# Claim edit: Missing primary payer

> Stedi now rejects 837P professional, 837D dental, and 837I institutional claims that don’t include a primary payer.

Published Dec 8, 2025

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 don’t include a primary payer.

Every claim must include exactly one primary payer. For primary claims, this payer determines routing. For secondary and tertiary claims, payers use this information to determine [coordination of benefits (COB)](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/receive-claim-responses#crossover-claims) and adjudicate the claim correctly. If it’s missing, the payer may reject the claim, which can cause payment delays.

This edit – the industry’s term for an automated validation rule – catches the issue before it reaches the payer.

**When this edit applies**  
A claim will fail this edit when:

- **JSON API**  
  If you’re using one of Stedi’s JSON [claim submission API endpoints](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/intro-to-claim-submission#api-claim-submission), the edit fails if neither the `subscriber.paymentResponsibilityLevelCode` nor any `claimInformation.otherSubscriberInformation.paymentResponsibilityLevelCode` fields contains a value of `P` (Primary) in the request.

- **Raw X12**  
  If you’re using raw X12, the edit fails if neither `Loop 2000B` (Subscriber Hierarchical Level)) nor `Loop 2320` (Other Subscriber Information) contains an `SBR-01` (Payer Responsibility Sequence Number Code) value of `P` (Primary).

- **Stedi portal**  
  You can’t fail this edit using the Stedi portal’s professional claim submission form. Currently, the form only supports claims to a single primary payer. Secondary and tertiary claims aren't supported.

**Rejection errors**  
If you submit a claim that fails the edit using Stedi’s [claim submission APIs](https://www.stedi.com/docs/healthcare/intro-to-claim-submission#api-claim-submission), you’ll get back an error message in real time. If you’re using a JSON API endpoint, the response includes error details in the `errors` array:

```jsonc
{
  "errors": [
    {
      "code": "33",
      "description": "The Primary Payer information is missing. A primary payer must be indicated in either the Subscriber or Other Subscriber loops of the claim. Correct and resubmit.",
      "followupAction": "Please Correct and Resubmit"
    }
  ]
}
```

If you submit a claim that fails the edit using SFTP, 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 contain a related claim status category code, claim status code, and error message. You can use the error message to correct and resubmit the claim.

**Resolution tips**  
For secondary and tertiary claims, include a single primary payer in other subscriber information:

- **JSON API**  
  If you’re using one of Stedi’s JSON claim submission API endpoints, you can provide this information in a `claimInformation.otherSubscriberInformation` object with a `paymentResponsibilityLevelCode` of `P` (Primary) in the request.

- **Raw X12**  
  If you’re using raw X12, you can provide this information in `Loop 2320` (Other Subscriber Information) with an `SBR-01` value of `P` (Primary).