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N468 Remark Code: Incomplete Tests and Analysis Report

N468 means the report of tests and analysis was incomplete or invalid. The payer received a report, but it was missing results, lacked an analysis or interpretation, was unsigned, or did not match the tests billed.

Quick facts

Code
N468 (RARC N468)
Status
Active In use since July 1, 2008.
Code set
Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes
  • CO (Contractual Obligation): The payer needs a complete report before paying. The provider supplies it; the patient is not billed.
Official description
Incomplete/invalid Report of Tests and Analysis Report.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified
against the official X12 list.

What N468 means

With N468, the payer has a tests and analysis report in hand but does not accept it. The document fell short in one of two ways: it was missing a piece the payer requires, or it did not fit the claim. It is usually paired with CARC 251.

Where reports fall short

Half a report. Test results were sent with no interpretation, or a conclusion was sent with no underlying results. Payers generally want both.

Mismatch. The tests in the report do not match the service billed, the dates differ, or the report covers a different patient encounter.

Authentication. The analysis is not signed or dated by the provider who performed it.

Format. The payer or jurisdiction requires a specific form or data elements, and the report used another format.

How to fix it

  1. Ask the payer what failed if the notice does not specify.
  2. Assemble a complete report: results, analysis, signature, and date, all for the billed tests.
  3. Get an addendum from the provider if the analysis was not documented clearly, dated when written and consistent with what actually happened.
  4. Correct the claim if the billed services do not match the tests performed, with resubmission code 7.
  5. Resend with a cover sheet and track the response.

How to prevent it

Use report templates that put results and interpretation side by side, and require a signature before release. When a payer or jurisdiction has its own format, keep that template ready so staff do not improvise.

Codes that may appear with N468

  • CO-251 (The attachment/other documentation that was received was incomplete or deficient.): The documentation received was incomplete or deficient.
  • CO-250 (The attachment/other documentation that was received was the incorrect attachment/document.): The wrong document was received.
  • N467 (Missing Tests and Analysis Report.): The tests and analysis report was not received.
  • N458 (Incomplete/invalid Diagnostic Report.): The diagnostic report was incomplete or invalid.
  • N396 (Incomplete/invalid laboratory report.): The laboratory report was incomplete or invalid.

N468 FAQ

What makes this report 'invalid'?

Common issues are results with no interpretation, an interpretation with no underlying results, a report for different tests than billed, or no provider signature.

Can I send the raw data only?

Usually not. The report is expected to include analysis, meaning the provider's conclusions about what the results show.

What if the tests were done by another provider?

Include their results, but the analysis tied to your billed service should come from your provider if you billed the interpretation.