835 Denial Combination
CO-29+N704
Contractual Obligation · Claim-Level Adjustment
Timely FilingWhat This Combination Means
Note: An informational alert accompanies this denial. This claim was filed after the payer's contracted timely filing deadline and is denied as a contractual write-off. The payer is explicitly informing the provider that appeal rights do not apply to this timely filing denial, but a corrected claim may be submitted if there are extenuating circumstances or filing deadline exceptions documented.
Financial Responsibility
provider writeoff
The provider must absorb the entire denied amount as a contractual write-off and cannot balance bill the patient. No payment will be received from the payer due to late filing.
N/A
Appeal Success
Immediate (write-off)
Avg. Resolution
Easy
Difficulty
No
Appealable
Step-by-Step Resolution
Steps tailored specifically to this CO-29+N704 combination — not generic advice.
- 1
Verify the original date of service and the claim submission date in your practice management system
Confirm whether the claim was truly filed after the contracted timely filing limit to validate the denial
- 2
Check contract and payer policies for documented exceptions to timely filing limits
Identify if extenuating circumstances exist such as retroactive eligibility, prior payer delays, or other acceptable filing delay reasons
- 3
If valid exception exists, submit a corrected claim with documented proof of the filing delay justification
RARC N704 permits resubmission with corrected information when warranted; include supporting documentation of exception circumstances
- 4
If no exception applies, post the denial as a contractual adjustment and write off the balance
Ensure the patient account reflects zero balance due and implement process improvements to prevent future late filing
Specialty Context
How CO-29+N704 typically presents across different practice types.
Dental
Common for dental offices with less automated eligibility verification or practices that batch claims weekly or monthly, leading to filing deadline expiration particularly for capitated or Medicaid plans with 90-day limits.
Medical
Frequently occurs with coordination of benefits delays, workers' compensation crossovers, or when awaiting other payer EOBs, causing secondary or tertiary claims to miss contracted filing windows (typically 90-365 days from DOS).
Behavioral Health
Often seen when retroactive authorization denials delay initial claim submission or when providers wait for session notes to be finalized before billing, causing filing deadlines to lapse on ongoing therapy or intensive outpatient services.
Individual Code References
View the standalone definition for each code in this combination.
Medicare Contractor Guidance for CARC 29
Noridian + uhc + aetna + bcbs_azThe time limit for filing has expired. Claims must be filed within one year of the date of service. If an act of nature, such as a flood, fire, or there are other circumstances outside of the supplier's control, you can appeal the timely filing, by providing this explanation.
How to Prevent CARC 29 Denials
- ✓
Review the date of service prior to submitting the claim. All claims must be filed within one year of the date of service.
- ✓
Reopenings must be submitted one year from initial determination date or after one year from receipt date due to overpayment via clerical error omissions
Need to resolve this denial?
Get a complete resolution plan with appeal guidance for this exact combination in seconds.
Generate a free resolution plan & appeal letter →Synthesized from official definitions — not from training data