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MDC 20: Assignment of Diagnosis Codes

4 MS-DRGs (0 surgical, 4 medical) with FY2027 relative weights averaging 1.1433. Click any DRG for its weight history, CC/MCC family, grouper code lists and denial exposure.

Reviewed by QuickIntell RCM Editorial Team · Last reviewed

Data effective

MS-DRGs in MDC 20

Weights in this category range from 0.6270 (DRG 894) to 1.6610 (DRG 896); the change column compares FY2027 with FY2026.

MS-DRGs assigned to MDC 20 with FY2027 weights
DRGTitleTypeWeightGMLOSChange
894Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence, Left AMAMedical0.62702.0+1.6%
895Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence with Rehabilitation TherapyMedical1.42607.5+0.7%
896Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence without Rehabilitation Therapy with MCCMedical1.66104.5-4.8%
897Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence without Rehabilitation Therapy without MCCMedical0.85903.2-2.7%

How to read this table

The relative weight is the payment multiplier CMS applies to a hospital's wage-adjusted standardized amount; a weight of 2.0 pays roughly twice an average inpatient case before outliers and add-ons. Geometric mean length of stay is the figure used in post-acute transfer calculations, so stays shorter than it in a transfer DRG are paid per diem. The change column compares the FY2027 final weight with FY2026; moves larger than two percent usually come from code reassignments in the final rule's Table 6 series or from updated cost data, and are worth re-checking in contract models and budgets before October 1. Surgical DRGs require a qualifying operating-room procedure; medical DRGs are reached when no such procedure is coded.

Frequently asked questions

How many MS-DRGs are in MDC 20?

4 MS-DRGs are assigned to MDC 20 (Assignment of Diagnosis Codes) in the FY2027 v44 grouper: 0 surgical and 4 medical.

Which MDC 20 DRG has the highest weight?

DRG 896, Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence without Rehabilitation Therapy with MCC, carries the highest FY2027 relative weight in this category at 1.6610; the lowest is DRG 894 at 0.6270.

How is a stay assigned to this MDC?

The grouper maps the principal diagnosis to MDC 20, then checks for a qualifying operating-room procedure to choose between the surgical and medical DRG partitions, and finally applies CC/MCC severity splits.

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

Operational reference compiled from CMS publications. Relative weights are national factors; actual payment depends on hospital-specific rates and adjustments. Not legal, clinical or billing advice.