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N511 Remark Code: Spending Account Status Unknown

N511 is an alert that information about whether the member's Consumer Spending Account has funds to cover the member liability on this claim is not available at this time. The patient responsibility stands; whether the account will pay is unknown.

Quick facts

Code
N511 (RARC N511)
Status
Active In use since November 1, 2008.
Code set
Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes
  • PR (Patient Responsibility): The amount remains member responsibility. The account may or may not pay it.
Official description
Alert: Information on the availability of Consumer Spending Account funds to cover the member liability on this claim/service is not available at this time.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified
against the official X12 list.

What N511 means

Among the three spending account alerts, N511 is the uncertain one. N509 says there were enough funds, N510 says there were not, and N511 says the payer could not find out. The member’s liability from the claim is unchanged; the payer simply cannot tell you whether an HSA, FSA, or HRA will cover it.

What to do

  1. Post the patient responsibility from the remittance as usual.
  2. Watch for a separate account payment, which could arrive from the plan or the account administrator.
  3. Bill the patient for any remaining balance according to your financial policy.
  4. Ask the patient whether they plan to use their spending account card at payment, which often resolves the question fastest.

No claim correction or appeal is needed for N511.

Codes that may appear with N511

  • PR-1 / PR-2 / PR-3 (Deductible, coinsurance, and co-payment.): The member liability whose spending account funding could not be confirmed.
  • PR-187 (Consumer Spending Account payments (includes but is not limited to Flexible Spending Account, Health Savings Account, Health Reimbursement Account,…): Appears if a spending account payment is later made.
  • N509 (Alert: A current inquiry shows the member's Consumer Spending Account contains sufficient funds to cover the member liability for this claim/service.): Funds were confirmed as sufficient.
  • N510 (Alert: A current inquiry shows the member's Consumer Spending Account does not contain sufficient funds to cover the member's liability for this…): Funds were confirmed as insufficient.
  • N367 (Alert: The claim information has been forwarded to a Consumer Spending Account processor for review; for example, flexible spending account or…): The claim was forwarded to a spending account processor for review.

N511 FAQ

Why would fund information be unavailable?

The account administrator's system may not have responded, the account may be administered separately from the plan, or the inquiry may not be supported for this member.

What should I do with the patient balance?

Follow your normal process. You can wait briefly for a possible account payment or bill the patient, depending on your policy.

Do I need to contact the payer?

Usually not. It is informational. Contact the payer only if you expected a spending account payment that never arrives.