CCSD code M2930 – Ureteric stent removal

Key takeaways

CCSD code M2930 covers cystoscopic removal of a ureteric stent or other prosthesis, and the cystoscopy is included in the code.

Bupa grades M2930 as MINOR 4, with a schedule fee of £166 in its February 2026 schedule.

A removal and new stent in one session is M2680, not M2930 plus an insertion code.

UK private insurers such as Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality and WPA expect a pre-authorisation number on the claim.

Pabau, the practice management software we build, keeps the CCSD code, diagnosis and pre-auth number on one claim record and sends it through Healthcode.

What is CCSD code M2930?

CCSD code M2930 is the code for removal of prosthesis from ureter (including cystoscopy). The prosthesis is usually a double-J (JJ) or pigtail stent, placed earlier to keep urine draining from the kidney to the bladder.

The code belongs to the CCSD schedule, maintained by the Clinical Coding and Schedule Development Group. CCSD is the UK standard for coding procedures in private healthcare. Insurers such as Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality and WPA use it to price and assess claims. Our index of CCSD codes for specialists lists the other codes in the schedule.

M2930 sits in chapter 12 of the schedule, Urinary system and male reproductive organs, under the ureter codes. Cystoscopy is part of the descriptor, because the bladder is the route to the stent. It is not billed as a separate line. Our guide to Bupa CCSD codes explains how the wider schedule is organised.

What the procedure involves

Ureteric stent removal is a short cystoscopic procedure. It is often done under local anaesthetic gel with a flexible cystoscope, or under sedation or general anaesthetic with a rigid scope. The choice depends on the patient and the stent.

Once the lower curl of the stent is visible in the bladder, the urologist grips it with a grasper passed through the scope. The stent is then withdrawn through the urethra. Fluoroscopy may be used to confirm complete removal when the stent is encrusted.

• Access: Flexible or rigid cystoscope passed through the urethra into the bladder
• Stent identification: Direct view of the lower pigtail or J-curl in the bladder
• Retrieval: Grasper-assisted extraction through the working channel of the scope
• Confirmation: Inspection of the stent once removed, with fluoroscopy for encrusted cases
• After the procedure: A check for bleeding, discomfort and complete stent retrieval

A stent left with a retrieval string can be pulled out without a cystoscope. That removal does not match the M2930 descriptor, so check the note before you code it. Hospital and anaesthetist fees are billed separately by the facility and the anaesthetist.

When M2930 is indicated

M2930 is used when a stent has reached its planned removal date, or when a complication brings removal forward. The indication must be clear in the note, because it drives the ICD-10 code on the claim.

• Planned removal: The stent was placed after ureteroscopy, stone treatment or ureteric surgery, and the planned dwell time has ended.
• Encrustation or blockage: Deposits on the stent reduce drainage or cause pain, so it comes out early.
• Stent-related infection: Infection linked to the stent does not settle with antibiotics alone.
• Stent symptoms: Pain, frequency or bleeding make the stent intolerable before the planned date.
• Healing confirmed: The ureter has healed after reconstructive surgery, and the stent is no longer needed.

If a new stent goes in during the same session, the episode is an exchange and takes M2680 instead. The next section sets out the neighbouring codes.

Codes commonly confused with M2930

Several ureter codes in chapter 12 mention stents, and the descriptor decides which one fits. The bands and fees below come from Bupa’s February 2026 schedule, as reproduced in Pabau’s Bupa CCSD codes reference 2026.

A ureteroscopy done at the same visit changes the code, and so do a new stent and a stone operation. Our guide to CCSD code M3000 covers the ureteroscopy case. The chart below puts every scenario in the order a coder should check it.

Under Bupa, M2930 pays £166 and a diagnostic flexible cystoscopy pays £245. Swapping in M4510, or adding it as a second line, can look tempting for that reason. Code only what the note records, because insurers audit stent codes against the operative note.

ICD-10 codes that support M2930 claims

Every M2930 claim needs an ICD-10 diagnosis code that explains why the stent came out. Insurers check the diagnosis against the procedure code, and a vague code invites a query. Check definitions in the WHO ICD-10 browser before submission.

Avoid an unspecified symptom code, such as R39.8, when a precise code applies. Match the diagnosis to the one given at pre-authorisation, too. A mismatch between the two is a common reason insurers hold a claim.

