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MS-DRG 384 · MDC 06 · Medical

MS-DRG 384: Uncomplicated Peptic Ulcer without 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 384

FY2027 relative weight
0.8470
Higher than 14% of all MS-DRGs
Change vs FY2026
-0.9%
FY2026 weight 0.8550
Geometric mean LOS
2.4 days
Arithmetic mean 3.0 days
MDC
06
Assignment of Diagnosis Codes
Severity level
without MCC
Transfer policy
Not a transfer DRG

TL;DR

MS-DRG 384 is a medical group in MDC 06 (Assignment of Diagnosis Codes) at the base severity level of its family. CMS assigns it a FY2027 relative weight of 0.8470 with a geometric mean length of stay of 2.4 days and an arithmetic mean of 3.0. Its weight moved down 0.9% from FY2026 (0.8550). That weight is higher than 14% of all medical and surgical MS-DRGs. Its CC/MCC family (DRG 383) spans weights 0.8470 to 1.3530. The v44 Definitions Manual assigns it through 31 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 384 the FY2027 relative weight is 0.8470 against 0.8550 in FY2026, a fall of 0.94%.

FY2026 versus FY2027 payment factors for MS-DRG 384
MetricFY2026FY2027Change
Relative weight0.85500.8470-0.0080
Geometric mean LOS (days)2.42.4+0.0
Arithmetic mean LOS (days)3.03.0+0.0
Weights shown are the FY2027 final values after the 10% cap on year-over-year reductions where applicable.

CC and MCC family

DRG 384 shares its base definition with 1 other MS-DRG split by severity. The family's weights span 0.8470 to 1.3530, a 1.60× spread, which is the payment effect of documenting qualifying complications and comorbidities.

MS-DRGs in the same base group as DRG 384
DRGTitleFY2027 weightGMLOS
383Uncomplicated Peptic Ulcer with MCC1.35303.9
384Uncomplicated Peptic Ulcer without MCC0.84702.4

Grouper logic (v44 Definitions Manual)

Principal Diagnosis: 31 ICD-10 codes drive assignment to this group; the first 12 are shown.

Principal Diagnosis codes assigned to DRG 384 (sample)
ICD-10 codeDescription
E164Increased secretion of gastrin
K2210Ulcer of esophagus without bleeding
K2211Ulcer of esophagus with bleeding
K2270Barrett's esophagus without dysplasia
K22710Barrett's esophagus with low grade dysplasia
K22711Barrett's esophagus with high grade dysplasia
K22719Barrett's esophagus with dysplasia, unspecified
K251Acute gastric ulcer with perforation
K255Chronic or unspecified gastric ulcer with perforation
K261Acute duodenal ulcer with perforation
K265Chronic or unspecified duodenal ulcer with perforation
K271Acute peptic ulcer, site unspecified, with perforation

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 384 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 384

What is MS-DRG 384?

MS-DRG 384 is "Uncomplicated Peptic Ulcer without MCC", a medical Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Group in MDC 06, 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 384?

The FY2027 relative weight is 0.8470 (IPPS final rule Table 5, effective October 1, 2026). In FY2026 it was 0.8550, a change of -0.9%.

What is the average length of stay for DRG 384?

CMS reports a geometric mean length of stay of 2.4 days and an arithmetic mean of 3.0 days for FY2027. The geometric mean is used for transfer-payment calculations.

Which DRGs are in the same CC/MCC family as 384?

DRG 383 (Uncomplicated Peptic Ulcer with MCC, weight 1.3530). The family's weights range from 0.8470 to 1.3530, so documented complications and comorbidities change payment materially.

What documentation supports the severity level of DRG 384?

DRG 384 is the base-severity assignment: no secondary diagnosis on the CC or MCC lists was coded, or the only ones present are excluded for this principal diagnosis. Revenue-integrity review here looks for undercapture, meaning conditions treated during the stay (electrolyte disorders, specified anemia, acute blood loss, pressure injuries present on admission) that were never documented to the specificity the lists require. A compliant query to the attending, not a coder assumption, is the only way to move a stay to the CC or MCC sibling.

Which codes group to DRG 384?

The v44 Definitions Manual lists 31 principal diagnosis codes for this group. Examples from the principal diagnosis list: E164 (Increased secretion of gastrin); K2210 (Ulcer of esophagus without bleeding); K2211 (Ulcer of esophagus with bleeding); K2270 (Barrett's esophagus without dysplasia).

Is DRG 384 a post-acute transfer DRG?

No. DRG 384 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.