What does a line item with a revenue code and a charge represent?

• A. A line item represents a payer adjustment.
• B. A line item records a patient demographic.
• C. A line item represents a single service line for a specific department/service and its charge.
• D. A line item indicates a bundled discount.

Answer: (D)

In UB-04 billing, a line item represents a single service that was provided, tied to a specific department or service category using a revenue code, and it shows the charge for that service. The revenue code identifies the area of service (for example, radiology, room and board, laboratory), while the charge is the amount billed for that particular service. Together, they describe one discrete service line and its cost, helping the payer see exactly what was charged for which service.

Other items like payer adjustments or discounts would appear as adjustments rather than the service line itself, and patient demographics are not described per line item but are part of the broader patient record. A bundled discount typically shows up as an adjustment or reduction, not as the primary line item representing a service and its charge.