UB04 Field 51: Health Plan ID

Overview

Field 51 (Health Plan Identification Number) on the UB-04 claim form is listed in the Maryland Medicaid UB-04 Hospital Billing Instructions table of contents at page 42, within the section covering form locators 31 through 72c. ^[1] The source text provides only the field name and its position in the form layout; no definition, format, or usage instructions are included. Because the source is a table of contents, it does not elaborate on the purpose of Field 51 or whether it is required for inpatient or outpatient claims. The Maryland Medicaid document references the field as “Health Plan Identification Number” and places it between Payer Name (FL 50) and Release of Information Certification Indicator (FL 52). ^[1] Without additional content from the source, no further details can be asserted about the field’s definition or application.

When to Use

The source does not specify any circumstances under which Field 51 should be completed. The Maryland Medicaid UB-04 instructions only list the field name “Health Plan Identification Number” in a table of contents entry; they do not mention condition codes, payer requirements, or scenarios that trigger its use. ^[1] Because the source text lacks explicit guidance on when to populate this field, no authoritative claim can be made about its applicability. It is possible that payer-specific contracts or NUBC standards would define usage, but the provided source does not address those topics. Therefore, based solely on the available information, there is no supported statement regarding the “when to use” conditions for Field 51.

Step-by-Step Claim Example

The source material contains no example or sample claim demonstrating how to complete Field 51. The Maryland Medicaid table of contents entry for “FL 51 Health Plan Identification Number” does not include any data values, formatting rules, or example submissions. ^[1] Without such detail, a step-by-step example cannot be constructed from this source. Any attempt to simulate a populated field would require information not present in the provided text, which would violate the rule against using training data or external knowledge. Consequently, this section cannot be completed with the given source.

Common Mistakes & Audit Red Flags

The source text offers no information about common mistakes, audit flags, or errors related to Field 51. The Maryland Medicaid instructions simply list the field in a table of contents; they do not describe validation rules, editing procedures, or typical billing errors. ^[1] Because no data quality issues, incorrect formatting, or missing data warnings are mentioned, no claims about mistakes or red flags can be made using only the provided source. The absence of such content means this section must remain empty of substantive assertions.

Related Codes/Fields

Field Number	Field Name	Source Reference
FL 50	Payer Name	[1] (listed adjacent in TOC)
FL 51	Health Plan Identification Number	[1]
FL 52	Release of Information Certification Indicator	[1] (listed adjacent in TOC)

Note: Only fields explicitly mentioned in the same table of contents entry as FL 51 are included. No relationship or dependency is implied by the source.

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References

[1] Source: Maryland Medicaid — FL 51 — https://health.maryland.gov/mmcp/provider/Documents/ffs-billing/UB04-Hospital-Billing-Instructions%20%281%29.pdf