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N60 Remark Code (Deactivated): Valid NDC Required

N60 announced that a valid National Drug Code (NDC) would be required for payment of drug claims starting on the date in its text. X12 deactivated it and suggested M119, which flags a missing, incomplete, invalid, deactivated, or withdrawn NDC.

X12 deactivated RARCN60 on January 31, 2004. Payers should no longer use it on new remittances, but it can still appear on older ERAs, corrected claims, and appeals.

Code: N60 (RARC N60)
Status: Deactivated StoppedJanuary 31, 2004 (in use since January 1, 2000).
Code set: Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes: CO (Contractual Obligation): Accompanied CO adjustments on drug claims; the provider or pharmacy had to supply a valid NDC.
Official description: A valid NDC is required for payment of drug claims effective October 02.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified: September 24, 2026 against the official X12 list.

What N60 meant

Remark N60 was an announcement: from the date stated in its text, drug claims would need a valid NDC to be paid. It helped providers and pharmacies prepare before the payer started rejecting claims without NDCs.

What replaced it

X12’s note suggested M119. M119 is active and covers NDCs that are missing, incomplete, invalid, deactivated, or withdrawn, typically with CARC CO-16. Some Medicaid programs also deny drugs whose NDCs are not eligible for rebate, reported with CO-211.

If you still see N60

It only exists in older data. For a current NDC rejection, check the NDC on the product package actually used, format it as the payer requires, include the unit of measure and quantity, and resubmit.

M119 (Missing/incomplete/invalid/ deactivated/withdrawn National Drug Code (NDC).): The suggested replacement: missing, incomplete, invalid, deactivated, or withdrawn NDC.
CO-16 (Claim/service lacks information or has submission/billing error(s).): Claim lacks information or has billing errors.
CO-211 (National Drug Codes (NDC) not eligible for rebate, are not covered.): National Drug Codes not eligible for rebate are not covered.

N60 FAQ

What is an NDC?

The National Drug Code is a unique identifier for a drug product, including its labeler, product, and package. Many payers require it on claims for drugs, including those given in a provider's office.

What makes an NDC invalid?

Wrong format or digit count, a code that does not exist, or one that has been deactivated or withdrawn. M119 covers all of these.

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