Overview
Fields 78 and 79 on the UB‑04 claim form are designated for “Other Physician ID” according to the Maryland Medicaid UB‑04 hospital billing instructions. [1] Each field requires a qualifier followed by a National Provider Identifier (NPI) number, and then an additional qualifier and identifier (the source shows the format as “QUAL/National Provider Identification (NPI) Number/QUAL/ID”). [1] These fields are separate from the Attending Provider (field 76) and Operating Physician (field 77) fields, allowing the reporting of other physicians involved in the patient’s care. The same structure applies to both field 78 and field 79, meaning each can carry a distinct physician identifier. [1] Because the instructions explicitly mention the NPI, it is expected that the identifier portion will be the physician’s National Provider Identifier, though the qualifier may vary by payer or state requirements.
When to Use
Fields 78 and 79 should be used when a provider needs to report an additional physician identifier beyond those captured in field 76 (Attending Provider) and field 77 (Operating Physician). [1] Because two fields are provided (78 and 79), up to two additional physicians can be identified.
Step-by-Step Claim Example
Consider a hospital inpatient claim where a consulting physician, Dr. Jane Smith (NPI 1234567890), participated in the patient’s care. The attending physician is already reported in field 76, and the operating physician in field 77. To report Dr. Smith in field 78, follow the format specified by the Maryland Medicaid instructions: a qualifier, then the NPI, then another qualifier and identifier. [1] The same process applies to field 79 if a second other physician needs to be reported. Always verify the qualifier codes accepted by the specific payer, as the Maryland Medicaid instructions do not list specific qualifier values.
Common Mistakes & Audit Red Flags
A frequent error is omitting the required qualifier before the NPI in fields 78 or 79. The Maryland Medicaid instructions clearly state the field contains a qualifier and an NPI number. [1] Submitting only the NPI without a qualifier, or using an invalid qualifier, can cause the claim to be rejected or pended for review. Another mistake is entering the same physician identifier in both field 78 and field 79 when only one additional physician is involved; each field is intended for a distinct physician. [1] Audit red flags include missing or invalid NPIs, as payers often validate the NPI against their provider databases. Additionally, using a non‑NPI identifier (e.g., a state license number) when the instructions specify NPI may lead to denials. Providers should also ensure that the qualifier used matches the physician’s role (e.g., consulting vs. referring) as defined by the payer. Inconsistent or incomplete data in these fields can trigger additional documentation requests or claim adjustments.
Related Codes/Fields
| Field | Description (from Maryland Medicaid UB‑04 instructions) |
|---|---|
| FL 76 | Attending Provider Name and Identifiers [1] |
| FL 77 | Operating Physician National Provider Identification (NPI) [1] |
| FL 78 | Other Physician ID – QUAL/National Provider Identification (NPI) Number/QUAL/ID [1] |
| FL 79 | Other Physician ID – QUAL/National Provider Identification (NPI) Number/QUAL/ID [1] |
These fields collectively identify the physicians associated with the claim. Fields 78 and 79 are specifically for additional physicians beyond the attending and operating providers. [1]
References
[1] Maryland Medicaid — FL 78-79 — https://health.maryland.gov/mmcp/provider/Documents/ffs-billing/UB04-Hospital-Billing-Instructions%20%281%29.pdf
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Start ExtractingThis guide was developed using official CMS and NUBC guidelines, combined with patterns observed from processing thousands of real UB-04 documents through our system.
Last Updated: 2026-06-03
Sources: CMS Pub. 100-04 Chapter 25, NUBC Official UB-04 Manual, Medicare Contractor Bulletins (Noridian, Palmetto, CGS)