CARC 203CO · Contractual Obligation
Payment was adjusted because the service was discontinued partway through or reduced in scope from what was originally planned.
- Common causes
- A procedure was stopped before completion, such as due to patient condition, and billed with a reduced-service modifier.
- Suggested fix
- Confirm the reduced or discontinued service modifier (such as modifier 52 or 53) was applied correctly and documentation supports the extent of service actually performed.
Related Contractual Obligation codes
107This claim depends on another related claim or service being referenced, but that link wasn't provided.11The diagnosis code doesn't support medical necessity for the procedure billed, based on the payer's coverage edits.13The claim shows a date of service after the patient's recorded date of death.146The diagnosis code billed wasn't a valid, active code as of the date of service.150The documentation submitted doesn't justify the complexity or level of the service billed, commonly seen with evaluation and management visit levels.16The claim is missing required information or contains a billing error that prevented the payer from processing it.170This payer doesn't reimburse this specific provider type for this service.171This payer doesn't cover this service when it's billed by this provider type in this particular facility setting.
Frequently asked questions
What does CARC 203 mean?
Payment was adjusted because the service was discontinued partway through or reduced in scope from what was originally planned.
How do I resolve CARC 203?
Confirm the reduced or discontinued service modifier (such as modifier 52 or 53) was applied correctly and documentation supports the extent of service actually performed.
Why does CARC 203 happen?
A procedure was stopped before completion, such as due to patient condition, and billed with a reduced-service modifier.
CARC codes maintained by X12 (x12.org). Descriptions on this site are original reference interpretations. Always verify codes with authoritative sources before making billing decisions.