Revenue Cycle Insider

Gastroenterology Coding:

Find Out When to Use a History of UC Code

Question: When can ulcerative colitis (UC) in remission be called history of UC? Does the patient have to have had a resection first and be symptom-free for a specific time period, or can a patient who has been in remission for three years with no medications be considered a “history of” status?

Arizona Subscriber

Answer: UC is a lifelong disease, and the condition is not curable. You would report UC in remission as UC without complications, with codes such as the following:

  • K51.50 (Left sided colitis without complications)
  • K51.80 (Other ulcerative colitis without complications)
  • K51.90 (Ulcerative colitis, unspecified, without complications)

You would only code “history of” when the patient had a full colectomy. UC can be in remission for many years but is still an active, chronic disease.

Mike Shaughnessy, BA, CPC, Production Editor, AAPC

Other Articles of

February 2026

View All
Subscribe to newsletter