Who has to pay after a code B14 denial?

Usually the provider's problem — not yours. The letters in front of the number matter: CO (contractual obligation) usually means an in-network provider must absorb it, while PR (patient responsibility) means the plan says you owe it.

How long do I have to appeal?

It depends on your coverage: 180 days for most employer and marketplace plans, 120 days for Original Medicare, about 90 days for Medicaid (varies by state), and only 65 days for Medicare Advantage. Set your deadline clock before you do anything else.

All denial codes · code B14

Denial code B14: what it means — and how to fight it

Denial code B14 (shown on your EOB as CO-B14 or PR-B14) means: “Only one visit or consultation per physician per day is covered.” In plain English: You were seen more than once by the same doctor in one day, and the plan pays for only one of those visits.

medium appealability Usually the provider's problem — not yours

What they're really saying

“Only one visit or consultation per physician per day is covered.”

You were seen more than once by the same doctor in one day, and the plan pays for only one of those visits.

Your odds

Worth fighting — many of these get fixed.

Winnable when the second visit was for a genuinely separate problem.

Fewer than 1 in 100 denied claims are ever appealed. When people do appeal, roughly 4 in 10 win the first round — and independent external review overturns 40–50% of what reaches it.

How to appeal a code B14 denial

Decode. You just did — this page is step one.
Set your clock. 180 days for most employer and marketplace plans, 120 for Original Medicare, ~90 for Medicaid, only 65 for Medicare Advantage.
Urgent? If this is care you still need, call and request an expedited appeal — they must decide within 72 hours.
Ask whether the two visits were for separate problems, then request a rebill. If the two encounters were clinically distinct — a new problem, a significant change in your condition, or a return visit the doctor asked you to make — the note should say so, and the claim should carry the modifier that identifies a separate service. Ask the provider to resubmit with that documentation. If it really was one continuous visit split across two bills, you owe one cost share, not two, so check that you were not charged twice.
Send it certified. Letter plus evidence, keep copies of everything.
Escalate. Denied again? Independent external review — a doctor who doesn't work for your insurer decides.

Do it in minutes, free

The AppealClock tool translates your denial, drafts your appeal letter, computes your exact deadline — and watches the clock so you don't have to. No account. Your medical details never leave your device.

Start your appeal & set your clock →

Common questions

What does denial code B14 mean?: You were seen more than once by the same doctor in one day, and the plan pays for only one of those visits.
Can I appeal a CO-B14 or PR-B14 denial?: Yes. Appealing is free and it is your legal right. For this code the odds are medium: Winnable when the second visit was for a genuinely separate problem. Fewer than 1 in 100 denials are ever appealed — insurers count on silence.
Who has to pay after a code B14 denial?: Usually the provider's problem — not yours. The letters in front of the number matter: CO (contractual obligation) usually means an in-network provider must absorb it, while PR (patient responsibility) means the plan says you owe it.
How long do I have to appeal?: It depends on your coverage: 180 days for most employer and marketplace plans, 120 days for Original Medicare, about 90 days for Medicaid (varies by state), and only 65 days for Medicare Advantage. Set your deadline clock before you do anything else.