Medicare DRG Cost Trends
Average hospital charge changes by DRG, 2013–2023
Comparing top rising and most moderated DRGs, indexed to 2013 baseline
DRGs with the largest percentage increase in average charges
| DRG | Description | 2013 | 2023 | % Change | Discharges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 945 | REHABILITATION WITH CC/MCC | $21,070 | $53,106 | +152.1% | 2,150 |
| 894 | ALCOHOL, DRUG ABUSE OR DEPENDENCE, LEFT AMA | $10,596 | $26,676 | +151.7% | 2,801 |
| 882 | NEUROSES EXCEPT DEPRESSIVE | $15,462 | $36,140 | +133.7% | 1,345 |
| 080 | NONTRAUMATIC STUPOR AND COMA WITH MCC | $37,888 | $87,082 | +129.8% | 1,535 |
| 884 | ORGANIC DISTURBANCES AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY | $27,165 | $59,017 | +117.3% | 20,726 |
| 935 | NON-EXTENSIVE BURNS | $43,028 | $91,674 | +113.1% | 1,201 |
| 881 | DEPRESSIVE NEUROSES | $13,815 | $29,322 | +112.2% | 2,198 |
| 880 | ACUTE ADJUSTMENT REACTION AND PSYCHOSOCIAL DYSFUNCTION | $21,364 | $44,765 | +109.5% | 5,264 |
| 512 | SHOULDER, ELBOW OR FOREARM PROCEDURES, EXCEPT MAJOR JOINT PROCEDURES WITHOUT CC/MCC | $38,805 | $80,955 | +108.6% | 1,379 |
| 923 | OTHER INJURY, POISONING AND TOXIC EFFECT DIAGNOSES WITHOUT MCC | $21,860 | $44,948 | +105.6% | 1,610 |
| 914 | TRAUMATIC INJURY WITHOUT MCC | $22,030 | $45,296 | +105.6% | 1,883 |
| 311 | ANGINA PECTORIS | $18,700 | $38,194 | +104.2% | 2,963 |
| 581 | OTHER SKIN, SUBCUTANEOUS TISSUE AND BREAST PROCEDURES WITHOUT CC/MCC | $36,981 | $75,258 | +103.5% | 1,865 |
| 746 | VAGINA, CERVIX AND VULVA PROCEDURES WITH CC/MCC | $43,509 | $88,394 | +103.2% | 1,054 |
| 352 | INGUINAL AND FEMORAL HERNIA PROCEDURES WITHOUT CC/MCC | $30,159 | $61,078 | +102.5% | 1,738 |
DRGs with the smallest percentage increase (or decrease) in average charges
| DRG | Description | 2013 | 2023 | % Change | Discharges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 951 | OTHER FACTORS INFLUENCING HEALTH STATUS | $26,121 | $24,667 | -5.6% | 6,524 |
| 215 | OTHER HEART ASSIST SYSTEM IMPLANT | $463,966 | $464,136 | +0.0% | 3,861 |
| 228 | OTHER CARDIOTHORACIC PROCEDURES WITH MCC | $226,974 | $242,547 | +6.9% | 4,787 |
| 229 | OTHER CARDIOTHORACIC PROCEDURES WITHOUT MCC | $141,019 | $154,948 | +9.9% | 6,436 |
| 178 | RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS AND INFLAMMATIONS WITH CC | $37,733 | $41,606 | +10.3% | 40,367 |
| 838 | CHEMOTHERAPY WITH ACUTE LEUKEMIA AS SECONDARY DIAGNOSIS WITH CC OR HIGH DOSE CHEMOTHERAP | $91,927 | $101,543 | +10.5% | 1,247 |
| 660 | KIDNEY AND URETER PROCEDURES FOR NON-NEOPLASM WITH CC | $57,887 | $65,829 | +13.7% | 18,214 |
| 659 | KIDNEY AND URETER PROCEDURES FOR NON-NEOPLASM WITH MCC | $100,147 | $114,664 | +14.5% | 9,736 |
| 837 | CHEMOTHERAPY WITH ACUTE LEUKEMIA AS SECONDARY DIAGNOSIS OR WITH HIGH DOSE CHEMOTHERAPY A | $194,058 | $226,159 | +16.5% | 1,769 |
| 867 | OTHER INFECTIOUS AND PARASITIC DISEASES DIAGNOSES WITH MCC | $79,087 | $92,384 | +16.8% | 2,405 |
| 251 | PERCUTANEOUS CARDIOVASCULAR PROCEDURES WITHOUT INTRALUMINAL DEVICE WITHOUT MCC | $76,673 | $91,383 | +19.2% | 3,084 |
| 455 | COMBINED ANTERIOR AND POSTERIOR SPINAL FUSION WITHOUT CC/MCC | $161,815 | $193,030 | +19.3% | 19,095 |
| 661 | KIDNEY AND URETER PROCEDURES FOR NON-NEOPLASM WITHOUT CC/MCC | $44,705 | $53,688 | +20.1% | 9,932 |
| 813 | COAGULATION DISORDERS | $60,508 | $74,178 | +22.6% | 15,958 |
| 454 | COMBINED ANTERIOR AND POSTERIOR SPINAL FUSION WITH CC | $217,587 | $268,254 | +23.3% | 22,561 |
This analysis compares average hospital charges for Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-DRGs) between 2013 and 2023. All data is sourced from the CMS Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data.
Rising Fastest: Shows DRGs where average charges have increased the most as a percentage over the 10-year period.
Most Moderated: Shows DRGs where charges have increased the least, remained stable, or decreased. These may reflect improved efficiencies, technology advances, or shifts in treatment patterns.
Only DRGs with data in both 2013 and 2023, and with more than 1,000 Medicare discharges in 2023, are included in this analysis.
Data source: CMS Medicare Inpatient Hospitals. Charges represent what hospitals billed, not what Medicare paid.