Who submits the UB-04 claim for reimbursement purposes?

The UB-04 claim form is specifically designed for use by institutional providers, primarily hospitals, to request reimbursement for services rendered to patients. Hospitals submit this form to third-party payers, including insurance companies and government entities such as Medicare and Medicaid. This form captures essential information regarding the services provided, including billing codes, patient demographics, and the specific charges associated with each service.

While other entities, such as departments of health and physician offices, may handle various aspects of healthcare billing and claims, it is the hospital—the institutional provider—that is responsible for completing and submitting the UB-04 claim. Third-party payers, on the other hand, process these claims but do not submit them. Therefore, the correct answer reflects the direct responsibility of hospitals in the claims submission process.