How do I resolve a CO-157 denial?

Pull the original claim and review the denial reason and any RARC codes Research the payer's policy for CARC 157 to understand the basis for denial See full resolution steps at tryarceum.com.

Can I appeal a CO-157 denial?

Yes. Most CO-157 denials can be appealed within 60-180 days depending on payer. This is appealable if documentation can demonstrate the service was not actually related to an act of war or if the patient has supplemental coverage that does not exclude war-related conditions. Use our free tool to generate an appeal letter.

CARC Code

157

🔴 Hard Denial

Service Related to Act of War

The claim was denied because the service or procedure was provided due to an injury or condition resulting from an act of war. Most insurance contracts exclude coverage for war-related injuries.

contractual

Resolution: 35%Hard difficulty21-45 days avg

How to resolve this denial

Which payer denied this claim?

Coordinate with patient's attorney; bill liability carrier or hold pending lawsuit

1
Pull the original claim and review the denial reason and any RARC codes
2
Research the payer's policy for CARC 157 to understand the basis for denial
3
Gather supporting documentation addressing the denial reason
4
Submit a formal appeal with the documentation within the plan's appeal window
5
Follow up on the appeal within 30 days and document all communication

Resolve this denial →

▶✓ Pre-action checklist — verify before contacting the payer

Review the full remittance advice (ERA/EOB) for additional RARC codes that explain the denial.
Verify the claim was submitted with correct patient eligibility and benefit information.
Check if this denial applies to a specific line item or the entire claim.

▶More about CO-157 — stats, related codes, appeal template

35%

Recovery Rate

21-45 days

Avg. Resolution

Hard

Difficulty

Rare

Frequency

Payer-Specific Notes

How major payers handle CARC 157 by specialty.

Blue Cross Blue Shield

BCBS requires appeal submission within 180 days for most plans.

Appeal Letter Template

Generic appeal template for CARC 157 denials.

We are submitting a formal appeal for claim [CLAIM_NUMBER] for patient [PATIENT_NAME], date of service [DOS]. This claim was denied/adjusted with CARC 157 indicating: "Services not covered — patient filed a lawsuit relating to this condition.." We have reviewed the claim and are providing the attached documentation to support reconsideration. [SUPPORTING_DOCUMENTATION]. Please reconsider payment per the terms of our contract.

Generate a personalized appeal letter →

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