K51 vs K62.6
K51 and K62.6 can never be reported together. ICD-10-CM declares them mutually exclusive with an Excludes1 note, meaning the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient — so exactly one of them is correct for any given encounter.
The official note, declared on K62.6
ulcerative colitis (K51.-)
K62.6
Ulcer of anus and rectum
Billable
- Chapter 11
- Diseases of the digestive system
- Section
- K55-K64
Use when the record says
- Solitary ulcer of anus and rectum
- Stercoral ulcer of anus and rectum
Indexed under
- Stercoraceous, stercoral ulcer › anus or rectum
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › anorectal
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › anus
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › rectum
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › solitary, anus or rectum
Excludes1 is not always absolute: where two conditions covered by the note are genuinely unrelated, CMS guidance permits reporting both. Document the reasoning rather than assuming it. More on Excludes1 vs Excludes2 · FY2027