MS-DRG v44.0 · MDC 05: Diseases and Disorders of the Circulatory System
256 — Upper Limb and Toe Amputation for Circulatory System Disorders with CC
- Relative weight
- 1.6715
- Geometric mean LOS
- 5 days
- Arithmetic mean LOS
- 6.1 days
- Type
- Surgical
About MS-DRG 256
MS-DRG 256, Upper Limb and Toe Amputation for Circulatory System Disorders with CC, is a surgical DRG in MDC 05 (Diseases and Disorders of the Circulatory 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 1.6715, so Medicare's base payment for this DRG is about 1.67 times the average inpatient case, before hospital-specific adjustments. The geometric mean length of stay is 5 days and the arithmetic mean is 6.1 days.
It belongs to a 3-level severity family: DRG 255 (with MCC, weight 2.8292), DRG 256 (with CC, weight 1.6715) and DRG 257 (without CC/MCC, weight 1.0457). The highest-severity level carries 2.7 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 256 (0)
This DRG is assigned by procedure, not by a diagnosis list.
Common questions about DRG 256
What is the relative weight of DRG 256?
- 1.6715 for FY2027 (MS-DRG v44.0), from the IPPS final rule Table 5.
What is the average length of stay for DRG 256?
- The geometric mean length of stay is 5 days; the arithmetic mean is 6.1 days.
Is DRG 256 medical or surgical?
- DRG 256 is a surgical DRG.