Timely Filing Deadline Calculator
The Timely Filing Calculator computes claim submission deadlines for Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial payers based on date of service. CO-29 (timely filing) denials are generally not recoverable — once a timely filing deadline passes, most payers will not process the claim regardless of medical necessity or documentation quality. Preventing CO-29 denials requires systematic tracking of unfiled and unpaid claims against filing windows.
Medicare: 12 months from date of service for original claims (42 CFR §424.44). Medicare secondary claims (Medicare as secondary payer): 12 months from date of service or 6 months from primary payer's EOB date, whichever is later. Medicare Advantage plans follow the same 12-month window unless the plan's Evidence of Coverage specifies a shorter window (not permitted under 42 CFR §422.620 for contracted providers).
Medicaid: varies by state — range is 90 days to 12 months from date of service for most state fee-for-service programs. Medicaid managed care organizations may contract for shorter windows. Secondary claims to Medicaid typically allow 6–12 months from primary payer adjudication. Verify the specific window in the state Medicaid provider manual and each MCO provider agreement.
Commercial payers: timely filing windows are set by the provider contract and typically range from 90 days to 12 months. High-volume deniers include plans with 90-day windows where billing staff are not tracking claims at 60 days. ERISA plan timely filing limits are governed by the plan document; absent a specific limit, federal courts have applied 3-year statutes of limitation.