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July 15, 2026
Key Takeaways
CCSD code 0153B covers the kaolin clotting time (KCT), a coagulation screening blood test used mainly to help detect the lupus anticoagulant as part of an antiphospholipid syndrome workup.
It sits within Chapter 34 (Pathology) of the CCSD Schedule of Diagnostic Tests. Pathology codes take their specimen type from the last letter of the code, and “B” denotes a blood specimen, not a variant of a separate “0153A” procedure.
Fees for 0153B are set by each UK private medical insurer individually. Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality Health, Allianz Care, and others recognise CCSD codes, but reimbursement is never set by the CCSD Group.
Documentation must capture the clinical indication, specimen and mixing-study details, and the requesting consultant; Pabau’s claims management software helps UK private practices submit CCSD-coded pathology claims accurately.
CCSD code 0153B: Test definition and clinical scope
CCSD code 0153B is the CCSD Schedule code for the kaolin clotting time (KCT), a coagulation screening blood test. It’s one of the tests used to help detect a lupus anticoagulant, an antiphospholipid antibody linked to unexplained blood clots and recurrent miscarriage.
It sits within Chapter 34 (Pathology) of the CCSD Schedule of Diagnostic Tests, maintained by the Clinical Coding and Schedule Development (CCSD) Group, in the specialty area covering coagulation and haemostasis testing.
Pathology codes in the CCSD Diagnostic schedule are built differently from the anatomically driven Procedural schedule. They’re based on the NHS National Laboratory Medicine Catalogue, and the last letter of the code identifies the specimen type rather than a procedure variant: B for blood, C for cerebrospinal fluid, F for faeces, and so on.
That’s why 0153B ends in “B”. It’s a blood-specimen pathology test, and the letter has nothing to do with a “second version” of a code called 0153A. Providers should still verify the exact narrative against the official CCSD Technical Guide (October 2025) before billing, as full schedule access requires a registered CCSD login.
This guide covers what CCSD code 0153B represents clinically, which UK private insurers recognise it, how to document and submit a compliant claim, and what causes rejections. Practices transitioning from NHS to private practice will find the insurer-fee framework especially useful.
What CCSD code 0153B covers
Clinicians order the kaolin clotting time when a patient has an unexplained prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), a history of unprovoked arterial or venous thrombosis, or recurrent pregnancy loss. This is the classic trigger for an antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) workup.
It’s also requested alongside other clotting screens when a patient with lupus or another autoimmune condition needs a baseline coagulation profile before surgery. Clinicians sometimes add a routine 85025 blood count or a broader autoimmune panel such as 0472U to complete the picture.
The test works by mixing the patient’s plasma with kaolin, a fine clay mineral that activates the intrinsic coagulation pathway without adding phospholipid. Because phospholipid is the target of antiphospholipid antibodies, its absence makes the test sensitive. If a lupus anticoagulant is present, the clotting time is prolonged.
The sample is then mixed with normal plasma in varying ratios. A clotting time that stays prolonged despite the mix points to an inhibitor such as a lupus anticoagulant, rather than a missing clotting factor. A simple factor deficiency would correct instead.
The kaolin clotting time has long been regarded as one of the most sensitive screening tests for a lupus anticoagulant, though it isn’t run in isolation. Because no single assay catches every case, laboratories typically pair it with other lupus anticoagulant tests, such as the dilute Russell’s viper venom time (dRVVT).
A positive result also needs follow-up testing at 12 weeks to confirm, since a single raised result isn’t enough to diagnose antiphospholipid syndrome. For practices managing pathology test referrals, keeping the request form clear about why the test was ordered makes the difference between a claim insurers pay first time and one they query.
The specimen requirement is a standard venous blood draw into a citrate tube, with no special patient preparation beforehand. Results can be affected by platelet contamination of the sample, so labs typically reject a very short clotting time as an invalid result rather than a negative one.
Which UK insurers accept CCSD code 0153B
All major UK private medical insurers (PMIs) base their fee schedules on CCSD codes. That means Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality Health, WPA, Healix, and Allianz Care all recognise CCSD code 0153B as a billable pathology code.
Recognition doesn’t guarantee reimbursement at any particular rate. Each insurer sets its own fee independently of the CCSD Group, as the Bupa code search portal makes explicit. As our Bupa CCSD codes guide explains, the same code can attract different reimbursement from one insurer to the next, even when the clinical work is identical.
