What is denial code 10?

Asked by: Prof. Candice Luettgen Jr.  |  Last update: February 13, 2026
Score: 4.3/5 (24 votes)

Denial Code 10 (CO-10) in medical billing means the diagnosis code provided is inconsistent with the patient's gender, indicating a mismatch between the patient's demographic information and the medical condition coded for the services rendered. This often happens with procedures or conditions that are gender-specific, and the denial code signals that the insurance company needs clarification or correction before payment.

What is code 10 in medical terms?

International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) is a system used by physicians to classify and code all diagnoses, symptoms and procedures for claims processing.

What are the top 10 denials in medical billing?

The top 10 medical billing denials often stem from missing/incorrect patient info, lack of prior authorization, coding errors (diagnosis mismatch, wrong codes/modifiers), services not covered, late filing, medical necessity issues, duplicate claims, coordination of benefits (COB) problems, and charges exceeding payer limits, all avoidable with better front-desk processes, regular coder training, and strict adherence to payer rules, according to sources like Hometown Billing, billrMD, and AnnexMed. 

What is condition code 10?

FLs 24 thru 30 - Condition Codes.--The following condition codes must be completed where. applicable: 08 - Beneficiary would not provide information concerning other insurance coverage. 09 - Neither patient nor spouse employed. 10 - Patient and/or spouse is employed, but no GHP.

What does denial code N10 mean?

Common causes of code N10 are discrepancies or issues identified during the claims review process, such as inconsistencies between the services billed and the patient's medical records, lack of medical necessity for the services provided, or services not meeting the insurer's policy criteria.

TOP 10 DENIAL CODES IN MEDICAL BILLING | REMOTE MEDICAL BILLING #MEDICALBILLINGCLAIMS

25 related questions found

What is diagnosis code N10?

ICD-10 code N10 for Acute pyelonephritis is a medical classification as listed by WHO under the range - Diseases of the genitourinary system .

What are the three types of denials?

Three common types of denial, particularly in addiction and psychology, include Literal Denial (refusing something is happening), Interpretative Denial (accepting facts but twisting their meaning or importance), and Implicatory Denial (acknowledging facts and interpretation but ignoring the uncomfortable consequences). Another framework uses Type A Denial (lying to others about a known problem) and Type B Denial (lying to oneself, rationalizing the behavior). 

What do 10 codes mean?

Learn how to use "10 codes" to communicate with the proper two-way radio etiquette. 10-1 = Receiving poorly. 10-2 = Receiving well. 10-3 = Stop transmitting. 10-4 = Message received.

What is a CPT 10 code?

While ICD-10 codes indicate your client's diagnosis, or why you're billing the payer, CPT codes convey the service for which you're billing. For example, you'd use an ICD-10 code to communicate you're treating a client with generalized anxiety disorder.

What is the most serious code in a hospital?

The "worst" hospital code is subjective and depends on the threat, but Code Silver (armed person/active shooter) and Code Pink/Purple (child/infant abduction) are often considered the most terrifying and disruptive due to immediate danger or severe emotional impact, while Code Blue (medical emergency/cardiac arrest) is the most frequent and life-or-death code, and Code Black (bomb threat) poses a massive evacuation risk, making them all incredibly serious.
 

What are the most common denial codes?

The most common medical denial codes often involve missing or incorrect information (CO-16), duplicate claims (CO-18), invalid coding/modifiers (CO-4, CO-11), lack of prior authorization (CO-197), expired insurance (CO-27), service not medically necessary (CO-50), or billing beyond the time limit (CO-29), all signaling issues from data entry errors to coverage gaps that need specific appeals or corrections. 

What are 5 common CPT codes?

Five common CPT codes include 99213/99214 for general office visits (low/moderate complexity), 99381-99397 for preventive exams, 97110 for therapeutic exercises, 36415 for routine venipuncture (blood draws), and 90837 for 60-minute psychotherapy sessions, all representing frequent services like E/M, wellness, therapy, labs, and mental health. 

What medical insurance denies the most claims?

In 2023, roughly one third of all in-network claims made to AvMed were denied by the medical insurance company. In this year, AvMed and United HealthCare were the medical insurance companies with the highest denial rate for in-network claims in the United States, at 33 percent each.

What is an ICD-10 diagnosis code?

ICD-10-CM—the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification—is used to code and classify medical diagnoses. ICD-10-CM is based on ICD-10, the system used to code and classify mortality data from death certificates.

What is the 10 code for overdose?

ICD-10 code T50. 901A for Poisoning by unspecified drugs, medicaments and biological substances, accidental (unintentional), initial encounter is a medical classification as listed by WHO under the range - Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes .

What is the ICD-10 code for situational anxiety disorder?

While F40. 24 “Situational type phobia” is the situational anxiety ICD-10 code, it should not be used for insurance reimbursement purposes, as there are multiple codes in the F40 category (“Phobic anxiety disorders”) that contain a greater level of detail, which we'll get into below.

Which diagnosis code goes first?

ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines has a coding convention where certain conditions that have both an underlying etiology and co-morbidities or multiple body system manifestations due to the underlying etiology requires the underlying condition be sequenced first, if applicable, followed by the manifestation.

What is CPT code modifier 10?

POS 10 is used for telehealth services provided to a patient located in their home.

How do ICD-10 codes affect billing?

Common Billing Challenges Attributed to ICD-10

One common issue is the difficulty in navigating the intricate code structures, which often leads to increased errors in documentation and coding. These errors can result in higher claim rejection rates, as payers may flag inaccuracies or mismatches in the submitted codes.

Why are they called 10 codes?

Radios needed time to charge up completely to send a message, so the one syllable word 'ten' made it easier for the transmitter to capture and send a short message. It took a few years to catch on, but by 1940, a list of 10-Codes had been created and finally in 1955, standardized for wide use among police officers.

What is one benefit of 10 codes?

Efficiency: Short, concise codes save time and reduce radio traffic. Confidentiality: Using codes can obscure sensitive information from being easily understood by unauthorized listeners. Tradition: Many officers and agencies view police 10 codes as a part of law enforcement culture and are resistant to change.

Why are 10 codes no longer used?

They have historically been widely used by law enforcement officers in North America, but in 2006, due to the lack of standardization, the U.S. federal government recommended they be discontinued in favor of everyday language.

What is the most common claim denial?

Claim not filed on time (aka: Timely Filing)

If a proper claim is submitted, but it's not within the timing window, it may result in a denial. It is recommended that you check with your Payers regarding their filing deadlines.

What are the three types of denial?

Sigmund Freud's Model

  • Simple denial occurs when someone denies that something unpleasant is happening. ...
  • Minimization occurs when a person admits an unpleasant fact while denying its seriousness. ...
  • Projection occurs when a person admits both the seriousness and reality of an unpleasant fact but blames someone else.

What are the three types of cases?

The three main types of legal cases are criminal, civil, and bankruptcy, with criminal cases further divided into infractions, misdemeanors, and felonies, while civil cases cover disputes like personal injury or contract issues. Other categorizations exist, such as crimes against persons, property, or society, or federal court case types like federal question or diversity of citizenship cases.