N548Remark Code (RARC)ActiveInformational Alert
N548 Remark Code - Patient Deductible Met Alert
The N548 remark code indicates that the patient's calendar year deductible has been satisfied. This means that any services billed after this point should not require a deductible payment from the patient for the remainder of the calendar year, as the deductible has already been met.
What This Alert Tells You
As an informational alert, the N548 remark code does not accompany any specific adjustments or reason codes. It simply notifies the provider of the patient's deductible status and does not imply any action is needed regarding the payment of claims.
Common Scenarios
1A patient receives a procedure in December and is billed for it, but the claim response includes the N548 remark code.
→ This indicates that since the patient has met their deductible for the calendar year, they will not be responsible for any further deductible amounts for services rendered before the end of the year.
2A claim for a follow-up visit is submitted in January, and the remittance advice shows the N548 remark code.
→ The presence of this remark means that the patient’s deductible has been met in the previous year, so they will not incur any additional deductible costs for this visit.
3A series of claims are processed for a patient, and one of the 835s includes the N548 alert code.
→ This alert informs the billing department that the patient’s deductible has been satisfied, which may affect the cost-sharing calculations for subsequent claims.
What to Do
- Do not take any action based solely on the N548 remark code, as it is informational only.
- Expect that the patient will not owe any deductible amounts for services rendered for the rest of the calendar year.
What to Check
- Verify the patient's deductible status in the practice management system.
- Review the patient's benefit plan document for deductible details.
- Check the patient's eligibility response for any updates on their deductible status.