invalid. Payers that require it want a way to reach the clinician who ordered the item or service.

Quick facts

Code
N268 (RARC N268)
Status
Active In use since December 2, 2004.
Code set
Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes
  • CO (Contractual Obligation): The supplier or billing provider corrects the contact details and resubmits. The patient is not liable.
Official description
Missing/incomplete/invalid ordering provider contact information.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified
against the official X12 list.

What N268 means

When a DME supplier, lab, or other provider bills for something another clinician ordered, some payers want the ordering office’s contact details on the claim. That lets the payer confirm the order or request records without going through the supplier. N268 appears when those details are absent or unusable.

Most payers pair it with CARC 16. The fix is administrative: add the right phone number and, if required, a contact name.

Common causes

  • Your intake form captures the ordering NPI and name but not a phone number, so the field is blank on every claim.
  • A fax number was entered where a voice number was expected.
  • The number has missing digits, extra punctuation, or an extension in the wrong place.
  • The ordering office moved, and the number on file is disconnected or belongs to another practice.
  • Your 837 configuration doesn’t map the ordering contact fields at all, even though the data exists in your system.

What to do

  1. Find the ordering clinician’s current office phone on the order, in NPPES, or by calling the office.
  2. Add it to the ordering provider’s directory record so every claim picks it up.
  3. Check your claim output (the 837 file or clearinghouse report) to make sure the contact fields are populated.
  4. Submit a corrected claim with frequency code 7 referencing the original.

How to prevent it

Ask for the ordering office’s phone number on every intake form for ordered items. Store it once per ordering clinician rather than per order. When you add a payer that enforces ordering contact information, test a few claims and confirm the payer accepts them before you send full volume.

Related remarks for ordering data include N264 (name), N265 (NPI), N266 (address), and N267 (secondary ID).

Codes that may appear with N268

  • CO-16 (Claim/service lacks information or has submission/billing error(s).): The claim is missing required information; N268 points to the ordering provider's contact details.
  • N266 (Missing/incomplete/invalid ordering provider address.): The ordering provider's address is the problem instead of phone or contact data.
  • N260 (Missing/incomplete/invalid billing provider/supplier contact information.): Contact information for the billing provider, not the ordering one, is the problem.
  • N265 (Missing/incomplete/invalid ordering provider primary identifier.): The ordering provider's NPI is missing or invalid.

N268 FAQ

Why does the payer need to contact the ordering clinician?

For ordered items, especially DME, payers may need to verify the order, request documentation, or confirm medical need directly with the prescriber.

Is there a place for this on the CMS-1500?

No. The paper form has no ordering phone field. Contact data for the ordering provider travels in the 837P, which is why N268 usually relates to electronic claims.

Should I use the supplier's phone number?

No. The field is for the ordering clinician's office. Putting your own number there defeats its purpose and can still fail the payer's edit.