What is a 277CA in the claim process?

• A. A form to request prior authorization
• B. A claim status inquiry response used to communicate processing status or adjudication results
• C. A code used for auditing
• D. A patient demographic form

Answer: (B)

277CA is the Health Care Claim Acknowledgement. It’s the electronic response a payer sends after a claim is submitted to show the claim’s status in the processing cycle or its adjudication outcome. Think of it as a status update that tells you whether the claim was accepted, needs corrections, or was rejected, often with codes that explain why and what to fix next. It’s separate from the actual payment details; those come later in the remittance advice (835). This transaction isn’t used to request prior authorization or for patient demographic data, so its purpose is specifically to communicate the processing status of the claim.