Official CARC description: “This (these) diagnosis(es) is (are) not covered.” Here’s what it actually means, why it fires, and how to get the claim paid.
The plan excludes this condition or doesn't cover services FOR this dx — infertility, cosmetic sequelae, or policy-specific exclusion lists.
Liability group: CO = Contractual Obligation — the provider absorbs it — the amount cannot be billed to the patient. If the denial is wrong, the money is recovered by correcting or appealing the claim, not by balance-billing.
Also written: CO-167, CO167, “denial code 167”, “167 denial code” or “reason code 167” — same CARC, different ERA formatting.
Read the note — is the primary dx accurate and the most specific?
If a covered condition was actually treated: corrected claim, resequenced
Check the payer's covered-dx list for the CPT (policy bulletins)
True exclusions: liability to patient only with proper notice (ABN where applicable)
Appeal when the treated condition IS covered and coding just told the story wrong — or when the payer's covered-dx list conflicts with broader plan language. Attach the policy and the note.
Fill in the denial facts — use placeholders, never real patient data (the letter keeps [PATIENT NAME]-style fields so you can merge real details privately). A payer-ready draft with an enclosure checklist comes back in ~20 seconds.
Your appeal letter draft will appear here.
The official CARC description for CO 167 is: “This (these) diagnosis(es) is (are) not covered.” In practice: The plan excludes this condition or doesn't cover services FOR this dx — infertility, cosmetic sequelae, or policy-specific exclusion lists.
Denial code 167 under the CO group (Contractual Obligation) means: This (these) diagnosis(es) is (are) not covered. The number is the reason; the CO prefix decides who is liable — the provider absorbs it — the amount cannot be billed to the patient. If the denial is wrong, the money is recovered by correcting or appealing the claim, not by balance-billing.
Yes. CO 167, CO-167, CO167 and “denial code 167” are the same CARC — clearinghouses, payer portals and PM systems just print it differently. Only the group prefix (CO, PR, OA or PI) changes the meaning, because it changes who has to absorb the amount.
CO stands for Contractual Obligation — the provider absorbs it — the amount cannot be billed to the patient. If the denial is wrong, the money is recovered by correcting or appealing the claim, not by balance-billing.
Appeal when the treated condition IS covered and coding just told the story wrong — or when the payer's covered-dx list conflicts with broader plan language. Attach the policy and the note.