Error code
ESN — Invalid Blank HN Claim
Health number missing
The claim had no health number, but this fee code isn't one of the few that can be billed without one.
What to do: Add the patient's health number and version code, then resubmit the claim.
- Code
- ESN
- Description
- Invalid Blank HN Claim
Explanation
Updated October 26, 2026
ESN means the claim was sent without a health number, but this fee code isn't one that can be billed without one. Add the health number and resubmit.
What it means
ESN (Invalid Blank HN Claim) means the claim was sent with no health number, but the fee code is not one that may be billed without a health number. The Ministry's text adds 'No HN required for FSC', which refers to the short list of fee codes that are billed without a health number.
Common causes
- The health number was left off a claim for a regular patient service
- The fee code on the claim is wrong
How to fix it
- Check the fee code.
- If the service was for a patient, add the patient's health number and version code.
- Resubmit the corrected claim within three months of the service date. If that window has passed but the claim was first submitted on time, use the Ministry's stale-dated resubmission process.
Don't resubmit if
- You can't get the patient's health number.
How APEX handles it
APEX reads your error reports and remittance advice from MCEDT and lists claims rejected with this code in its Correction Centre for you to correct and resubmit. See how APEX works · Pricing
Related codes: ESH, VHB, VH1, VH2