N630Remark Code (RARC)Active
Effective 07/15/2013

N630 Remark Code - Referral Not Authorized

The N630 remark code indicates that a referral for a service was not authorized by the attending physician. This means the payer believes the referral process was not followed correctly according to their guidelines, which may result in a denial or adjustment of the claim.

How It Relates to the Denial

The N630 code typically accompanies a Claim Adjustment Reason Code that relates to unauthorized services or referrals. Together, they signal that the claim's payment has been impacted due to a lack of proper authorization for the referral.

Common Scenarios

1A patient was referred for a specialist consultation, but the claim was denied due to the absence of proper authorization from the attending physician.
→ In this scenario, the N630 remark code highlights that the attending physician did not authorize the referral, which the payer requires for reimbursement.
2A claim for diagnostic imaging was submitted following a referral, but the remittance shows a denial citing that the attending physician did not authorize the referral beforehand.
→ Here, the N630 remark code suggests that the imaging service is being denied because the necessary authorization from the attending physician was not obtained.
3A provider billed for a procedure that was referred by another physician, but the claim returned with a denial indicating the referral was not authorized by the attending physician.
→ The N630 code in this case indicates that the payer expects authorization from the attending physician for the referral to be valid, impacting the claim's payment.

What to Do

  1. Review the attending physician's notes to confirm whether the referral was authorized.
  2. Obtain and submit the necessary authorization documentation from the attending physician if it was not provided.
  3. Correct any claim submission errors related to the referral authorization process.

What to Check

  • The referral authorization documentation from the attending physician.
  • The claim submission records to ensure all required authorizations were included.
  • The payer's policy on referral authorizations to understand specific requirements.