Updated October 30, 2014.

There's lots of good information available about medical and insurance codes, but it's harder to find plain-language information about DRGs.

DRG stands for diagnostic related grouping. It's not a mystery secret code like the bar code on your grocery items. It's the payment system that Medicare uses to pay for the hospital stays of its beneficiaries. Increasingly, DRGs are also being used by private health insurance companies.

If you're confused about how Medicare pays for your hospitalization; what, exactly, a DRG is; or why you've been assigned a particular DRG, these resources will help.

DRG 101: What Is a DRG & How Does It Work?

How Is Your DRG Determined?

How Does a DRG Determine How Much a Hospital Gets Paid?

 

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