How do I resolve a CO-202 denial?

Review the plan's Summary of Benefits to confirm the service is excluded Inform the patient in writing that the service is not covered under their plan See full resolution steps at tryarceum.com.

Can I appeal a CO-202 denial?

CO-202 denials are generally not appealable. These services are contractually excluded as non-covered personal comfort items, making appeals unlikely to succeed.

CARC Code

202

🔴 Hard Denial

Personal Comfort Services Not Covered

The service billed is considered a personal comfort or convenience item rather than a medically necessary service. Insurance plans typically do not cover items or services that are primarily for the patient's comfort or convenience.

contractual

Resolution: 35%Hard difficulty21-45 days avg

How to resolve this denial

Which payer denied this claim?

Inform patient of non-covered services; bill patient directly

1
Review the plan's Summary of Benefits to confirm the service is excluded
2
Inform the patient in writing that the service is not covered under their plan
3
Determine if an ABN was issued prior to service (required for Medicare)
4
Bill the patient for the non-covered service if an ABN was signed
5
Document the non-coverage determination in the patient account

Resolve this denial →

▶✓ Pre-action checklist — verify before contacting the payer

Review the full remittance advice (ERA/EOB) for additional RARC codes that explain the denial.
Verify the claim was submitted with correct patient eligibility and benefit information.
Check if this denial applies to a specific line item or the entire claim.

▶More about CO-202 — stats, related codes, appeal template

35%

Recovery Rate

21-45 days

Avg. Resolution

Hard

Difficulty

Rare

Frequency

Payer-Specific Notes

How major payers handle CARC 202 by specialty.

Blue Cross Blue Shield

BCBS requires appeal submission within 180 days for most plans.

Common 835 Combinations

CARC 202 most often appears with these Group Code + RARC combinations on 835 remittances.

COCO-202The payer has denied this charge because the service provided is classified as

Look up any combination →

Appeal Letter Template

Generic appeal template for CARC 202 denials.

We are submitting a formal appeal for claim [CLAIM_NUMBER] for patient [PATIENT_NAME], date of service [DOS]. This claim was denied/adjusted with CARC 202 indicating: "Non-covered personal comfort or convenience services.." We have reviewed the claim and are providing the attached documentation to support reconsideration. [SUPPORTING_DOCUMENTATION]. Please reconsider payment per the terms of our contract.

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