Timely Filing
AR Guide KnowledgeClaims submitted after the payer's filing deadline, extensions, exceptions, and late-filing appeals.
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Check first
Check these before anything else
- The payer's filing deadline and how it is measured
- Date the claim was actually received by the payer
- Original submission date and channel (with proof)
- Claim history — was this billed before?
- Whether an extension or exception could apply
- CARC 29 and the accompanying remark code on the ERA/EOB
Verify payer-specific rules: Heads up
AR Guide knowledge
What it means
The payer will not process a claim received after its filing deadline. Deadlines are usually measured from the date of service, date of discharge, or the date of a prior denial — and each payer measures it differently. A timely-filing denial is often final unless an extension, exception, or proof of timely submission applies.
AR Guide knowledge
Common causes
- Claim submitted after the payer's filing deadline
- Claim initially sent to the wrong payer, delaying the correct submission
- Corrected claim or appeal submitted as a new claim past the deadline
- Secondary or COB claim submitted after the deadline from the primary's payment date
- Deadline measured from an event the billing team did not track (e.g., discharge date)
AR Guide knowledge
What AR should verify
- Identify the payer's filing deadline and how it is measured
- Confirm the date the claim was actually received by the payer
- Check for extensions: secondary claims, crossover, retroactive eligibility, state laws
- Review the original claim history for when the first submission occurred
- Confirm whether the denial is based on the claim date or the appeal date
Recommended workflow
What to do next
- If the claim was submitted on time, appeal with proof of timely submission (submission receipt, clearinghouse report, portal confirmation)
- If an extension or exception applies, file the appeal citing it
- If truly late, determine whether a client/contract arrangement allows a courtesy write-off or patient billing
- Set up deadline tracking so future claims are submitted with lead time
Don’t assume
Avoid these shortcuts
- The claim was never submitted — verify the original transmission first
- The payer's receipt date equals the original submission date
- A timely-filing denial automatically means provider error — it may be a payer clock or wrong-payer issue
- The deadline is the same for every payer, claim type, or state
- A corrected claim resets the filing clock
AR Guide knowledge
Documentation
- Date and channel of the original submission with proof
- Clearinghouse or portal submission reports
- Payer correspondence showing the deadline basis
- Any extension documentation (e.g., retroactive eligibility letter)
AR Guide knowledge
Escalation
- QA: confirm the submission date is documented before an appeal is filed
- Eligibility: verify retroactive coverage that may reset the deadline
- Appeals: escalate when a valid extension applies but the payer refuses it
- Supervisor: when the denial appears to violate the payer's own published deadline
QA checkpoint
Confirm before closing
- Log submission dates for every claim so timely-filing disputes are provable
- Flag claims approaching the filing deadline before submission
- Track deadline exceptions per payer in the AR reference notes
AR Guide knowledge
Related guides
Reference
Related codes
Source & review
References
AR Guide editorial research · Last reviewed Aug 15, 2026 · Reviewed. General practice guidance — not official payer or standards documentation. Payer-specific requirements must be verified with the payer.
About this guidance: Note