K51.20: Ulcerative (chronic) proctitis without complications

K51.20, ulcerative (chronic) proctitis without complications, is listed as a covered diagnosis in 6 Medicare billing and coding articles that apply to 16 HCPCS Level II codes, including J0881 (Injection, darbepoetin alfa, 1 microgram (non-esrd use)), J0885 (Injection, epoetin alfa, (for non-esrd use), 1000 units), Q5106 (Injection, epoetin alfa-epbx, biosimilar, (retacrit) (for…). The articles come from 4 Medicare contractors. A listed diagnosis supports medical necessity only; coverage still depends on the LCD's criteria and on documentation in the medical record.

HCPCS Level II codes with K51.20 as a covered diagnosis

CodeDescriptionMedicare coverageDMEPOS fee 2026 (state range)Articles listing it
J0881Injection, darbepoetin alfa, 1 microgram (non-esrd use)Special coverage instructions apply—3
J0885Injection, epoetin alfa, (for non-esrd use), 1000 unitsSpecial coverage instructions apply—3
Q5106Injection, epoetin alfa-epbx, biosimilar, (retacrit) (for non-esrd use), 1000 unitsSpecial coverage instructions apply—3
J0882Injection, darbepoetin alfa, 1 microgram (for esrd on dialysis)Special coverage instructions apply—3
Q5105Injection, epoetin alfa-epbx, biosimilar, (retacrit) (for esrd on dialysis), 100 unitsSpecial coverage instructions apply—3
J0890Injection, peginesatide, 0.1 mg (for esrd on dialysis)Carrier judgment—3
Q4081Injection, epoetin alfa, 100 units (for esrd on dialysis)Special coverage instructions apply—3
J1745Injection, infliximab, excludes biosimilar, 10 mgSpecial coverage instructions apply—2
Q5104Injection, infliximab-abda, biosimilar, (renflexis), 10 mgSpecial coverage instructions apply—2
Q5103Injection, infliximab-dyyb, biosimilar, (inflectra), 10 mgSpecial coverage instructions apply—2
Q5121Injection, infliximab-axxq, biosimilar, (avsola), 10 mgCarrier judgment—2
J0888Injection, epoetin beta, 1 microgram, (for non esrd use)Special coverage instructions apply—2
J0887Injection, epoetin beta, 1 microgram, (for esrd on dialysis)Special coverage instructions apply—2
G0105Colorectal cancer screening; colonoscopy on individual at high riskSpecial coverage instructions apply—1
G9998Documentation of medical reason(s) for an interval of less than 3 years since the last colonoscopy (e.g., last colonoscopy incomplete, last colonoscopy had inadequate prep, piecemeal removal of adenomas, or sessile serrated polyps >= 20 mm in size, last colonoscopy found greater than 10 adenomas, lower gastrointestinal bleeding, or patient at high risk for colon cancer due to underlying medical history ([i.e. crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, personal or family history of colon cancer, hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes])Carrier judgment—1
G9999Documentation of system reason(s) for an interval of less than 3 years since the last colonoscopy (e.g., unable to locate previous colonoscopy report, patient cannot provide precise date or details from previous colonoscopy, previous colonoscopy report was incomplete)Carrier judgment—1

Medicare policy articles listing K51.20

A diagnosis listed as covered in a billing and coding article supports medical necessity for the article's codes; it does not guarantee payment. Coverage depends on the LCD's criteria, the contractor's jurisdiction and documentation in the medical record.

Other K51 diagnoses (Ulcerative colitis)

Frequently asked questions

Does Medicare cover K51.20 (Ulcerative (chronic) proctitis without complications)?

Medicare covers items and services, not diagnoses. 6 Medicare billing and coding articles list K51.20 as a covered diagnosis for 16 HCPCS Level II codes: the diagnosis can support medical necessity for those codes, but payment still depends on the LCD's coverage criteria and the medical record.

Which HCPCS codes can be billed with ICD-10 K51.20?

The Level II codes from the policies most specific to this diagnosis are J0881 (Injection, darbepoetin alfa, 1 microgram (non-esrd use), 3 articles); J0885 (Injection, epoetin alfa, (for non-esrd use), 1000 units, 3 articles); Q5106 (Injection, epoetin alfa-epbx, biosimilar, (retacrit) (for…, 3 articles); J0882 (Injection, darbepoetin alfa, 1 microgram (for esrd on…, 3 articles); Q5105 (Injection, epoetin alfa-epbx, biosimilar, (retacrit) (for…, 3 articles). Code choice depends on the item supplied; check each code's descriptor.

Which Medicare policy articles list K51.20?

A56795 (Billing and Coding: Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents (ESAs)); A56432 (Billing and Coding: Infliximab); A56632 (Billing and Coding: Colonoscopy/Sigmoidoscopy/Proctosigmoidoscopy), and 3 more articles.

What is ICD-10-CM code K51.20?

K51.20 is the ICD-10-CM code for ulcerative (chronic) proctitis without complications, in category K51 (Ulcerative colitis), chapter 11: Diseases of the digestive system.

Next steps

Sources: CMS Medicare Coverage Database billing and coding articles (covered ICD-10 code lists and HCPCS links); ICD-10-CM FY2026; CMS HCPCS Level II release October 2026; CMS DMEPOS fee schedule 2026 (non-rural state fees). Not billing or legal advice.

Chapter 11: Diseases of the digestive system · All diagnoses · HCPCS lookup