K51 vs K63.3
K51 (Ulcerative colitis) compared with K63.3 (Ulcer of intestine), from the official CMS tabular data. Do not report these codes together: the official tabular list marks them Excludes1.
Can these codes be reported together?
No — do not report together. K63.3 carries an Excludes1 note covering K51: “ulcerative colitis (K51.-)”
Sole exception: when the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
Side by side
| K51Ulcerative colitis | K63.3Ulcer of intestine | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Non-billable header | Billable |
| Classification | K00-K95 — Diseases of the Digestive System (K00-K95) | K00-K95 — Diseases of the Digestive System (K00-K95) |
| Definition | Ulcerative colitis is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (K51). | Ulcer of intestine is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (K63.3). |
| Includes | noninfective inflammatory bowel disease | Primary ulcer of small intestine |
| Use additional code | code to identify any associated fistulas, if applicable: anal fistula (K60.3-) anorectal fistula (K60.5-) | — |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources