MS-DRG 520 — Back and Neck Procedures Except Spinal Fusion without CC/MCC
MDC 08 · Musculoskeletal & Connective Tissue · Surgical DRG · FY2026
| FY2026 relative weight | 1.4939 |
|---|---|
| Geometric mean LOS | 2.1 days |
| Arithmetic mean LOS | 2.6 days |
| Severity tier | without CC/MCC |
| Post-acute transfer policy | Yes — per-diem reduction applies to qualifying transfers |
| Special payment provision | Yes |
Severity family — documentation moves the weight 1.34×
The same base condition splits by coded severity (CC/MCC). Weight deltas here are exactly what one documented comorbidity is worth:
| DRG | Title | FY2026 weight | GMLOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 519 | Back and Neck Procedures Except Spinal Fusion with CC | 2.0002 | 3.2 |
| 520 | Back and Neck Procedures Except Spinal Fusion without CC/MCC | 1.4939 | 2.1 |
Figures come from the official FY2026 IPPS tables and are payment inputs, not adjudicated amounts. DRG Calculator prices full claims — hospital-specific operating, capital, IME, DSH, uncompensated care and outlier math — and verifies results against the official pricer.