Technical / EDI
The 276/277 Claim Status Transaction Explained
The 276 is an EDI claim status request sent to a payer to ask where a claim stands; the 277 is the payer's response. Automating 276/277 lets you track claim status without logging into payer portals, which is central to efficient AR follow-up.
Chasing claim status by logging into payer portals is one of the biggest time sinks in AR follow-up. The 276/277 transaction is the electronic alternative, and automating it is how follow-up stops falling behind.
The 276 request
The 276 is an inquiry sent to a payer asking for the status of one or more claims. It identifies the provider, payer, patient, and the specific claim(s) in question.
The 277 response
The 277 returns the claim's status: received, pending, paid, denied, or in review, along with relevant dates and identifiers. It is the electronic equivalent of checking the payer portal, but returned as structured data.
Why automate it
Because 276/277 is a standard exchange, software can poll claim status automatically instead of staff logging into portals one claim at a time. That keeps follow-up current and catches problems (like a claim that stalled) before they cross timely-filing windows.
How it fits AR follow-up
Automated 276/277 is the backbone of scalable AR follow-up: it surfaces which claims need action, so staff and AI agents can focus on working denials and appeals rather than hunting for status.
How MedXFlow AI agents handle this
MedXFlow's AI agents work directly with the EDI transactions behind this - 270/271, 837, 835, 276/277 and 278 - and fall back to payer-portal automation where a transaction is not supported, so the workflow runs whatever channel each payer uses.
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
What is the 277 response?
The 277 is the payer's answer to a 276 claim status request. It reports whether a claim is received, pending, paid, denied, or in review, with dates and identifiers, as structured data.
How does 276/277 help AR?
It lets you check claim status electronically instead of logging into payer portals, so follow-up can be automated and kept current, catching stalled claims before they cross filing windows.