CARC Code
48
This (these) procedure(s) is (are) not covered.
How to resolve this denial
Review plan exclusions and consider appeal with clinical justification
- 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
▶✓ 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-48 — stats, related codes, appeal template
35%
Recovery Rate
21-45 days
Avg. Resolution
Hard
Difficulty
Occasional
Frequency
Payer-Specific Notes
How major payers handle CARC 48 by specialty.
Blue Cross Blue Shield
BCBS requires appeal submission within 180 days for most plans.
Common 835 Combinations
CARC 48 most often appears with these Group Code + RARC combinations on 835 remittances.
Appeal Letter Template
Generic appeal template for CARC 48 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 48 indicating: "This procedure is not covered.." 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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