K51.011
BillableUlcerative (chronic) pancolitis with rectal bleeding
HCC Category Mapping
V28HCC 81 — Ulcerative Colitis
0.000V24HCC 35 — Inflammatory Bowel Disease
0.289ESRDHCC 35 — Inflammatory Bowel Disease
0.000RxHCCHCC 67 — Inflammatory Bowel Disease
0.000What This Code Means
A chronic inflammatory condition affecting the entire colon with bleeding from the rectum. This is a complication of ulcerative colitis where inflammation extends throughout the colon and causes rectal bleeding.
Coding Tips
- •Verify documentation specifies both pancolitis (entire colon involvement) and rectal bleeding to support this specific code
- •Do not use this code if bleeding is from a different source; ensure rectal bleeding is directly related to the ulcerative pancolitis
Clinical Significance
Ulcerative pancolitis with rectal bleeding represents a severe form of inflammatory bowel disease affecting the entire colon with active hemorrhagic complications. This diagnosis is critical for risk adjustment as it captures both the chronicity and severity of colonic inflammation, indicating a patient requiring ongoing immunosuppressive therapy, surveillance colonoscopy, and potentially surgical intervention.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Confirmed diagnosis of ulcerative colitis with pancolitis (entire colon involvement) via colonoscopy or imaging
- ✓Documentation of rectal bleeding including frequency, severity, and clinical impact
- ✓Biopsy results confirming ulcerative colitis histopathology
- ✓Current treatment plan including medications (aminosalicylates, biologics, immunomodulators)
- ✓Assessment of disease activity (mild, moderate, severe) during the encounter
- ✓Provider statement linking the rectal bleeding to the ulcerative colitis
Commonly Confused Codes
K51.011 vs K50.011 — K50.011 is Crohn disease of small intestine with rectal bleeding; ulcerative colitis affects only the colon while Crohn disease can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tractK51.011 vs K51.211 — K51.211 is ulcerative proctitis (rectum only) with rectal bleeding; pancolitis involves the entire colonK51.011 vs K51.311 — K51.311 is rectosigmoiditis with rectal bleeding; pancolitis is more extensiveK51.011 vs K62.5 — K62.5 is hemorrhage of anus and rectum (not related to inflammatory bowel disease); ensure bleeding source is the ulcerative colitisK51.011 vs K51.00 — K51.00 is pancolitis without complications; use K51.011 when rectal bleeding is present
Code Hierarchy
└K51Ulcerative colitis└K51.0Ulcerative (chronic) pancolitis└K51.01Ulcerative (chronic) pancolitis with complications└K51.011Ulcerative (chronic) pancolitis with rectal bleeding
└K51.011Ulcerative (chronic) pancolitis with rectal bleeding