Error code
HCE — Enrolled more than 3 months after HCC referral
Enrolled too late
The patient was enrolled more than 3 months after the Health Care Connect 'referred to' date, so Q053A isn't payable.
What to do: Compare the enrolment date with the Health Care Connect referral date; if the enrolment date on file is wrong, correct it, then resubmit.
- Code
- HCE
- Description
- Enrolled more than 3 months after HCC referral
Explanation
Updated October 26, 2026
HCE means the patient was enrolled to you more than 3 months after the Health Care Connect 'referred to' date, so the HCC new patient fee isn't payable.
What it means
HCE means the patient was enrolled to the billing physician, but later than 3 months after the 'referred to' date in the Health Care Connect (HCC) database. The HCC complex/vulnerable new patient fee (Q053A) requires the patient to be enrolled within three months of the HCC registration (OMA Q-codes guide; Schedule AQ2).
Common causes
- The enrolment was submitted late
- The enrolment date on file is later than the date you actually took the patient on
How to fix it
- Check the patient's enrolment date and the HCC 'referred to' date.
- If the enrolment date on file is wrong, correct it first, then resubmit.
- If the enrolment really was more than 3 months later, the HCC fee is not payable. Remove it.
Don't resubmit if
- The patient was enrolled more than 3 months after the HCC referral.
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