CO-203Contractual ObligationCoding
CO-203 Denial Code: Discontinued or reduced service
Payment reduced because the service was discontinued partway or reduced in scope.
Why CO-203 happens
- ●Discontinued-procedure modifiers (52/53/73/74) triggering percentage payment
How to fix a CO-203 denial
- 1
Verify the reduction percentage matches payer policy for the modifier used
- 2
Appeal with op notes if the payer under-recognized completed work
How to prevent it
Document exactly how much of the procedure was completed when discontinuing.
Drowning in CO-203 denials?
OakClaim works every denial within 48 hours and builds prevention rules so they stop recurring.