MS-DRG 518: BACK AND NECK PROCEDURES EXCEPT SPINAL FUSION WITH MCC OR DISC DEVICE OR NEUROSTIMULATOR

DRGSurgicalMDC 08

MS-DRG 518 is back and neck procedures except spinal fusion with mcc or disc device or neurostimulator, in MDC 08 (a surgical DRG), at the with-MCC (major complication or comorbidity) level. Its FY2027 relative weight is 3.7343, so a case here pays more than the average Medicare inpatient stay (weight 1.0), with a geometric mean length of stay of 5.10 days.

FY2027 payment factors

Relative weight: 3.7343
Geometric mean LOS: 5.10
Arithmetic mean LOS: 7.60
Post-acute transfer: Yes

This DRG is subject to the post-acute care transfer policy: a discharge to a qualifying setting below the mean length of stay is paid per diem rather than in full.

The severity splits

Same base DRG, split by whether a secondary diagnosis is a CC or MCC. The last column is the weight change from MS-DRG 518.

518	BACK AND NECK PROCEDURES EXCEPT SPINAL FUSION WITH MCC OR DISC DEVICE OR NEUROSTIMULATOR	3.7343
519	BACK AND NECK PROCEDURES EXCEPT SPINAL FUSION WITH CC	2.0358	-1.6985
520	BACK AND NECK PROCEDURES EXCEPT SPINAL FUSION WITHOUT CC/MCC	1.5557	-2.1786

All FY2027 MS-DRGs · MDC 08