N348 Remark Code: Patient Chose a Different Supplier
N348 means the payer denied your claim because its records show the patient chose to have this service, supply, or drug provided and billed by a different practitioner or supplier.
Quick facts
- Code
- N348 (RARC N348)
- Status
- Active In use since August 1, 2005.
- Code set
- Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
- Group codes
-
- CO (Contractual Obligation): The claim was denied based on the patient's documented choice of another provider. The patient generally should not be billed unless they agreed in advance and the payer's rules permit it.
- PR (Patient Responsibility): In limited cases a payer may assign the amount to the patient when the patient knowingly chose to receive the item from you anyway. Confirm the payer's rules before billing.
- Official description
You chose that this service/supply/drug would be rendered/supplied and billed by a different practitioner/supplier.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026- Last verified
- against the official X12 list.
What N348 means
Some coverage programs lock a patient to a specific source for certain items: a designated specialty pharmacy, a selected DME supplier, or an assigned practitioner. N348 says the patient’s recorded choice points to someone other than you for this service, supply, or drug. The payer therefore won’t pay your claim.
The remark often travels with CARC B20 or CARC 109. It isn’t a data error you can fix by editing the claim; it reflects the payer’s enrollment or selection records.
Common causes
- The patient’s plan requires a specific specialty pharmacy or supplier, and you dispensed the item directly.
- The patient selected another supplier earlier and later came to you without updating the selection.
- A family member made the selection on the patient’s behalf and the patient did not know.
- The payer’s record is outdated or wrong.
What to do
- Verify with the payer which provider or supplier the patient is assigned to and the effective date of that choice.
- Talk to the patient. Confirm whether they meant to use you. If so, help them update their selection for future dates.
- Ask about retroactive changes. Some payers will reprocess if the selection is corrected back to the date of service. Others will not.
- Appeal if the record is wrong, with documentation such as a signed patient statement or the payer’s own correspondence.
- Check patient billing rules before sending any balance to the patient.
How to prevent it
Include a supplier or pharmacy assignment check in your eligibility process for plans known to use them. When a new patient comes in for items that such programs cover, confirm the selection before dispensing and get it changed first if the patient wants you to supply them.
Codes that may appear with N348
Related and easily confused codes
- N347 (Your claim for a referred or purchased service cannot be paid because payment has already been made for this same service to another provider by a…): Used when another provider was already paid for a referred or purchased service.
- N472 (Payment for this service has been issued to another provider.): Says payment for this service was issued to another provider.
- N32 (Claim must be submitted by the provider who rendered the service.): States the claim must be submitted by the provider who rendered the service.
N348 FAQ
How would the payer know the patient chose someone else?
Some programs record a patient's selection of a supplier or pharmacy, for example in managed care, specialty pharmacy, or supplier-selection programs. The payer checks claims against that record.
Can the patient change their choice?
Often yes, through the payer's process. If the patient wants you as their provider going forward, they usually need to update their selection with the plan.
Should I bill the patient?
Not without checking. Many payers prohibit billing the patient for a denied service unless specific advance notice and agreement rules were met.