> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.athelas.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Deferring (Snoozing) a Claim

### At a Glance

Sometimes a claim has work to be done — but not right now. Maybe you're waiting on a callback from a payer, an appeal in litigation, or a coding update from a provider. **Deferring** lets you snooze a claim so it drops out of your worklist until it's actionable again, without losing track of it.

Deferring solves three everyday problems:

* Clearing claims out of your view when there's nothing you can do at the moment.
* Capturing *why* and *how often* claims get set aside, so your team can spot patterns.
* Making it clear when you can (or can't) expect an update from your EHR.

<Note>
  Deferrals work only on the new Claims Page. They aren't compatible with the legacy denials or rejections worklists.
</Note>

## What Happens When You Defer a Claim

Deferring **hides** a claim from views that filter for `Claim is not deferred` — most importantly the **My Claims** and **Workable Claims** views, which exclude deferred claims automatically.

When the expiration date arrives, one of two things happens:

* If the work queue has **changed** in the meantime (because new data moved the claim forward), no further work is needed — the deferral did its job.
* If the work queue is **unchanged**, the claim reappears in your worklist so you can pick it back up.

<Warning>
  Deferring **does not change the work queue** — it only "snoozes" the claim in its current queue. The date, reason, and duration of every deferral are recorded in the [Activity Feed](/insights_biller/claim_details/working_a_claim).
</Warning>

## How to Defer a Claim

You can defer a claim from the **Actions** dropdown while viewing it.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/air_athelas/wcjlp6D6od6GtFG7/images/insights_biller/claim_details/deferring_a_claim/deferring_a_claim_1.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=wcjlp6D6od6GtFG7&q=85&s=0cc03a4f499a2498bed95c11bc4eaa9a" alt="The Defer option in the Actions dropdown on a claim" width="3024" height="1794" data-path="images/insights_biller/claim_details/deferring_a_claim/deferring_a_claim_1.png" />

In the popup, provide a **Reason** and an **Expiration Date** (quick options like "1 month" are available). Both are required.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/air_athelas/wcjlp6D6od6GtFG7/images/insights_biller/claim_details/deferring_a_claim/deferring_a_claim_2.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=wcjlp6D6od6GtFG7&q=85&s=81e273f1c812ae59a4204449868f6910" alt="The defer popup with a reason and expiration date" width="3024" height="1794" data-path="images/insights_biller/claim_details/deferring_a_claim/deferring_a_claim_2.png" />

Once you save, the claim disappears from your workable views until it expires or its work queue changes.

<Tip>
  ✨**Smart Tip:** To check whether a claim is currently deferred, open its **Actions** menu — the options shown tell you its deferral state.
</Tip>

## Deferring in Bulk

You can defer — and cancel deferrals — for many claims at once. Select the claims, then choose **Defer** (or **Cancel Deferral**) from the bulk actions.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/air_athelas/wcjlp6D6od6GtFG7/images/insights_biller/claim_details/deferring_a_claim/deferring_a_claim_3.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=wcjlp6D6od6GtFG7&q=85&s=aac9384d87d36c4b45f5bbf434d69d10" alt="Deferring several claims at once with a bulk action" width="3024" height="1794" data-path="images/insights_biller/claim_details/deferring_a_claim/deferring_a_claim_3.png" />

One thing to know:

* If you defer a claim that's **already deferred**, the expiration date **resets** to the new date — it does not add on to the existing deferral.

## Canceling or Extending a Deferral

Once a claim is deferred, you can **cancel** the deferral at any time, the same way you deferred it.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/air_athelas/wcjlp6D6od6GtFG7/images/insights_biller/claim_details/deferring_a_claim/deferring_a_claim_5.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=wcjlp6D6od6GtFG7&q=85&s=630a06267097deb2fd945bde0f235ed6" alt="Canceling a deferral from the Actions menu" width="3024" height="1794" data-path="images/insights_biller/claim_details/deferring_a_claim/deferring_a_claim_5.png" />

To **extend** a deferral, re-defer the claim with a new expiration date. Re-deferring without first canceling is supported through the bulk action.

## Creating Deferral Reasons

To add a new reason, click the **+** button in the reason list and type it in.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/air_athelas/wcjlp6D6od6GtFG7/images/insights_biller/claim_details/deferring_a_claim/deferring_a_claim_6.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=wcjlp6D6od6GtFG7&q=85&s=664194b68a781711671f87a18737a525" alt="Creating a new deferral reason with the plus button" width="3024" height="1794" data-path="images/insights_biller/claim_details/deferring_a_claim/deferring_a_claim_6.png" />

<Note>
  Deferral reasons are **site-specific** — once anyone at your site creates a reason, everyone at that site sees it as an option. Reasons can't be deleted once created (the same behavior as claim tags), so agree on a shared set of reasons before you go wide.
</Note>

## Automatic Behavior

Deferrals take care of a few things on their own:

* **Auto-clear** — a deferral clears automatically when it **expires** or when the claim's **work queue changes**. Both events are logged in the Activity Feed.
* **Pauses patient responsibility** — while a claim is deferred, [patient responsibility (PR)](/insights_front_desk/patient_responsibility/patient_responsibility_page) generation is paused, so you won't send PR to a patient while you're still waiting on the claim.

## The "Updated in EHR" Reason (Billing-Only Sites)

Sites that use Insights for billing only (not the Air EHR) get a built-in reason: **Updated in EHR**. When you choose it, the expiration date is set automatically to the date of the next scheduled EHR sync for that claim.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/air_athelas/wcjlp6D6od6GtFG7/images/insights_biller/claim_details/deferring_a_claim/deferring_a_claim_7.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=wcjlp6D6od6GtFG7&q=85&s=e4f8a19d166a4f23ea0753e7ff3755c7" alt="The Updated in EHR deferral reason for billing-only sites" width="1812" height="1252" data-path="images/insights_biller/claim_details/deferring_a_claim/deferring_a_claim_7.png" />

* Used in bulk, each claim is set to its own next sync date.
* If a claim has **no future sync scheduled** (for example, a claim older than 120 days), this reason is disabled — a guardrail so you can't wait on an update that will never arrive.

### FAQ

<Accordion title="Does deferring change a claim's status or work queue?">
  No. Deferring only snoozes the claim in its current work queue and hides it from your workable views. When the deferral expires — if the work queue hasn't advanced on its own — the claim reappears exactly where it was.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Where can I see that a claim was deferred, and by whom?">
  Every deferral is recorded in the claim's **Activity Feed** with who deferred it, the reason, and the duration. To check a claim's current deferral state, open its **Actions** menu.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="What happens if I defer a claim that's already deferred?">
  The expiration date **resets** to the new date you choose — it doesn't extend the original deferral. This applies whether you re-defer a single claim or a batch.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Why is the 'Updated in EHR' reason missing or grayed out?">
  It only appears for billing-only sites (those not on the Air EHR). Even then, it's disabled for a claim that has no future EHR sync scheduled — for example, a claim older than 120 days — so you don't defer a claim that would never receive an update.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Can I still send patient responsibility while a claim is deferred?">
  No — PR generation is paused for the duration of the deferral. This prevents a patient statement from going out while you're still working the claim with the payer. PR resumes once the deferral clears.
</Accordion>