Documentation requirements for a valid M2930 claim

The operative note is the document that supports an M2930 claim. Cystoscopy is named in the descriptor, so the note must confirm it. A note that records a string pull alone does not support the code. Digital forms for operative documentation help capture every required field at the time of the procedure.

• Confirmation that a cystoscope was used, and whether it was flexible or rigid
• Type of prosthesis removed, such as a double-J or pigtail stent
• Laterality: left, right or both
• Method of extraction, such as a grasper through the working channel
• Fluoroscopy, if used, and its result
• Whether the stent came out intact, fragmented or only in part
• Any complications, and the plan for follow-up
• Whether a new stent was inserted, which would make the episode M2680

Bilateral removal needs care. The M2930 descriptor does not mention both sides, while M2920 includes bilateral work. Ask the insurer how it wants a bilateral removal billed before you submit.

Pre-authorisation requirements from UK private insurers

Most UK private medical insurers expect the patient to have pre-authorisation before treatment. The patient usually calls the insurer and receives an authorisation number. Treating without one is a common reason claims are rejected.

The table below is a general guide to what each insurer asks for. Policy rules change, so confirm them with each insurer directly.

Get the authorisation number before the procedure date. Record it in the billing file and put it on the invoice. An authorisation for an exchange does not cover a removal-only claim, so update it if the plan changes.

Bupa fee and complexity band for M2930

UK insurers do not use relative value units. Each insurer publishes its own fee schedule, and Bupa groups codes into complexity bands with a fee for each band. Bupa grades M2930 as MINOR 4, which carries a fee of £166.

Bupa’s fee is the most it pays for the code. If your charge is higher, the patient pays the difference as a shortfall, so tell them before the procedure. Our Bupa procedure codes and fee schedule guide explains how shortfalls work.

AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality and WPA set their own fees for M2930. Check each one in the insurer’s fee finder before you quote the patient.

Why M2930 claims get denied and how to prevent it

Denials for M2930 come from a small set of avoidable errors. For claims that still come back, our guide to denial management in healthcare covers tracking and resubmission.

Appealing a declined M2930 claim

Each UK insurer runs its own review process for recognised specialists. Most queries are settled by resubmitting with the right code or documents.

1. Read the reason. Check the remittance or query letter and match it to the table above.
2. Gather the evidence. Pull the operative note, the authorisation number and any imaging or culture results.
3. Write a short clinical summary. The urologist states the indication, the procedure done and why M2930 fits.
4. Contact the insurer’s provider team. Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality and WPA each handle specialist queries directly. Check their current deadlines.
5. Point the patient to the ombudsman if cover is refused. A policyholder unhappy with the insurer’s final response can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service. They can also go there if no final response arrives within 8 weeks.

The ombudsman handles complaints from policyholders, not fee disputes between a consultant and an insurer. The patient has 6 months from the insurer’s final response to refer a complaint.

Bundling rules: What can and cannot be billed alongside M2930

The CCSD schedule decides which steps are part of M2930 and which carry their own code. Confirm any unusual pairing with the insurer before you submit.

How Pabau keeps M2930 claims clean from note to submission

In many urology practices, the operative note, the authorisation number and the invoice sit in different places. The billing team then pieces them together after the session. That is where an exchange gets coded as a removal, or an authorisation number goes missing.

Pabau’s claims software for specialists keeps the CCSD code, the ICD-10 diagnosis and the authorisation number on one claim record. You send the claim through Healthcode to insurers such as Bupa, AXA Health and Vitality. You then track its status in the same place.

Pabau does not choose the code, so the M2680 and M3000 checks above still apply. What it does is keep the note and the claim together, so the checks take seconds. Pabau can also check a patient’s Bupa cover before the procedure date.

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Pabau helps UK private urology practices record CCSD codes, attach authorisation numbers and send claims through Healthcode to Bupa, AXA Health and other insurers.

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Conclusion

M2930 is one of the simplest codes in the ureter section, and one of the easiest to get wrong. The procedure rarely changes, but what happens around it does.

A new stent turns it into M2680. A ureteroscopy turns it into M3000. A stone operation already includes it. The note decides which applies, so make cystoscopy, laterality and any new stent required fields.

Book a demo to see how Pabau links operative notes, authorisation numbers and Healthcode claims for UK urology practices.

Continue your research

Treating the kidney endoscopically? CCSD code M1000 covers therapeutic endoscopic operations on the kidney.

Checking what Bupa pays for other urology codes? The Bupa procedure codes and fee schedule guide explains bands, fees and shortfalls.

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