- Bupa: Uses the CCSD schedule; fees checked via the Bupa code search portal.
- AXA Health: Test codes verified through the AXA specialist forms portal.
- Aviva: CCSD-based fee schedule published on the Aviva provider portal.
- Vitality Health: Fee finder tool allows per-code fee lookup for recognised tests.
- WPA: Published fee schedule available via the WPA medical fees page.
- Healix: CCSD-based schedule with specific unbundling guidelines.
- Allianz Care: National fee schedule (PDF) includes all standard CCSD codes.
Pro Tip
Before sending any 0153B claim, log in to each insurer’s provider portal and confirm the current recognised fee for this code. Rates change at annual fee schedule reviews, and billing an outdated figure can trigger an automatic query or partial payment.
Documentation requirements for CCSD code 0153B
Poor documentation is the leading cause of CCSD code 0153B claim queries. Insurers expect the clinical record to substantiate the code, not merely assert it. A lupus anticoagulant workup usually involves more than one test, so the record needs to make clear exactly which assay was billed.
Specifically, the record must support the clinical indication, the requesting consultant, and the specimen and mixing-study details that justify 0153B rather than a related coagulation code. Digital clinical forms that prompt for each required field reduce the risk of incomplete records at the point of care.
Practices managing high volumes of pathology testing should also ensure their GDPR compliance covers the handling and storage of test results and laboratory reports where these support the billing record. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) treats clinical test results as special-category personal data.
Submit CCSD claims with fewer denials
Pabau helps UK private practices manage CCSD-coded billing from documentation through to insurer submission. See how our claims workflow reduces errors and keeps your revenue cycle moving.
How to submit a CCSD code 0153B claim correctly
UK private healthcare claims are increasingly submitted electronically through Healthcode, the industry’s designated clearinghouse. Most major PMIs, including Bupa and AXA Health, require or strongly prefer electronic submission via Healthcode over paper invoices.
The workflow for submitting a 0153B claim follows a standard sequence, and time-saving features in practice management software can automate each step.
- Confirm prior authorisation: Check whether the insurer requires authorisation before the test. Most PMIs require pre-authorisation for pathology referrals ordered outside a standard consultation. Record the authorisation reference number before proceeding.
- Complete the clinical record: Document the clinical indication, requesting consultant, specimen details, and mixing-study result at the time of the request, not retrospectively.
- Generate the invoice: Assign CCSD code 0153B as the primary test code. Add any supplementary codes (for example, a dRVVT or a confirmatory phospholipid-dependent test) as separate line items, not bundled under 0153B.
- Submit via Healthcode: Upload the invoice through your practice management system’s Healthcode integration. Include the patient’s insurer membership number, authorisation reference, and the treating consultant’s recognition number.
- Track the claim: Monitor the claim status. Most insurers process electronic claims within 5-10 working days. Queries extend this timeline significantly.
Common denial reasons for CCSD code 0153B claims
Claim denials on CCSD code 0153B follow predictable patterns. Understanding them before submission is more effective than chasing reversals after the fact. The CQC inspection checklist for private providers includes record-completeness criteria that directly overlap with what insurers examine during claim review.
- Missing prior authorisation: Submitting a claim for a test carried out without the required pre-authorisation is the most frequent reason for outright rejection rather than query.
- Incorrect code selection: If the laboratory actually ran a different lupus anticoagulant assay (such as a dRVVT), 0153B is the wrong code. Using 0153B for a test the laboratory did not actually run triggers an audit flag.
- Bundling errors: Submitting the kaolin clotting time and a confirmatory phospholipid-dependent assay under the single 0153B code, rather than as separate line items, is treated as incorrect coding by most PMIs.
- Clinical indication mismatch: If the clinical notes describe symptoms unrelated to a coagulation or antiphospholipid workup but the claim carries 0153B, the insurer’s clinical team will query the discrepancy.
- Expired recognition: If the treating consultant’s insurer recognition has lapsed, the claim will be rejected regardless of coding accuracy.
- Incomplete patient details: Missing or mismatched membership numbers, date-of-birth errors, or an incorrect consultant code are administrative rejections that are easily avoided.
