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PR-156 Denial Code (Deactivated): FSA Payments

PR-156 reported payments made from a flexible spending account toward the claim. X12 deactivated it and its official text says to use code 187, which covers all consumer spending account payments.

X12 deactivated CARC156 on October 1, 2009. Payers should no longer use it on new remittances, but it can still appear on older ERAs, corrected claims, and appeals.

Code: PR-156 (CARC 156)
Status: Deactivated StoppedOctober 1, 2009 (in use since September 30, 2003).
Code set: Claim Adjustment Reason Codes (CARC)
Group codes: PR (Patient Responsibility): FSA money is the patient's own funds applied to their share, so the amount related to patient responsibility.
Official description: Flexible spending account payments. Note: Use code 187.
X12 Claim Adjustment Reason Codes, retrieved September 25, 2026
Last verified: September 24, 2026 against the official X12 list.

What PR-156 meant

Some health plans administer flexible spending accounts alongside medical coverage and can pay the patient’s share directly from the account. CARC 156 reported how much of the claim was paid from the FSA, so the provider knew that part of the patient’s balance was already settled. The money was the patient’s and applied to their share.

What replaced it

The official text says “Use code 187.” PR-187 now covers consumer spending account payments of every type, including FSAs, health savings accounts, and health reimbursement arrangements. When the plan paid the member rather than the provider, you would see CO-100.

If you still see PR-156

It is limited to older remittances. Apply the amount as a patient-side payment, reducing what the patient owes, and do not treat it as a contractual adjustment. If the patient also paid you directly for the same balance, check for a credit and refund as needed.

PR-187 (Consumer Spending Account payments (includes but is not limited to Flexible Spending Account, Health Savings Account, Health Reimbursement Account,…): Named replacement: consumer spending account payments, including FSA, HSA, and HRA.
CO-100 (Payment made to patient/insured/responsible party.): Payment made to the patient, insured, or responsible party.
PR-1 (Deductible Amount): Deductible amount, which spending account funds often pay.

PR-156 FAQ

Why was PR-156 replaced by CARC 187?

CARC 187 covers flexible spending accounts plus health savings accounts, health reimbursement arrangements, and similar accounts, so a separate FSA-only code was no longer needed.

How do I post an FSA payment line?

Treat it as a payment toward the patient's responsibility. It reduces the balance the patient owes; it is not a write-off.

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