Decoding Revenue Codes (UB-04) on Your Hospital Bill

If you look at the technical version of your bill (the UB-04 form), you will see 4-digit numbers in the column labeled "Rev Code." These Revenue Codes are used by insurers to determine the "location" of the charge, which dictates the reimbursement level.

### Common Revenue Codes and Their Meanings Hospitals often use high-cost revenue codes for low-cost areas to hike the bill. 0450 (Emergency Room):* General classification. If you were only in a treatment room, you should see 0761. 0200 (General ICU):* Highest room rate. Verify you weren't in "Observation" (0762) instead. 0250 (Pharmacy):* Check for "Generic" (0251) vs "Brand" (0252) markups. 0360 (Operating Room):* General surgery. "Minor Surgery" (0361) should be significantly cheaper.

### The "Compatibility" Error The Integrated Outpatient Code Editor (OCE) is a software tool insurers use to ensure that the Revenue Code and the CPT code "belong" together. A common "compatibility" error occurs when a hospital bills for an ER procedure (CPT 99285) but uses a Clinic Revenue Code (0510). This can cause your insurance to deny the claim, leaving you with the full bill. Identifying these mismatches is the fastest way to get a bill re-processed by your insurance.