Revenue code
Updated September 30, 2026
Definition
A 4-digit code on each line of a hospital or facility bill that sorts the charge by type, such as a room charge or an ancillary service like a test or drug.
A revenue code is a 4-digit number that hospitals and other facilities put on each line of a bill. It tells your insurer what kind of charge the line is. That might be a room charge or an ancillary service like a test or a drug. The National Uniform Billing Committee (NUBC) keeps the list.
You'll see revenue codes on a detailed hospital bill, which is built from a standard claim form called the UB-04. Each code often sits next to a procedure code that names the exact service. The total line uses revenue code 0001.
Revenue codes help you sort a long bill into groups. If you find 2 lines with the same code, date, and amount, ask whether one is a duplicate. If a code's category doesn't fit the care you got, ask the billing office to explain it. Our guide on how to get an itemized bill shows how to ask for this detail.
Related terms
Guides that use this term
- GuideHow to get an itemized hospital bill (script and letter)Your hospital bill shows only totals? Here's how to get an itemized bill, with a phone script, a short letter, your rights, and what to check first.
- GuideCharged twice? How to find and remove duplicate chargesCharged twice for the same thing? Learn how to tell a true duplicate from a correct repeat, what code 18 on your EOB means, and how to get it removed.
Sources
- Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 25: Completing and processing the Form CMS-1450 data set, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Accessed September 30, 2026.
- Medicare billing: CMS-1450 & 837I (MLN006926), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Accessed September 30, 2026.
This is general information, not legal or medical advice. Rules can depend on your plan and your state. Romi Care isn't an insurer, law firm, collection agency, or government program.