Pro Tip
Run a monthly audit of CCSD code 0153B claims: Compare the clinical indication recorded in the request against the code submitted, and confirm the mixing-study result is documented. Indication mismatches and missing mixing-study notes are the easiest errors to catch internally and the most avoidable cause of insurer queries.
Related CCSD codes for pathology blood tests
Selecting the correct code from a group of related pathology codes matters because insurers validate clinical logic, not just the specimen letter. A “B” ending only confirms the specimen was blood. It doesn’t mean the codes below are clinically related to each other, or to 0153B. The table shows how other commonly billed blood-specimen pathology codes differ from CCSD code 0153B.
Verify exact code narratives against the current CCSD schedule. Code descriptions and chapter references are confirmed in the CCSD Technical Guide, which is updated periodically. Providers without CCSD login access can request it at ccsd.org.uk.
For private GPs considering how private GP referral pathways interact with specialist billing, the referral letter should specify the clinical indication clearly enough that the laboratory’s coding is unambiguous.
Billing CCSD code 0153B with practice management software
Manual claim preparation for CCSD codes creates avoidable errors. A test code entered incorrectly, a missing authorisation number, or an invoice sent to the wrong insurer email address can each delay payment by weeks. The same risk applies whether you run a private GP practice or a functional medicine practice ordering broader autoimmune and coagulation panels.
UK private practices that process regular pathology or coagulation test referrals benefit from claims management software that integrates CCSD code lookup, Healthcode submission, and claim status tracking in one workflow.
Practice management software like Pabau lets practices attach the correct code at the point of booking and carry it through to invoicing without re-entering data. It also supports structured clinical note templates, so documentation matches what insurers expect when auditing CCSD claims.
Conclusion
CCSD code 0153B is a straightforward code once the documentation is right. The most common problems, including missing authorisation, incorrect assay selection, and bundling errors, are all preventable with a consistent pre-submission checklist.
Pabau’s claims management software helps UK private practices submit CCSD-coded claims accurately, track authorisations, and maintain audit-ready records without manual overhead. To see how Pabau handles the full private billing workflow, book a demo.
Continue your research
Need a complete reference for Bupa procedure codes? Bupa CCSD codes guide covers the full CCSD schedule, insurer fee framework, and electronic submission workflow for UK private providers.
Billing a related autoimmune antibody test? Our 0230B billing guide covers the acetylcholine receptor antibody test and its documentation requirements.
Preparing for a CQC inspection? CQC registration guide outlines the documentation and compliance standards private providers need to meet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does CCSD code 0153B cover?
CCSD code 0153B covers the kaolin clotting time (KCT), a coagulation screening blood test used mainly to help detect a lupus anticoagulant as part of an antiphospholipid syndrome workup. It’s listed under Chapter 34 (Pathology) of the CCSD Schedule.
Why does the code end in “B” if it isn’t a variant of another code?
In the CCSD Diagnostic schedule, pathology codes take the last letter of the code from the specimen type, not from a procedure variant. “B” means the specimen is blood. Other CCSD codes ending in “B”, such as 0230B or 0049B, cover entirely different tests — they simply share the same blood specimen letter, not a clinical relationship with 0153B.
Which UK private medical insurers accept CCSD code 0153B?
All major UK PMIs, including Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality Health, WPA, Healix, and Allianz Care, recognise CCSD code 0153B. Each insurer sets its own fee independently; contact each insurer’s provider portal for current reimbursement rates.
What documentation is required to bill CCSD code 0153B?
The clinical record must include the clinical indication (such as unexplained prolonged APTT, unprovoked thrombosis, or recurrent miscarriage), the requesting consultant’s details, specimen collection information, the mixing-study result, the patient’s insurer membership number, and prior authorisation reference where required.
What are common reasons for denial of CCSD code 0153B claims?
The most frequent causes are missing prior authorisation, incorrect code selection (such as billing 0153B for a different lupus anticoagulant assay that was not actually run), bundling the kaolin clotting time with a confirmatory test under one code, and a mismatch between the clinical indication recorded and the code submitted.
How do I submit a CCSD code 0153B claim electronically?
Submit through Healthcode, the UK private healthcare electronic clearinghouse. Include the patient’s PMI membership number, prior authorisation reference, the treating consultant’s insurer recognition number, and CCSD code 0153B as the primary test code, with supplementary codes on separate invoice lines.
