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MS-DRG 102 · MDC 01 · Medical

MS-DRG 102: Headaches with MCC

Reviewed by QuickIntell RCM Editorial Team · Last reviewed

Data effective
Data currency: IPPS Table 5 FY2027 final rule (effective October 1, 2026); Definitions Manual v44 (effective October 1, 2026). Next CMS release: April 1, 2027 (v44.1 mid-year update), then the FY2028 final rule in August 2027.

Key facts for DRG 102

FY2027 relative weight
1.1200
Higher than 28% of all MS-DRGs
Change vs FY2026
-0.1%
FY2026 weight 1.1210
Geometric mean LOS
2.9 days
Arithmetic mean 4.1 days
MDC
01
Assignment of Diagnosis Codes
Severity level
with MCC (major complication or comorbidity)
Transfer policy
Not a transfer DRG

TL;DR

MS-DRG 102 is a medical group in MDC 01 (Assignment of Diagnosis Codes) at the highest-severity level of its family. CMS assigns it a FY2027 relative weight of 1.1200 with a geometric mean length of stay of 2.9 days and an arithmetic mean of 4.1. Its weight moved down 0.1% from FY2026 (1.1210). That weight is higher than 28% of all medical and surgical MS-DRGs. Its CC/MCC family (DRG 103) spans weights 0.8220 to 1.1200. The v44 Definitions Manual assigns it through 95 principal diagnosis codes.

What changed from FY2026 to FY2027

CMS recalibrates every MS-DRG weight annually from the prior year's MedPAR claims. For DRG 102 the FY2027 relative weight is 1.1200 against 1.1210 in FY2026, a fall of 0.09%.

FY2026 versus FY2027 payment factors for MS-DRG 102
MetricFY2026FY2027Change
Relative weight1.12101.1200-0.0010
Geometric mean LOS (days)2.92.9+0.0
Arithmetic mean LOS (days)4.04.1+0.1
Weights shown are the FY2027 final values after the 10% cap on year-over-year reductions where applicable.

CC and MCC family

DRG 102 shares its base definition with 1 other MS-DRG split by severity. The family's weights span 0.8220 to 1.1200, a 1.36× spread, which is the payment effect of documenting qualifying complications and comorbidities.

MS-DRGs in the same base group as DRG 102
DRGTitleFY2027 weightGMLOS
102Headaches with MCC1.12002.9
103Headaches without MCC0.82202.2

Grouper logic (v44 Definitions Manual)

Principal Diagnosis: 95 ICD-10 codes drive assignment to this group; the first 12 are shown.

Principal Diagnosis codes assigned to DRG 102 (sample)
ICD-10 codeDescription
F0781Postconcussional syndrome
G43001Migraine without aura, not intractable, with status migrainosus
G43009Migraine without aura, not intractable, without status migrainosus
G43011Migraine without aura, intractable, with status migrainosus
G43019Migraine without aura, intractable, without status migrainosus
G43101Migraine with aura, not intractable, with status migrainosus
G43109Migraine with aura, not intractable, without status migrainosus
G43111Migraine with aura, intractable, with status migrainosus
G43119Migraine with aura, intractable, without status migrainosus
G43401Hemiplegic migraine, not intractable, with status migrainosus
G43409Hemiplegic migraine, not intractable, without status migrainosus
G43411Hemiplegic migraine, intractable, with status migrainosus

Documentation and denial exposure

As a medical DRG, assignment depends on the principal diagnosis sequenced from the attending's documentation; a secondary condition sequenced first, or a symptom code in place of the confirmed diagnosis, changes the MDC or the DRG. Because this family splits by severity, auditors target CC and MCC capture: each secondary diagnosis must be documented as present, monitored, evaluated or treated during the stay to survive a DRG-validation review. Typical inpatient denial codes for this group: CARC 16 (claim lacks information needed to group the stay), CARC 50 (the admission or procedure is judged not medically necessary), CARC 97 (a service is bundled into the DRG payment).

How QuickIntell uses DRG 102 data

QuickCode groups inpatient encounters against the current v44 logic, flags CC and MCC candidates that lack supporting documentation, and shows the weight difference across the family before the claim drops. QuickScribe captures the attending's language that supports severity, and QuickRCM works DRG-validation denials with the grouper evidence attached.

Frequently asked questions — DRG 102

What is MS-DRG 102?

MS-DRG 102 is "Headaches with MCC", a medical Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Group in MDC 01, Assignment of Diagnosis Codes. Medicare pays inpatient stays grouped here at the hospital's base rate multiplied by the DRG relative weight.

What is the FY2027 relative weight for DRG 102?

The FY2027 relative weight is 1.1200 (IPPS final rule Table 5, effective October 1, 2026). In FY2026 it was 1.1210, a change of -0.1%.

What is the average length of stay for DRG 102?

CMS reports a geometric mean length of stay of 2.9 days and an arithmetic mean of 4.1 days for FY2027. The geometric mean is used for transfer-payment calculations.

Which DRGs are in the same CC/MCC family as 102?

DRG 103 (Headaches without MCC, weight 0.8220). The family's weights range from 0.8220 to 1.1200, so documented complications and comorbidities change payment materially.

What documentation supports the severity level of DRG 102?

DRG 102 requires at least one secondary diagnosis on the CMS Major Complication or Comorbidity list, documented as present and clinically addressed during the stay (monitored, evaluated, treated or extending the stay). Conditions such as acute respiratory failure, severe sepsis or acute kidney injury with specified cause qualify only when the attending's note states the diagnosis itself, not just the lab values. Recovery auditors downgrade this group to the CC or base level when the MCC rests on an unconfirmed query or a resolved historical condition, so the query response and the discharge summary must agree.

Which codes group to DRG 102?

The v44 Definitions Manual lists 95 principal diagnosis codes for this group. Examples from the principal diagnosis list: F0781 (Postconcussional syndrome); G43001 (Migraine without aura, not intractable, with status migrainosus); G43009 (Migraine without aura, not intractable, without status migrainosus); G43011 (Migraine without aura, intractable, with status migrainosus).

Is DRG 102 a post-acute transfer DRG?

No. DRG 102 is not on the FY2027 post-acute care transfer list, so the transfer per-diem policy does not apply to it.

Sources

Every figure on this page is taken from the CMS publications below, as released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Projection built 2026-10-01. Verify against the primary file before billing or contracting decisions.

Disclaimer

This page is an operational reference compiled from the CMS IPPS FY2027 final rule (Table 5) and the v44 ICD-10 MS-DRG Definitions Manual. Relative weights are national factors; actual payment depends on each hospital's wage-adjusted base rate, add-ons, outliers and transfer adjustments. Nothing here is legal, clinical or billing advice; verify grouping against your encoder and the published CMS files.