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N87 Remark Code: Home Biofeedback Not Covered

N87 means home use of biofeedback therapy is not covered. The payer covers biofeedback, when criteria are met, only as a supervised service, not when the patient uses it at home.

Quick facts

Code
N87 (RARC N87)
Status
Active In use since January 1, 2000.
Code set
Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes
  • PR (Patient Responsibility): The non-covered home biofeedback may be billed to the patient if they were informed and agreed in advance, subject to payer rules.
  • CO (Contractual Obligation): The provider absorbs the charge, for example when required advance notice was not given.
Official description
Home use of biofeedback therapy is not covered.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified
against the official X12 list.

What N87 means

N87 is a coverage exclusion. Biofeedback therapy can be covered in some circumstances when it is delivered under clinical supervision, but patient use at home, for example with a home trainer device or unsupervised home sessions, is not. This limitation appears in Medicare’s coverage policy for biofeedback in urinary incontinence and in payer policies built on it.

N87 typically appears with CARC 96 or CARC 204. CARC 58 may appear if the payer frames the problem as the place of service.

Common causes

  • A home biofeedback device or supply was billed to the payer.
  • Home sessions were billed as if they were supervised services.
  • The place of service on the claim indicated the patient’s home.
  • The practice assumed home use would be covered because clinic biofeedback was.

What to do

  1. Confirm what was billed. Separate supervised clinic sessions from home use or devices.
  2. Correct errors. If a supervised session was billed with a home place of service by mistake, send a corrected claim.
  3. Check advance notice. If the patient was informed and agreed to pay for home use, bill according to the payer’s rules.
  4. Write off charges when no valid advance agreement exists.

How to prevent it

Explain before starting therapy that home biofeedback is not covered, and document the patient’s choice. Keep home devices out of the claims workflow unless a payer explicitly covers them, and make sure place-of-service codes for supervised sessions reflect the clinic.

Codes that may appear with N87

  • CO-96 (Non-covered charge(s).): A non-covered charge, with N87 identifying home biofeedback as the excluded service.
  • PR-204 (This service/equipment/drug is not covered under the patient's current benefit plan): The service or equipment is not covered under the patient's current benefit plan.
  • CO-58 (Treatment was deemed by the payer to have been rendered in an inappropriate or invalid place of service.): The treatment was rendered in an inappropriate or invalid place of service.
  • N86 (A failed trial of pelvic muscle exercise training is required in order for biofeedback training for the treatment of urinary incontinence to be…): Biofeedback for urinary incontinence requires a failed trial of pelvic muscle exercise training first.
  • N428 (Not covered when performed in this place of service.): The service is not covered in this place of service.
  • N115 (This decision was based on a Local Coverage Determination (LCD).): The decision was based on a Local Coverage Determination.

N87 FAQ

Does N87 mean biofeedback is never covered?

No. Biofeedback in a clinical setting may be covered when the payer's criteria are met. N87 applies only to home use.

What about home devices bought by the patient?

The patient can buy a device but should expect to pay for it. Explain this before dispensing and document their agreement.

Can I bill clinic sessions for a patient also using a home device?

Clinic-based sessions are evaluated separately. Make sure claims clearly reflect supervised sessions with the correct place of service.