Denial Code CO 13 | Description, Reasons, Next Steps & How To Avoid It
CP13 means that the claim submitted for payment has a date of service that is after the patient’s recorded date of death. As a result, the claim is denied by the insurance company.
Description: The denial code CO 13 refers to “The date of death precedes the date of service.”
Common Reasons for the Denial CO 13:
- Incorrect date of service entered on the claim
- Incorrect date of death recorded in the patient’s file
- Data entry errors
- Claim submitted for a deceased patient without proper documentation
Next Steps: To resolve the denial code CO 13, follow these steps:
- Verify the patient’s date of death in their medical records and ensure it is accurate.
- Check the date of service on the claim and confirm it is correct.
- If either the date of death or date of service is incorrect, correct the information and resubmit the claim.
- If both dates are accurate, and the service was provided before the patient’s death, provide supporting documentation to the insurance company to justify the claim.
How to Avoid Denial CO 13 in the Future: To prevent denial code CO 13 from occurring in the future, consider implementing the following practices:
- Ensure accurate and up-to-date patient information is maintained in their medical records, including the date of death.
- Double-check the date of service on claims before submission to avoid data entry errors.
- Implement a system to flag claims for deceased patients and verify the accuracy of the information before submitting the claim.
- Provide proper documentation for services rendered to deceased patients when necessary.
