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N89 Remark Code: Claim Crossed Over to Multiple Payers

N89 is an informational alert. The payer forwarded this claim's payment information to more than one other payer (for example, several supplemental plans), but the remittance format lets it identify only one of those secondary payers on the advice.

Quick facts

Code
N89 (RARC N89)
Status
Active In use since January 1, 2000; last modified April 1, 2007.
Code set
Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)
Group codes
  • OA (Other Adjustment): Adjustments reported with this alert are often other adjustments tied to the crossover; the alert itself does not change what you are owed.
  • PR (Patient Responsibility): Any deductible or coinsurance left after this payer is the patient's share, which the forwarded secondary payers may pick up.
Official description
Alert: Payment information for this claim has been forwarded to more than one other payer, but format limitations permit only one of the secondary payers to be identified in this remittance advice.
X12 Remittance Advice Remark Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified
against the official X12 list.

What N89 means

When a patient has more than one plan behind the primary payer, the primary may automatically forward (cross over) the claim to each of them. N89 is how that primary tells you the claim went to several downstream payers even though the remittance advice names just one of them.

Nothing is wrong with the claim. The alert explains a gap in what the remittance can show, so your staff do not assume the only listed payer is the only one that received it.

What to do

  1. Record every secondary plan the patient has on file, not just the one named on the remittance.
  2. Allow time for crossover payments before sending the balance to anyone. Billing the same plans again can create duplicates.
  3. Follow up with each plan if its payment does not arrive. Ask whether it received the crossover and how it wants any remaining balance submitted.
  4. Bill the patient only for what is left after every applicable secondary plan has processed.

Keeping the patient’s coverage order current prevents most crossover confusion; see eligibility and COB denials for the root causes.

Codes that may appear with N89

  • PR-1 (Deductible Amount): Deductible left after primary processing, which the forwarded secondary plans may consider.
  • PR-2 (Coinsurance Amount): Coinsurance that the crossover payers may cover under their own benefits.
  • MA08 (Alert: Claim information was not forwarded because the supplemental coverage is not with a Medigap plan, or you do not participate in Medicare.): Used when claim information was not forwarded to the supplemental plan at all.
  • N4 (Missing/Incomplete/Invalid prior Insurance Carrier(s)): What a secondary payer may send back if it never received usable primary payment details.
  • MA04 (Secondary payment cannot be considered without the identity of or payment information from the primary payer.): Secondary payment cannot be considered without the primary payer's information.

N89 FAQ

Should I bill the other secondary payers myself?

Usually not right away. The claim was already forwarded to them. Wait a reasonable period for their payments, then follow up with each plan, and bill directly only if a plan confirms it did not receive the crossover.

Why is only one secondary payer listed?

It is a format limitation. The remittance has room to name one forwarded payer, so N89 tells you there were others you cannot see on this advice.

Does N89 change the payment on this claim?

No. It is informational only. The amounts paid and adjusted are explained by the reason codes on the line, not by N89.