Timely Filing Denials

CARC 29

The claim was submitted after the payer's filing deadline — the single most common reason clean claims go unpaid.

What it is

The pattern

A timely-filing denial means the payer will not process the claim because it was received after the deadline in the provider agreement or state rule. Deadlines are measured differently per payer — from date of service, date of discharge, or a prior denial date — so two claims to two payers can both be 'on time' and both be 'late' under different clocks.

Why it happens

Common causes

The claim sat in a work queue, a clearinghouse hold, or a billing system past the deadline.
The deadline was measured from a date the biller did not know (discharge, not admission; prior denial, not DOS).
The claim was rejected for a data error, fixed weeks later, and re-submitted — resetting nothing because the payer counts the original receipt.
A corrected claim was filed as a new claim, restarting the clock and inviting a duplicate denial.

Prevention

Stop it before the claim goes out

Track each payer's deadline in the AR reference notes — never assume a national default.
Build submission lead time into the workflow: clean-claim edits before release, not after.
Set internal flags for claims approaching the filing deadline before submission.
Reconcile clearinghouse acknowledgements daily so a rejected claim is fixed within 48 hours.

When it happens

What to do

If the claim was submitted on time, appeal with proof: the clearinghouse report, portal confirmation, or submission receipt showing the payer's receipt date. If an extension or exception applies (secondary claims, crossover, retroactive eligibility, state law), cite it explicitly. If it was genuinely late, confirm the contract position — some arrangements allow a courtesy write-off or patient billing.

Payer-specific (verified data only)

Sourced notes

UnitedHealthcare
UHC timely filing is agreement-defined (commonly 90 days); corrected claims use frequency code 7 per the official provider resources.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas
Texas commercial carriers follow the state prompt-pay rule — claims filed within 95 days of service date (TDI).
Molina Healthcare — Texas — Medicaid
Texas Medicaid (TMHP) claims must be filed within 95 days of the date of service.

Payer notes are source-backed statements from the payer directory; verify the current rule with the payer before acting.

Deeper dive

The full denial guide

The payer denied the claim because it was submitted after the filing deadline. Success depends on proving timely submission or finding a valid extension.

Open the Timely Filing guide →