# Claim edit: Negative line item charge amount

> Stedi now rejects 837P professional, 837D dental, and 837I institutional claims that include a negative line item charge amount.

Published Apr 28, 2026

Product: Claim edits

Stedi now rejects [837P professional](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/submit-professional-claims), [837D dental](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/submit-dental-claims), and [837I institutional](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/submit-institutional-claims) claims that include a negative line item charge amount for a service line.

## How the edit works

In a claim, a service line represents billing for a specific service, such as an office visit or X-ray.

A line item charge amount is what the provider billed for a single service.

| **Claim type**                                                                          | **JSON API field**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | **X12 element**                                                         |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [837P professional](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/submit-professional-claims)   | [`claimInformation.serviceLines[].professionalService.lineItemChargeAmount`](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/api-reference/post-healthcare-claims#body.claimInformation.serviceLines.professionalService.lineItemChargeAmount)                 | `SV1-02` (Line Item Charge Amount) of Loop `2400` (Service Line Number) |
| [837D dental](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/submit-dental-claims)               | [`claimInformation.serviceLines[].dentalService.lineItemChargeAmount`](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/api-reference/post-healthcare-dental-claims#body.claimInformation.serviceLines.dentalService.lineItemChargeAmount)                      | `SV3-02` (Line Item Charge Amount) of Loop `2400` (Service Line Number) |
| [837I institutional](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/submit-institutional-claims) | [`claimInformation.serviceLines[].institutionalService.lineItemChargeAmount`](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/api-reference/post-healthcare-institutional-claims#body.claimInformation.serviceLines.institutionalService.lineItemChargeAmount) | `SV2-03` (Line Item Charge Amount) of Loop `2400` (Service Line Number) |

If a service line's line item charge amount is below zero, the payer may reject the claim.

This [edit](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/claim-edits-and-repairs#edits) catches the issue before the claim reaches the payer. It prevents payer rejections, which are slower and delay payment for the provider.

## Rejection errors

If you submit a claim using Stedi's [Claim Submission API endpoints](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/intro-to-claim-submission#api-claim-submission) and the claim fails the edit, you'll get back an error response in real time. The response includes details in the `errors` array.

```jsonc
{
  "errors": [
    {
      "code": "33",
      "description": "Invalid line charge amount. Submitted value -50.00 on line 1 must be zero or greater. Negative values are not allowed. Correct and resubmit.",
      "followupAction": "Please Correct and Resubmit"
    }
  ]
}
```

If you submit a claim using [SFTP](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/submit-claims-sftp-connection) and the claim fails the edit, Stedi will reject the claim with a [277CA claim acknowledgment](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/claim-responses-overview#277ca-claim-acknowledgment). The acknowledgment will include a related [claim status category code](https://x12.org/codes/claim-status-category-codes), [claim status code](https://x12.org/codes/claim-status-codes), and error message.

```jsx
STC*A7>583*[DATE]*U*[AMOUNT]******A7>732**Invalid line charge amount. Submitted value -50.00 on line 1 must be zero or greater. Negative values are not allowed. Correct and resubmit.~
```

## Resolution tips

Billers usually add negative line item charge amounts when attempting to:

- **Reverse a charge.** Instead, submit a [void or replacement claim](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/resubmit-cancel-claims).

- **Adjust for deductibles or contracted rates.** Avoid doing this. Payers apply these automatically and report the adjustments in the [835 Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA)](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/claim-responses-overview#835-electronic-remittance-advice-era).