UB04 Type of Bill Code 0112: Hospital Inpatient (Including Medicare Part A) - Interim - First Claim

Overview

Type of Bill (TOB) code 0112 is a four‑digit alphanumeric code used on the UB‑04 claim form to identify a specific claim scenario. The leading zero is ignored by CMS. The second digit (“1”) indicates the facility type is a hospital. The third digit (“1”) indicates the type of care is inpatient Part A (excluding clinics). The fourth digit (“2”) signifies the frequency is “Interim – First Claim.” Thus, 0112 represents a hospital inpatient (including Medicare Part A) claim that is an interim bill and is the first such claim submitted for the patient’s stay. Interim claims are used when a patient’s stay spans multiple billing periods and the provider needs to receive payment before the stay is completed. This code is distinct from TOB 0111 (admit through discharge – a single final claim) and 0113 (interim – continuing claims). Providers must use this code only when the patient is still an inpatient and this is the initial interim bill. ^[1]

When to Use

TOB 0112 should be used when a hospital inpatient stay qualifies for interim billing under Medicare Part A (or similar programs) and the provider is submitting the very first interim claim for that episode of care. This situation typically arises for long‑term acute care patients, patients with extended lengths of stay, or when a hospital’s internal billing cycle demands periodic payments. The key requirement is that the patient remains an inpatient and the stay has not yet ended. The “Interim – First Claim” frequency (digit “2”) must not be confused with “Admit Through Discharge” (digit “1”), which is used when the stay is complete, or “Interim – Continuing Claims” (digit “3”), which is for subsequent interim bills. ^[1] Providers should also verify payer‑specific rules, as some payers may not permit interim billing or may have different frequency code definitions. Always confirm that the facility type is correctly coded as “1” (hospital) and that the type of care is “1” (inpatient Part A). Using 0112 for a Part B inpatient stay, for example, would be incorrect because Part B inpatient uses a different third digit (“2”). ^[1]

Step-by-Step Claim Example

A patient is admitted to an acute care hospital on January 5, 2025, with an expected lengthy stay. The hospital’s billing system generates an interim claim after 10 days because the patient remains an inpatient and the stay is not yet complete. This is the first interim claim for this admission. The biller completes the UB‑04 as follows:

1. Field 4 (Type of Bill): Enter “0112”.
2. Field 6 (Statement Covers Period): Enter dates from January 5 through January 14 (the period covered by this interim claim).
3. Field 8a (Patient Name): Enter patient name.
4. Field 12 (Patient’s Account No.): Use a unique account number.
5. Field 31 (Facility Type Code): Already defined by the TOB (hospital).
6. Revenue codes: List applicable charges for the interim period (e.g., room and board, pharmacy, labs).
7. Field 78 (Interim/Claim Frequency): No separate entry; the TOB already conveys this.

After submission, the provider receives a payment for the 10‑day period. A few weeks later, the stay continues, and the hospital submits a second interim claim using TOB 0113 (Interim – Continuing Claims). When the patient is finally discharged, the hospital submits a final interim claim using TOB 0114 (Interim – Last Claim) to reconcile all payments. This sequential use of interim codes ensures proper cash flow and claim processing. ^[1]

Common Mistakes & Audit Red Flags

Even with clear code definitions, several errors are frequent. Using 0112 when the stay is complete is a major mistake – the correct code would be 0111 (Admit Through Discharge). Submitting an interim claim after a prior interim claim has already been paid also requires the “continuing” code (0113), not 0112. Misidentifying the type of care is another pitfall: if the inpatient services are covered under Part B (e.g., for beneficiaries who have exhausted Part A benefits), code “2” must be used for the third digit (e.g., 0122), not “1”. Omitting the leading zero on paper claims can cause rejects, though electronic systems often ignore it. Inconsistent statement‑covered periods: interim claims must reflect only the dates within the billing cycle; overlapping or incorrect dates create audit flags. Failure to submit a final claim (0114) after discharge – if a provider submits interim claims but never sends a last claim, the payer may suspend future payments. Duplicate billing may occur if an interim claim is mistakenly sent as a new claim (0112) instead of a continuation (0113). ^[1] Providers should also note that some payers require specific documentation supporting the need for interim billing; lacking such documentation may trigger a review. ^[1]

Related Codes/Fields

The table below lists Type of Bill codes closely related to 0112, all using facility type “1” (hospital) and care type “1” (inpatient Part A), but with different frequency digits.

Code	Meaning	Frequency Digit	When Used
0111	Admit Through Discharge	1	Single claim for a complete inpatient stay
0112	Interim – First Claim	2	First interim bill for an ongoing stay
0113	Interim – Continuing Claims	3	Subsequent interim bills after the first
0114	Interim – Last Claim	4	Final interim bill when patient is discharged
0115	Late Charge Only	5	Late charges after the stay is fully billed
0117	Replacement of Prior Claim	7	Correcting or replacing a previously paid claim
0118	Void/Cancel of Prior Claim	8	Cancellation of a previously submitted claim

All codes share the prefix “011” (hospital, inpatient Part A). The fourth digit determines the billing frequency. Additional related fields on the UB‑04 include Field 6 (Statement Covers Period) and Field 78 (if payer requires separate frequency code). ^[1]

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References

[1] Noridian Bill Types — https://med.noridianmedicare.com/web/jea/topics/claim-submission/bill-types