OA 271 denial code

Claim adjustment reason code 271. Often reported as OA 271.

Prior reductions on periodic payment

Unofficial reference. This is our own plain-English explanation, not the official code text. Payer rules differ. Verify with the payer and the official X12 code list. AlphaPrefix is not affiliated with X12, CMS or any payer. Data last updated Nov 11, 2026.

What 271 means

This reflects contractual reductions on a scheduled periodic payment where the deferred amounts were already reported earlier.

Some arrangements pay providers on a set schedule instead of claim by claim. This code ties the current payment to reductions that were already reported in an earlier remittance, so the amount is not being taken twice.

It is only used with group code OA. It mostly appears in specialized payment programs and is not something a typical office sees often.

Group codes seen with 271

On a remittance, 271 comes after a group code. These are the ones it is most often reported with:

• OA 271 (Other Adjustment): Used for adjustments that are neither the provider's contractual write-off nor the patient's share. It often appears with coordination of benefits, for example when another payer already paid.

The payer chooses the group code for each adjustment, so the same reason code can appear with another group code on your remittance. Read the two together. More about group codes.

Common causes

• The provider is paid under a contractual payment schedule rather than per claim.
• Deferred amounts from earlier periods were reported on a prior remittance.
• The payer is reconciling the current periodic payment against those earlier reductions.

What to do next

1. Match the adjustment to the earlier remittance that reported the deferred amount.
2. Confirm the payment schedule in the contract to see that the totals agree.
3. Contact the payer's provider services if the reconciliation does not tie out.

Related codes

• 143 (reason code) Part of the payment is deferred