Getting paid by AXA Health comes down to three things. You need to be recognised, capture the right details before the session, and send a clean invoice through the right channel. This guide takes each step in the order you'll do it, from checking recognition to answering a payment query. 

It also lists the errors that can hold up payment. It's aimed at helping UK physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, practitioner psychologists, dietitians, psychotherapists, and other private practitioners who bill AXA Health directly. Occupational therapists aren't currently listed as an individual provider specialty, and AXA says unlisted specialties aren't accepting applications.

Here’s what you'll need to get started

• AXA Health recognition, including registration on the Private Practice Register (PPR).
• The client's AXA Health membership number.
• Pre-authorisation for the treatment, confirmed before the session.
• A billing route. This is either a Healthcode account or access to AXA Health's online invoice form.
• Your agreed fees, in line with AXA's Schedule of Procedures and Fees.

Recognition is a one-off setup. Once you're recognised, most of each invoice is information you captured at booking.

Confirm your AXA health recognition

You must be an AXA Health recognised provider before you invoice. To become one, you must meet the recognition criteria and register on the PPR. AXA also says it can't change your details on its systems unless you're registered.

To apply, check the criteria for your specialty and agree to AXA Health's Terms of Recognition, Billing Principles, and contractual terms. You then tick the box to accept them on thePrivate Practice Register (PPR). If your specialty isn't listed, AXA isn't currently accepting applications in that area. An AXA provider number is issued once AXA Health formally approves your provider recognition application, a process that typically takes between 2 to 6 weeks after your  PPR profile is fully registered and submitted

For physiotherapists, AXA requires at least one year of full Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration. You also need a clean HCPC record, current professional indemnity insurance for the treatments you provide, and electronic invoicing through Healthcode or another e-billing system AXA recognises.

AXA lists similar criteria for dietitians, psychologists, and speech and language therapists: full HCPC registration, a clean HCPC record, current professional indemnity insurance, and electronic invoicing. Psychotherapists need accredited membership of BABCP, UKCP, BACP, or ACP, plus a clean record, indemnity insurance, and electronic invoicing.

Capture the membership number at booking

Ask for the membership number when the client books, not after the session. AXA tells its members to give their membership number to their therapist because it's needed for billing. AXA's online invoice form requires it. The form shows a format key that uses letters, digits, and the fixed values AXA and HOL, so check the number against it.

An insurer invoice that links a named client to treatment is health data under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) says you need an Article 6 lawful basis and a separate Article 9 condition, decided and documented before you start processing. 

Confirm pre-authorisation before treatment

AXA's Billing Principles say it expects providers to ensure all treatment is pre-authorised before it takes place. Cover also varies by plan. For example, one small business therapies option covers up to 10 outpatient sessions agreed by the therapist, with any extra sessions agreed by AXA and/or on specialist referral. That's one product, and other plans differ. 

Prepare the invoice

Charge within your agreed rates. AXA pays eligible fees in full at the rates agreed at recognition, provided you charge up to the level in the Schedule of Procedures and Fees, unless otherwise agreed. AXA only pays for services you directly undertake. A code appearing in the Schedule doesn't guarantee eligibility for any member.

A clear invoice usually shows your details, the client's name and membership number, the date of treatment, the service provided, the fee, and a unique invoice number. Your invoice header must display both the patient's AXA membership number and the specific treatment pre-authorisation number clearly. 

Ensure the reference is explicitly marked as ‘Authorisation Number’ or ‘Pre-Auth Code’. Do not confuse it with your own invoice numbers, procedure/treatment codes, or generic enquiry references

Submit through Healthcode or the online form

Use Healthcode where you can. AXA Health says Healthcode is the most efficient way to get paid. It also says providers are paid more quickly through Healthcode than by uploading invoices to its website. Healthcode validates membership numbers so AXA's systems can accept and track invoices. The standard time limit for submitting invoices to AXA Health is 6 months from the date of treatment.

If you don't use Healthcode, you can submit single invoices through AXA's online form. Recognised physiotherapists should check that electronic invoicing is part of their recognition criteria. 

