UB04 Admission Source Code 6: Transfer from another Health Care Facility

Overview

Code 6, "Transfer from another Health Care Facility," is a point of origin code used in Field 15 of the UB-04 claim form. According to Noridian, this code indicates that the patient was admitted as an inpatient transfer from another health care facility not defined elsewhere, or referred as an outpatient by a physician of another health care facility ^[1]. This code serves as a catch-all for transfers from facilities that do not fit into more specific categories like hospitals (code 4), skilled nursing facilities (code 5), or ambulatory surgery centers (code E). The MassHealth UB-04 Billing Guide confirms that the UB-04 form is used by acute inpatient hospitals and acute outpatient hospitals, including hospital-licensed health centers, for submitting claims ^[2]. Proper use of this code ensures accurate tracking of patient movement between healthcare facilities and appropriate reimbursement for transfer-related services.

When to Use

Use code 6 when a patient is transferred from a health care facility that does not fall under any other specific point of origin code. According to Noridian, this applies to inpatient admissions where the patient is admitted as a transfer from another health care facility not defined elsewhere, and outpatient services where the patient is referred by a physician of another health care facility ^[1]. Examples of facilities that may warrant code 6 include rehabilitation hospitals, psychiatric facilities, long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs), or specialty clinics that are not hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, assisted living facilities, nursing facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, or hospice facilities. Do not use code 6 for transfers from hospitals (use code 4), SNF/ICF/ALF/NF (use code 5), ambulatory surgery centers (use code E), or hospice facilities (use code F). Also avoid using code 6 for transfers between distinct units of the same hospital (use code D) or for court/law enforcement referrals (use code 8).

Step-by-Step Claim Example

Scenario: A patient is transferred from a freestanding rehabilitation facility to an acute care hospital for treatment of a post-surgical infection.

Step 1: Identify the transferring facility type. The patient comes from a rehabilitation facility, which is not a hospital, SNF, ICF, ALF, NF, ASC, or hospice. Therefore, code 6 applies.

Step 2: Complete Field 15 (Point of Origin for Admission or Visit) on the UB-04 form. Enter "6" in this field to indicate "Transfer from another Health Care Facility" ^[1].

Step 3: Complete Field 12 (Patient Name) with the patient's full legal name as it appears on their insurance card.

Step 4: Complete Field 13 (Patient Address) with the patient's home address, not the transferring facility's address.

Step 5: Complete Field 14 (Birth Date) and Field 15 (Sex) with the patient's date of birth and gender.

Step 6: Complete Field 17 (Admission Date) with the date the patient was admitted to your facility.

Step 7: Complete Field 18 (Admission Hour) with the hour of admission (00-23).

Step 8: Complete Field 19 (Type of Admission) with the appropriate code (1 for emergency, 2 for urgent, 3 for elective, etc.).

Step 9: Complete Field 20 (Source of Admission) with "6" to match the point of origin code.

Step 10: Complete all other required fields per MassHealth guidelines, including revenue codes (Field 42), procedure codes (Field 44), and diagnosis codes (Field 67).

Step 11: Submit the claim electronically or on paper if you have an approved waiver, as MassHealth requires electronic submission unless a waiver is granted ^[2].

Common Mistakes & Audit Red Flags

Mistake 1: Using code 6 for hospital transfers. This is a frequent error. If the patient comes from another acute care hospital, use code 4, not code 6. Auditors will flag this as incorrect coding ^[1].

Mistake 2: Using code 6 for SNF/ICF/ALF/NF transfers. These facilities have their own code (5). Using code 6 for these transfers will result in claim denials or payment adjustments.

Mistake 3: Using code 6 for transfers from distinct units of the same hospital. Use code D for transfers between distinct units within the same hospital, as this results in a separate claim to the payer ^[1].

Mistake 4: Using code 6 when the source of admission is unknown. If the patient's origin is not known, use code 9 ("Information Not Available") instead of code 6.

Audit Red Flag: Inconsistent documentation. If the medical record indicates the patient was transferred from a specific facility type (e.g., a hospital), but code 6 is used, auditors will flag this as a documentation discrepancy. Always ensure the code matches the clinical record.

Audit Red Flag: Overuse of code 6. Because code 6 is a catch-all, some providers may use it inappropriately to avoid determining the correct code. Auditors look for patterns of code 6 usage that should have been coded more specifically.

Related Codes/Fields

Code/Field	Description	Source
Code 1	Non-Health Care Facility Point of Origin (Physician Referral)	[1]
Code 2	Clinic or Physician's Office	[1]
Code 4	Transfer from a Hospital (different facility)	[1]
Code 5	Transfer from a SNF, ICF, ALF, or NR	[1]
Code 6	Transfer from another Health Care Facility	[1]
Code 8	Court/Law Enforcement	[1]
Code 9	Information Not Available	[1]
Code D	Transfer from One Distinct Unit of Hospital to Another Distinct Unit of Same Hospital	[1]
Code E	Transfer from Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC)	[1]
Code F	Transfer from Hospice Facility	[1]
Field 12	Patient Name	[2]
Field 17	Admission Date	[2]
Field 19	Type of Admission	[2]
Field 20	Source of Admission	[2]

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References

[1] Noridian Point of Origin — https://med.noridianmedicare.com/web/jea/topics/claim-submission/point-of-origin-codes

[2] MassHealth UB-04 Guide — https://www.mass.gov/doc/ub-04-billing-guide-0/download