CO-15 Denial Code Explained

CO-15 is a medical billing denial code that indicates authorization number information is missing, invalid, or incomplete on the submitted claim. This denial commonly occurs when prior authorization requirements are not properly documented.

What Does CO-15 Mean?

The CO-15 denial code means the insurance payer could not process the claim because the authorization number was missing or incorrect.

This denial is often related to authorization verification issues or incomplete claim submission details.

Common Reasons for CO-15

• Missing authorization number

• Invalid authorization information

• Expired authorization approval

• Incorrect authorization formatting

• Incomplete claim submission

• Authorization mismatch with billed services

How To Fix CO-15

Review the authorization details and confirm the correct authorization number was included on the claim. Verify payer authorization requirements and ensure the approved services match the billed procedures before resubmitting the claim.

Supporting authorization documentation may also be required.

Related Denial Codes

You may also encounter:

• CO-16 — Missing or incomplete claim information

• CO-236 — Service does not meet payer coverage criteria

• CO-50 — Service not medically necessary

• CO-22 — Coordination of benefits issue

Quick Summary

CO-15 indicates missing or invalid authorization information on the claim. These denials are commonly related to prior authorization documentation issues.