MA43: Missing/incomplete/invalid patient status
The patient discharge status code on an institutional claim is missing or does not match a valid code, which affects how the claim is priced (for example, transfers versus discharges to home).
Corrective actions
- 1
Confirm the discharge disposition
Check the medical record for the actual discharge status (home, transfer, SNF, expired, etc.) and map it to the correct UB-04 patient status code.
- 2
Resubmit the corrected status code
Update the patient status field with the verified code, since an incorrect status can also trigger post-acute transfer payment adjustments.
Denial codes it is usually paired with
MA43 is the detail behind a CARC rather than an adjustment in its own right. These are the denial codes our dataset records it alongside.
Frequently asked questions
What does remark code MA43 mean?
The patient discharge status code on an institutional claim is missing or does not match a valid code, which affects how the claim is priced (for example, transfers versus discharges to home).
Retrieved 2026-07-18.
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Denial7 provides billing and administrative guidance based on published CMS and X12 sources. It is not medical advice, not a coverage determination, and not a guarantee of payment. NCCI and MUE edits are republished quarterly and payer policies vary by contract. Always confirm against the payer's own current policy before submitting or appealing.