K51

Header — not billable

Ulcerative colitis

The ICD-10 code for ulcerative colitis is K51.

K51 is a non-billable header code. It groups related conditions but cannot be used on its own for reimbursement — select one of the 7 more specific codes below.

Clinical notes

Excludes1 (not coded here)

An Excludes1 note is a pure exclusion: the excluded condition and this code should never be reported together, because the two conditions cannot occur at the same time (e.g. a congenital form vs. an acquired form of the same disease).

Crohn's disease [regional enteritis] (K50.-)

Use additional code

This code represents an underlying condition. When a related manifestation is also present, coding convention calls for an additional code to be listed after this one.

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Documentation support

General coding-documentation guidance — not a substitute for payer-specific requirements or professional coding judgment.

•This is a non-billable header code. Documentation must support a more specific child code before this diagnosis can be reported on a claim.
•Confirm the excluded condition(s) listed above are not also present — Excludes1 conditions cannot be coded together with this one.
•If the associated manifestation or related condition noted above is also documented, an additional code should be reported alongside this one.
•As a general rule, code to the highest level of specificity supported by the documentation in the medical record.

Child codes under K51

Related codes in this category

K50Crohn's disease [regional enteritis]non-billable header
K52Other and unspecified noninfective gastroenteritis and colitisnon-billable header
K51Ulcerative colitisnon-billable header