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N882 Remark Code: Patient Waived NSA Protections

N882 is an alert that the provider or facility obtained the patient's consent to waive No Surprises Act balance-billing protections, so the plan based its out-of-network payment and the patient's cost sharing on its own plan allowance rather than the Act's rules.

Quick facts

Code
N882 (RARC N882)
Status
Active In use since November 1, 2022.
Code set
Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes
  • PR (Patient Responsibility): The patient's out-of-network cost sharing under the plan's terms. With a valid consent, other amounts may also be billable to the patient as permitted by the consent and state law.
  • CO (Contractual Obligation): Any amount your contract or applicable law treats as a provider write-off. Out-of-network providers without a contract may see little here.
Official description
Alert: The out-of-network payment and cost sharing amounts were based on the plan's allowance because the provider or facility obtained the patient's consent to waive the balance billing protections under the No Surprises Act.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified
against the official X12 list.

What N882 means

Most of the No Surprises Act alerts tell you the patient is protected. N882 tells you the opposite. The plan accepted that the patient validly gave up their surprise-billing protections through the notice and consent process, so the claim was processed like an ordinary out-of-network claim.

That changes two numbers:

  • The plan’s payment is its standard out-of-network allowance, not a No Surprises Act initial payment.
  • The patient’s cost sharing follows the plan’s out-of-network terms, which are often higher than in-network amounts.

What to do

  1. Bill the patient according to the consent. The signed estimate sets expectations, and a bill far above it invites complaints.
  2. Check state law before balance billing. Some states protect patients beyond the federal floor.
  3. Do not open federal negotiation on this claim. It is not eligible.
  4. File the signed documents where you can retrieve them quickly if the patient or plan questions the charges later.

Codes that may appear with N882

  • CO-45 (Charge exceeds fee schedule/maximum allowable or contracted/legislated fee arrangement.): The difference between your charge and the plan's out-of-network allowance.
  • PR-1 / PR-2 (Deductible and coinsurance amounts.): Out-of-network cost sharing, which is often higher than in-network amounts.
  • N878 (Alert: The provider or facility specified that notice was provided and consent to balance bill obtained, but notice and consent was not provided and…): The plan rejected the consent because it was not obtained properly.
  • N879 (Alert: The notice and consent to balance bill, and to be charged out-of-network cost sharing, that was obtained from the patient with regard to the…): The plan rejected the consent because the service type cannot use it.
  • N865 (Alert: This claim is subject to the No Surprises Act provisions that apply to nonemergency services furnished by nonparticipating providers during a…): Flags non-emergency services by nonparticipating providers at participating facilities, the main setting where consent applies.

N882 FAQ

Can I balance bill the patient after N882?

Generally yes, within the limits of the consent the patient signed, the good faith estimate you provided, and any state balance-billing law. The consent does not override stricter state rules.

Can I still use federal IDR?

No. When a valid consent waives the protections, the claim falls outside the No Surprises Act payment and dispute process.

What should I keep on file?

Keep the signed notice and consent and the estimate. Federal rules require keeping these records for several years.