CARC 289: Services considered under the dental and medical plans, benefits not available.
Services considered under the dental and medical plans, benefits not available.
CARC 289 appears on the 835 ERA (Electronic Remittance Advice) that the payer returns after claim adjudication. It explains a reduction, denial, or payment adjustment to your billing team. For your practice, the question is workflow: identify the pattern, route the denial to the right resolution path (rebill, appeal, write-off), and recover what's recoverable without burning RVU time on dead-end fights.
What CARC 289 means
The official X12 description is: “Services considered under the dental and medical plans, benefits not available.”
In plain language: Services considered under the dental and medical plans, benefits not available.
Practice workflow for CARC X 289
Appeal with documentation specific to this code. The provider's billing office can help clarify what the carrier wants.
ApprovalHelp auto-drafts the appeal letter against the right federal appeal-rights regulation (ACA §2719, ERISA §503, NSA §2799A, 42 CFR 422 Subpart M, or 42 CFR 438 Subpart F) for the patient's plan type, the payer's own coverage policy, and the relevant clinical guideline. Drafts route to the clinician for signature in under five minutes.
CARC 289 group codes explained
On the 835 ERA, CARC 289 appears alongside a group code that signals who is financially responsible for the adjustment. CO (Contractual Obligation) — Contractual write-off. The provider agreed to the rate. Patient does NOT owe this amount.
Frequently asked questions
What does CARC 289 mean?
Services considered under the dental and medical plans, benefits not available. In plain language: Services considered under the dental and medical plans, benefits not available.
Is CARC 289 appealable?
Yes — CARC 289 is one of the codes that commonly supports an appeal. Appeal with documentation specific to this code. The provider's billing office can help clarify what the carrier wants.
Which group code does CARC 289 appear under?
CARC 289 most often appears under: CO (Contractual Obligation) — Contractual write-off. The provider agreed to the rate. Patient does NOT owe this amount.
What's the practice workflow for a CARC 289 denial?
Appeal with documentation specific to this code. The provider's billing office can help clarify what the carrier wants.
Related resources
Sources
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