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N717 Remark Code: Face-to-Face Exam Record Deficient

N717 means the payer received documentation of a face-to-face examination but found it incomplete or invalid. It is common for items and services, such as certain DME or home health, where a practitioner visit must be documented before the order.

Quick facts

Code
N717 (RARC N717)
Status
Active In use since March 1, 2014.
Code set
Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes
  • CO (Contractual Obligation): The provider or supplier bears the adjustment until acceptable face-to-face documentation is supplied.
Official description
Incomplete/Invalid documentation of face-to-face examination.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified
against the official X12 list.

What N717 means

Some payers require that a practitioner see the patient in person, or in a qualifying encounter, before certain items or services are ordered. Medicare applies this concept to some durable medical equipment and to home health certification, and other payers have similar rules. N717 says the record of that visit was received but did not satisfy the reviewer.

The remark usually explains CARC 251, CARC 272, or CARC 16. It does not mean the patient does not need the item; it means the proof of the qualifying visit is defective.

Common causes

  • The visit note is not signed or the signature cannot be attributed to an eligible practitioner.
  • The note does not mention the condition that the ordered item or service treats.
  • The encounter date falls outside the window the payer allows before the order or start of care.
  • The document supplied is an order or certification form rather than the actual examination note.

How to fix it

  1. Identify the payer’s face-to-face requirement for this item or service, including timing and who may perform the visit.
  2. Request the full encounter note from the ordering practitioner, not just a summary letter.
  3. Check it against the requirement: date, signature, and clinical content linked to the order.
  4. If the practitioner needs to clarify, ask for a dated addendum. Documentation created later must be clearly identified as such.
  5. Submit through the payer’s reconsideration or records channel, or appeal if the original documentation already met the rule.

How to prevent it

Collect and review the face-to-face note before delivering the item or starting care, not after a denial. A short intake checklist for ordering practitioners, covering visit date, signature, and the linking diagnosis, prevents most N717 remarks.

Codes that may appear with N717

  • CO-251 (The attachment/other documentation that was received was incomplete or deficient.): The documentation received was incomplete or deficient.
  • CO-272 (Coverage/program guidelines were not met.): Coverage or program guidelines, such as a face-to-face requirement, were not met.
  • CO-16 (Claim/service lacks information or has submission/billing error(s).): A general missing or invalid information denial explained by N717.
  • N718 (Missing documentation of face-to-face examination.): No face-to-face documentation was received at all.
  • N151 (Telephone contact services will not be paid until the face-to-face contact requirement has been met.): Telephone contact services not paid until the face-to-face contact requirement is met.
  • M141 (Missing physician certified plan of care.): Missing physician certified plan of care, another prerequisite document often reviewed alongside the encounter note.

N717 FAQ

What does a face-to-face examination record need to show?

Requirements vary by payer and item, but reviewers generally look for the date of the visit, the treating practitioner's signature, and clinical findings that relate to the item or service ordered. Check the specific payer's policy.

Can a telehealth visit count as face-to-face?

Some payers and programs accept telehealth encounters for face-to-face requirements and some do not. Confirm the rule for the payer and date of service before relying on one.

Who has to fix N717, the supplier or the physician?

The billing supplier or agency receives the denial, but the corrected documentation usually comes from the practitioner who performed the visit. Plan for that coordination.