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N790 Remark Code: Supplier Not Accredited for Item

N790 means the payer denied the item or service because its records do not show the provider or supplier holding the accreditation required for that product or service. It most often appears on durable medical equipment and supply claims.

Quick facts

Code
N790 (RARC N790)
Status
Active In use since July 1, 2017.
Code set
Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes
  • CO (Contractual Obligation): The denial is the supplier's responsibility. Without the required accreditation on file, the amount generally cannot be shifted to the patient.
Official description
Provider/supplier not accredited for product/service.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified
against the official X12 list.

What N790 means

Some payers only pay for certain products or services when the supplier has been accredited by an approved accrediting organization. Medicare’s DMEPOS program is the best-known example: most suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies must be accredited, and the accreditation covers specific product categories. Medicaid programs and commercial plans may apply their own accreditation or credentialing requirements.

When N790 appears, the payer checked its records and did not find an accreditation that matches the item or service on the claim for the date it was furnished. The remark usually rides along with CARC B7 (provider not certified or eligible on the date of service) or CARC 185 (rendering provider not eligible to perform the service).

Common causes

  • Product category not covered by the accreditation. A supplier accredited for some categories bills an item that falls in a different one.
  • Lapsed accreditation on the date of service, even if it was renewed later.
  • Payer records not updated. The accreditation exists, but the payer’s enrollment file was never updated with a new category, a renewal, or a new location.
  • Wrong billing entity. A claim billed under a location or tax ID that isn’t the accredited one.

How to fix it

  1. Pull your accreditation certificate and confirm the product categories, locations, and effective dates it covers.
  2. Compare it to the payer’s enrollment record. For Medicare suppliers, that means the supplier enrollment on file; for other payers, their credentialing file.
  3. If the payer’s records are wrong, submit the enrollment update or credentialing correction, then ask the payer to reprocess or follow its reopening or appeal process with proof of accreditation on the date of service.
  4. If the claim went out under the wrong entity, send a corrected claim (resubmission code 7 in box 22) with the accredited billing provider in boxes 33 and 33a, if the payer allows a replacement.
  5. If the accreditation truly didn’t cover the item, the supplier generally absorbs the denial.

How to prevent it

  • Keep a list of accredited product categories per location and check new items against it before you start dispensing them.
  • Track accreditation expiration dates and report renewals to each payer promptly.
  • See provider enrollment denials for how enrollment gaps turn into denials.

Codes that may appear with N790

  • CO-B7 (This provider was not certified/eligible to be paid for this procedure/service on this date of service.): The provider was not certified or eligible to be paid for this service on the date it was furnished; N790 names accreditation as the missing credential.
  • CO-185 (The rendering provider is not eligible to perform the service billed.): The rendering provider is not eligible to perform the service billed, with N790 explaining the eligibility gap is accreditation.
  • CO-170 (Payment is denied when performed/billed by this type of provider.): Payment is denied when this type of provider bills the service.
  • N808 (Not covered for this provider type / provider specialty.): The service is not covered for the provider's type or specialty, which is a classification problem rather than an accreditation one.
  • CO-P16 (Medical provider not authorized/certified to provide treatment to injured workers in this jurisdiction.): The workers' compensation counterpart: the provider is not authorized to treat injured workers in that jurisdiction.
  • N831 (You have not responded to requests to revalidate your provider/supplier enrollment information.): Enrollment problems caused by an unanswered revalidation request, which can also stop payment for otherwise accredited suppliers.

N790 FAQ

Does N790 mean the item isn't covered for the patient?

No. N790 is about the supplier, not the patient's benefits. The same item could be payable if furnished by a supplier whose accreditation for that product category is on file with the payer.

Can I bill the patient after an N790 denial?

Generally not when the group code is CO. The payer is treating the missing accreditation as a supplier-side problem.

My accreditation is current. Why did I get N790?

The payer's enrollment file may not list the product category you billed, or an accreditation renewal may not have been reported to the payer yet. Ask the payer which accreditation record it holds for you and on what dates.