Reference·PER Segment·PER02
X12 278 Reference

PER02 in X12 278: A Field Guide to Name

Jul 28, 2026 · 4 min read
← PER01 PER04 →

Most fields in a 278 are codes with a fixed list behind them. PER02 isn't — it's whatever string the sender decided to put there, which means it's also one of the few fields where bad test data actually looks like realistic test data.

Quick answer

PER02 is a free-form name field in the PER segment of an X12 278 that identifies the specific contact — often a person's name, sometimes a role or department, depending on how the sending system is configured.

What actually shows up here

Person name
e.g. A JOHNSON — the most common pattern — a first initial or first name plus last name
Department name
e.g. AUTH DEPT — used when a system routes calls to a team rather than an individual
Blank
empty string — PER02 is technically situational in most implementations, so it can arrive empty even when PER01 is populated

Example

Synthetic example Generated by Synthibase 
PER*IC*A JOHNSON*TE*8005557321*EX*4482

PER02 holds A JOHNSON, the individual reachable at the phone number that follows. Synthetic test data.

Where this trips people up

Because PER02 is unstructured, it's tempting for a test data generator to reuse the same placeholder name — like TEST CONTACT — across every synthetic transaction. Parsing and display logic that only ever sees that one string never gets exercised against a blank PER02, a department name instead of a person, or special characters that a real intake form might allow but a downstream system can't render.

→
How to Test X12 278 PER: A Field-by-Field Breakdown
 →
X12 278 Prior Authorization: Format, Fields, and Testing Guide
 →
Prior Authorization Reform: CMS-0057-F and State Gold-Carding Laws Explained
Stop testing against the same placeholder name
Synthibase generates varied, realistic contact names and departments in synthetic 278 transactions, so PER02 handling gets tested against the range of values it will actually see, not one hardcoded string.
Start free trial →
This page is written independently by Synthibase for testing and informational purposes. It is not an official publication of HL7 International or X12/Washington Publishing Company, and is not a substitute for reviewing the official standard or your trading partner's companion guide. See our Terms of Service for full legal terms.