Collect any excess or shortfall from the client

AXA normally pays the provider directly. Where a client's plan leaves an excess or shortfall, the member can send that amount straight to your bank account. Invoice the client for that portion separately so your records stay clear.

Follow up and answer queries within 10 working days

AXA's individual providers page has an Invoices and payment support route for uploading invoices, raising payment queries, following up earlier queries, and sending supporting documents securely. If AXA asks for information, respond no later than 10 working days after the request. Failing to respond to multiple requests may lead to suspension and later withdrawal of recognition. 

Providers submitting invoices electronically via Healthcode or integrated practice software (such as ePractice or VEDA) can track invoice progress directly through the system's status and billing columns. AXA Health supplies electronic remittance advice (e-remittances) to UK healthcare providers primarily through the industry-standard Healthcode platform.

Here's an illustrative case. A recognised physiotherapist takes a booking from a new client covered by AXA Health. At booking, she records the membership number and asks the client to confirm their treatment is pre-authorised. After the session, she raises the invoice at her agreed rate and submits it through Healthcode, which validates the membership number. The client's plan leaves an excess, so the client pays that amount directly into her bank account.

Which errors can delay AXA invoice payment?

The errors that put payment at risk are the ones that break AXA Health's own rules: a wrong membership number, treatment without pre-authorisation, fees above the Schedule, billing for work you didn't directly undertake, and missing codes on diagnostic charges. Check each one before you submit.

• Wrong or mistyped membership number. Healthcode validates membership numbers so AXA's systems can accept and track invoices.
• No pre-authorisation. Confirm it before the session, not after.
• Charging above the Schedule. Stay within the rates agreed at recognition.
• Billing for work you didn't directly undertake. AXA only pays for services you provide yourself.
• Missing codes on diagnostic charges. AXA may reject diagnostic invoices without the related ISC code. This rule is aimed at consultant and diagnostic billing and may not apply to therapy invoices.
• Using AXA Global Healthcare details. AXA Global Healthcare tells UK medical providers to contact AXA Health. Its invoice emails and payment terms don't apply to you.
• Slow replies to information requests. Stick to the 10 working day window.

How practice software cuts down rework

Re-typing details between a booking system, a spreadsheet, and an invoice template is one way errors creep in. Keeping the membership number on the client record and raising invoices from the appointment cuts down that double handling. splose handles bookings, client management, and billing in one place, so invoices draw on details you've already captured. If you're weighing up electronic billing options, read why a Healthcode integration matters. For the wider picture, see how to set up a full billing loop and stop chasing payments.

Pre-submission checklist for every AXA invoice

• You're recognised and registered on the PPR
• The membership number matches the format key
• Treatment was pre-authorised before the session
• The fee is within your agreed rates
• You directly provided every service listed
• Any excess or shortfall is invoiced to the client separately
• You're submitting to AXA Health, not AXA Global Healthcare

Frequently asked questions

How do I submit an invoice to AXA as a private practitioner?

Submit through Healthcode, AXA Health's preferred e-billing route, or upload single invoices through the online form on AXA's provider payment support service. You'll need to be a recognised provider and have the client's membership number. AXA says Healthcode pays more quickly than website uploads.

What details does an AXA provider invoice need?

The client's membership number is required on the online invoice form, and your fees must sit within your agreed rates. Diagnostic charges also need the related ISC code, though that rule is aimed at consultant billing and may not apply to therapy invoices. AXA Health hasn't published a full field list for UK provider invoices in the sources we checked, so confirm requirements with AXA directly.

How do I check the status of an AXA invoice?

Use the Invoices and payment support route on AXA's individual providers page to raise a payment query or follow up an earlier one. The public provider pages we reviewed don't cover an exact status-checking process, so confirm it with AXA directly.

What if I'm having trouble with healthcode?

Contact Healthcode directly. AXA Health's individual provider support page has a Healthcode support section for providers who have trouble using the service, and it points them to Healthcode for help.

Your next steps

Capture the membership number and pre-authorisation at every booking, and the rest of the process gets much simpler. If you're a solo practitioner looking to keep bookings, client records, and invoicing together, see how splose works as practice management software for individual practitioners.