MS-DRG v44.0 · MDC 01: Diseases and Disorders of the Nervous System
026 — Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures with CC
- Relative weight
- 3.1913
- Geometric mean LOS
- 2.7 days
- Arithmetic mean LOS
- 3.9 days
- Type
- Surgical
About MS-DRG 026
MS-DRG 026, Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures with CC, is a surgical DRG in MDC 01 (Diseases and Disorders of the Nervous System) under MS-DRG version 44.0, which applies to inpatient discharges from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
Its FY2027 relative weight is 3.1913, so Medicare's base payment for this DRG is about 3.19 times the average inpatient case, before hospital-specific adjustments. The geometric mean length of stay is 2.7 days and the arithmetic mean is 3.9 days.
It belongs to a 3-level severity family: DRG 025 (with MCC, weight 4.6118), DRG 026 (with CC, weight 3.1913) and DRG 027 (without CC/MCC, weight 2.6339). The highest-severity level carries 1.8 times the weight of the lowest, which is why documenting CC and MCC conditions matters.
It is subject to Medicare's post-acute care transfer policy, so payment can be reduced when a patient with a shorter-than-average stay is discharged to a skilled nursing facility, home health or another post-acute setting.
ICD-10-CM codes that group to DRG 026 (0)
This DRG is assigned by procedure, not by a diagnosis list.
Common questions about DRG 026
What is the relative weight of DRG 026?
- 3.1913 for FY2027 (MS-DRG v44.0), from the IPPS final rule Table 5.
What is the average length of stay for DRG 026?
- The geometric mean length of stay is 2.7 days; the arithmetic mean is 3.9 days.
Is DRG 026 medical or surgical?
- DRG 026 is a surgical DRG.