MS-DRG 520 – Back and Neck Procedures Except Spinal Fusion without CC/MCC
A Surgical DRG in MDC 08 (Diseases & Disorders of the Musculoskeletal System & Connective Tissue). Its FY 2027 relative weight is 1.5556 with a geometric mean length of stay of 2.1 days.
Severity family
The grouper first assigns the case to MDC 08 from the principal diagnosis, then matches a qualifying operating-room procedure from the ICD-10-PCS list below (this is a Surgical DRG), then applies the severity split from secondary diagnoses: with CC → 519; without CC/MCC → 520.
Procedure Codes
Qualifying Diagnosis Codes
Frequently Asked Questions
What is MS-DRG 520?
MS-DRG 520 (Back and Neck Procedures Except Spinal Fusion without CC/MCC) is a surgical DRG in MDC 08 (Diseases & Disorders of the Musculoskeletal System & Connective Tissue). Its FY 2027 relative weight is 1.5556 with a geometric mean length of stay of 2.1 days.
What is the difference between DRG 519, 520?
All 2 share the same base category; the severity of secondary diagnoses separates them: 519 (with CC), 520 (without CC/MCC). A major complication or comorbidity (MCC) places the case in the highest-weighted DRG of the family; a CC in the middle; neither in the lowest.
What is the relative weight of DRG 520?
The FY 2027 relative weight of this DRG is 1.5556, meaning reimbursement of roughly 1.56 times the average Medicare inpatient case. Multiply by a hospital's blended base rate for the approximate payment.
