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N287 Remark Code: Referring Provider Secondary ID

N287 means the referring provider's secondary identifier was missing, incomplete, or invalid. That is a number other than the NPI, such as a state license or payer-assigned ID, which some payers want in box 17a along with a qualifier.

Quick facts

Code
N287 (RARC N287)
Status
Active In use since December 2, 2004.
Code set
Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes
  • CO (Contractual Obligation): Provider-correctable claim data; not billable to the patient.
Official description
Missing/incomplete/invalid referring provider secondary identifier.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified
against the official X12 list.

What N287 means

The referring provider is identified primarily by NPI in box 17b. Box 17a exists for an optional secondary identifier plus a qualifier that says what the number is. N287 appears when the payer wanted that secondary identifier and did not get a valid one, or when the entry in 17a could not be interpreted.

It typically arrives with CARC 16, and the fix is a corrected claim.

Common causes

  • A payer (often a Medicaid plan or specialty program) requires the referring provider’s license or program ID, and your setup doesn’t send it.
  • Box 17a has a number with no qualifier, or a qualifier that doesn’t fit the number.
  • A number was pasted into 17a that belongs in 17b, such as an NPI.
  • The referring clinician’s license was renewed or reissued and the stored value is outdated.

What to do

  1. Read the payer’s CMS-1500 or 837P instructions for referring provider secondary identifiers.
  2. If required, obtain the correct number from the referring office or the payer’s provider lookup, and pair it with the correct qualifier.
  3. If not required, clear box 17a and its electronic equivalent.
  4. Resubmit a replacement claim with frequency code 7.

How to prevent it

Configure box 17a behavior per payer rather than globally. Most claims shouldn’t carry a secondary referring ID at all; the exceptions should be deliberate. When referrals come from outside organizations, ask for the secondary identifier only for the payers that need it, and store it with the referring clinician’s record. See how CARC and RARC codes pair up to trend this remark by payer.

Codes that may appear with N287

  • CO-16 (Claim/service lacks information or has submission/billing error(s).): Missing or invalid information; N287 points to the referring provider's secondary ID.
  • N286 (Missing/incomplete/invalid referring provider primary identifier.): The referring provider's NPI is the problem.
  • N267 (Missing/incomplete/invalid ordering provider secondary identifier.): The ordering provider's secondary identifier is the problem.
  • N754 (Missing/incomplete/invalid Referring Provider or Other Source Qualifier on the 1500 Claim Form.): The referring provider or other source qualifier on the 1500 form is missing or invalid.

N287 FAQ

What goes in box 17a?

A two-character qualifier and a secondary identifier for the provider named in box 17, such as a state license number or a payer-assigned provider number.

If box 17b has the NPI, why would 17a matter?

For most payers it doesn't. N287 comes from payers that still require a secondary identifier, or from a 17a entry that was malformed.

Should I leave 17a blank?

If the payer doesn't require it, leaving it blank is usually the safest choice. An incorrect value there can cause a denial on its own.