Crohn's disease (regional enteritis) is classified under ICD-10-CM code K50, which requires specifying the affected intestinal site. Common billable codes include K50.00 (small intestine), K50.10 (large intestine), K50.80 (both), and K50.90 (unspecified).
Primary codes
Billable
Billable
Extension
—
7th character
—
POA exempt
No
Coding risks
- Incorrectly coding when complications are present but not documented
Hierarchy
Code comparison
Compare key differences between related codes to select the most specific option.
| Code | Description | Scenario |
|---|---|---|
| K50.00 | Crohn's disease of small intestine without complications | Crohn's disease documented in the small intestine only, with no colonic involvement or complications. |
| K50.10 | Crohn's disease of large intestine without complications | Crohn's disease localized to the colon only, with no complications documented. |
| K50.80 | Crohn's disease of both small and large intestine without complications | Crohn's disease documented in both small and large intestine, without complications. |
| K50.90 | Crohn's disease, unspecified, without complications | Crohn's disease documented without specifying small intestine, large intestine, or both as the site. |
Select the most specific code supported by the encounter documentation. More specific codes improve reimbursement accuracy and reduce audit risk.
Code ranges
Crohn's disease [regional enteritis]
Chronic transmural inflammatory bowel disease affecting any segment of the gastrointestinal tract, often with skip lesions and complications.
Noninfective enteritis and colitis
Chronic inflammatory conditions of the small and large intestine not caused by identifiable infectious organisms.
Ulcerative colitis
Chronic inflammatory bowel disease limited to the colonic mucosa with continuous involvement extending proximally from the rectum.
Other and unspecified noninfective gastroenteritis and colitis
Includes allergic, dietetic, toxic, radiation-induced, eosinophilic, and other specified noninfective inflammatory enteritis and colitis conditions.
Other bacterial intestinal infections
Acute bacterial enteric infections including Campylobacter, Yersinia, and Clostridioides difficile causing infectious enterocolitis.
Coding risks
Avoid these common coding issues when reporting Crohn's Disease.
Impact
Assigning K50.90 without a documented site may miscode when the operative or endoscopy report supports K50.00, K50.10, or K50.80.
Mitigation
Consider querying the provider when the involved intestinal segment is absent rather than inferring from prior imaging or history.
Related codes
Ancillary and co-coding
Codes commonly reported with the primary diagnosis on the same claim.
Z-code variants
Family history, personal history, or screening encounter codes related to this condition.
In pregnancy
Pregnancy-specific O-code adaptations used in place of the primary when the condition occurs during or complicates pregnancy.
Differential codes
Alternative or commonly confused codes to consider when documentation suggests a different condition than the primary diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
No. K50 and K51 carry an Excludes1 relationship, so only one of the two inflammatory bowel diagnoses may be coded.
References
Compiled from the following authoritative coding references. Last updated 2026-08-04.