UB-04 Field 8b: Patient Name

Overview

Form Locator 8b (Patient Name) captures the beneficiary's legal name as recorded on the UB-04 claim form. Wisconsin Medicaid (ForwardHealth) instructs providers to "Enter the member's last name and first name, separated by a space or comma" in this field ^[1]. The Tennessee Department of Health also identifies FL 8b as a key data element: "This information will be used by the Tennessee Department of Health for matching with other sources of data. This information is confidential" ^[2]. Although the Pennsylvania PROMISe™ Ambulatory Surgical Center billing guide does not directly address field 8b, it emphasizes that all mandatory fields on the UB-04 must be completed accurately to avoid processing delays ^[3]. Proper completion of field 8b ensures correct patient identification, payment posting, and data linkage across healthcare systems.

When to Use

Field 8b is used whenever a UB-04 claim form is submitted for inpatient or outpatient services. ForwardHealth’s inpatient instructions require entry of the patient’s last and first name in field 8b ^[1]. The Tennessee Department of Health mandates that ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) report patient name in FL 8B for outpatient data collection, emphasizing its role in cross‑system matching ^[2]. Although the Pennsylvania ASC guide does not list field 8b specifically, the same guide requires all mandatory form locators to be completed for ambulatory surgical center claims ^[3]. The field should contain the patient’s name exactly as it appears on the beneficiary’s health insurance card to prevent mismatches during eligibility verification and claims adjudication.

Step-by-Step Claim Example

Step 1: Obtain the patient’s legal last name and first name. For a beneficiary named “Jane Doe,” the last name is “Doe” and the first name is “Jane.”
Step 2: Enter the name in Form Locator 8b. Use either a space or a comma to separate the last name from the first name, as required by ForwardHealth: “Enter the member's last name and first name, separated by a space or comma, in Form Locator 8b” ^[1]. Acceptable entries: Doe Jane or Doe, Jane.
Step 3: Ensure the name matches the information on the patient’s insurance ID card. The Tennessee Department of Health uses this field for matching with other data sources ^[2]; therefore, any discrepancy could cause a reject or data‑integrity issue.
Step 4: Complete the rest of the UB-04 form according to your payer’s instructions. For Pennsylvania ASC claims, font sizes of Times New Roman 10‑point or Arial 10‑point are recommended to ensure all data fits within the field ^[3].

Common Mistakes & Audit Red Flags

• Incorrect name order: Entering the first name before the last name (e.g., “Jane Doe” instead of “Doe Jane” or “Doe, Jane”) violates ForwardHealth’s explicit instruction to put last name first ^[1]. This can cause the claim to be rejected or processed under the wrong patient record.
• Omitting the separator: Failing to insert a space or comma between last and first names (e.g., “DoeJane”) makes the name unreadable for matching systems. ForwardHealth requires a space or comma ^[1].
• Typographical errors or misspellings: Even a single letter mismatch can prevent data linkage. The Tennessee Department of Health uses field 8b for “matching with other sources of data” ^[2], so accuracy is critical.
• Using nicknames or initials: Unless the member’s legal name on the insurance card consists of only initials, full first and last names should be used. Inconsistent naming is a common audit red flag that can lead to recoupment.
• Leaving field 8b blank: Because this field is required for both inpatient and outpatient claims (as indicated by payer instructions), omitting it will result in a processing error or claim rejection.

Related Codes/Fields

The table below lists UB-04 form locators that frequently interact with or are referenced alongside field 8b. Requirement codes follow the legend used in the PROMISe™ ASC guide: M = mandatory, A = if applicable, O = optional, LB = leave blank ^[3].

Field Number	Field Name	Requirement Code	Source
1	Provider Name, Address, Telephone Number	M (mandatory)	[3]
2	Pay‑To Name, Address, Provider ID	A (if applicable)	[3]
3a	Patient Control Number	M (mandatory)	[3]
3b	Medical Record Number	O (optional)	[3]
4	Type of Bill	M (mandatory)	[3]
8b	Patient Name	See notes	ForwardHealth requires last/first name [1]; TN uses for matching [2]

Note: The PROMISe ASC guide does not explicitly list field 8b; however, other state manuals confirm it is a required data element. Always check your specific payer’s claim completion instructions.

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References

[1] ForwardHealth Inpatient020124.pdf — https://www.forwardhealth.wi.gov/kw/archive/Inpatient020124.pdf

[2] TN ASTC ODC Manual — https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/program-areas/reports_and_publications/2020-ASTC-ODC-Manual.pdf

[3] PROMISe ASC Guide — https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dhs/documents/providers/promise-guides/documents/UB-04%20Billing%20Guide%20for%20PROMISe%20Ambulatory%20Surgical%20Centers.pdf