What is an 835 (Electronic Remittance Advice)?
An 835, also called an Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA), is the standard electronic file a payer sends to explain how it paid or adjusted each claim.
The 835 is the HIPAA standard (X12 835) for payment and remittance advice. For every claim and service line it lists the billed charge, the allowed amount, the amount paid, and adjustment codes explaining every difference.
Because it records exactly what the payer decided, the 835 is the primary data source for finding underpayments. Practices usually receive 835s through their clearinghouse.
How to spot it
- Use the adjustment codes on each line (CARCs and group codes) to see why the payment differs from the charge.
How Vareo helps
Vareo checks every line of your 835 remittances against your payer contracts, finds underpayments like this, and handles the appeals and follow-up. You pay only a share of what is recovered.
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Last updated October 11, 2026