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    v1.0.28
    OpenPayerBilling CodesDiseases and Disorders of the Nervous SystemDRG 081-nontraumatic-stupor-and-coma-without-mcc
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    Nontraumatic Stupor and Coma without MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    DRG 081 addresses hospital stays for nontraumatic stupor and coma without Major Complication or Comorbidity, focusing on acute altered consciousness requiring evaluation and monitoring. Precise documentation and coding influence inpatient reimbursement because Diagnosis-Related Group assignment determines Medicare payment levels tied to clinical severity and resource use.

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    DRG 081 Overview

    DRG 081 covers inpatient admissions for nontraumatic stupor and coma without Major Complication or Comorbidity and encompasses acute alterations in consciousness not caused by external injury. These cases often require neurologic evaluation, critical care monitoring, and diagnostics to determine etiology such as metabolic, toxicologic, infectious, or neurologic causes. This Diagnosis-Related Group matters for Medicare payment because it groups resource use for medically complex, high-acuity hospital stays that do not meet higher-severity payment tiers. Accurate coding of diagnoses and accompanying comorbid conditions determines assignment to this Diagnosis-Related Group and associated reimbursement.

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    National Payment Rates

    Across commercial payers the observed rate range runs from a low of $7.4K (BCBS median) up to a high of $25K (Cigna max), with a widest spread of about $18K between payer extremes. Refer to the table and chart below for payer-specific percentiles and distribution details. Payer-level variation is notable among Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, and BCBS.

    The CMS 2023 data represent national Medicare fee-for-service inpatient payments reported under the CMS Provider Utilization and Payment Data program. The table below shows average total payment ($9.4k), average submitted covered charges ($45.4k), average Medicare payment amount ($7.1k), and total discharges (688).

    Average Total PaymentAverage Submitted ChargesAverage Medicare PaymentTotal Discharges
    $9.4K$45K$7.1K690

    Patient Population

    This DRG’s population skews toward Medicare-age patients rather than exclusively working-age, reflecting a larger share of inpatient utilization billed to Medicare fee-for-service. Commercial payers (Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, BCBS) still cover a portion of cases, indicating a mixed but Medicare-leaning payer mix. Age distribution is therefore concentrated in the Medicare-eligible bracket rather than primarily working-age adults.

    State Payment Rates

    State: Alaska1 / 49

    Alaska Benchmarks

    Alaska’s DRG 081 mean payments vary notably across payers, with Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield clustered at 14K and Cigna markedly higher with a 22K mean (range in the appendix spans roughly 12K–36K). This state distribution shows a clear deviation from many national median levels, driven primarily by Cigna’s elevated mean. See the table and chart below for payer-level detail.

    Key Insights for Alaska

    • Cigna is the highest paying payer in Alaska with a mean of 22K, while Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield are the lowest, each reporting a mean of 14K.
    • The Alaska market shows a notable spread (12K–36K observed in the appendix) driven by Cigna’s higher mean; overall means for Anthem/Blue Cross Blue Shield (14K) sit above some national payer medians but below Cigna’s state mean.

    Clinical Trials

    • Acute neuroprotective and resuscitation intervention trials: studies focusing on rapid interventions administered in the emergency department or ICU to improve neurologic recovery in adults presenting with nontraumatic stupor or coma, often stratified by etiology (e.g., metabolic, toxicologic, hypoxic-ischemic, infectious). These trials evaluate timing, dosing, and combinations of supportive protocols (airway management, targeted temperature strategies, seizure suppression, and hemodynamic optimization) to reduce secondary brain injury. Results inform in-hospital care pathways, resource allocation for critical care services, and short-term reimbursement drivers such as ICU length of stay and use of advanced monitoring.
    • Comparative effectiveness and diagnostic strategy studies: research comparing approaches to rapid etiologic diagnosis and their impact on outcomes, such as protocolized use of advanced imaging, EEG monitoring, biomarkers, and standardized metabolic/toxicology testing versus usual care. These studies enroll heterogeneous inpatient populations with unexplained depressed consciousness to determine which diagnostic bundles most efficiently identify treatable causes and reduce unnecessary testing. Findings are relevant to providers and payers by identifying high-value diagnostic algorithms that can shorten time-to-treatment, lower costs from avoidable tests, and reduce complications from delayed diagnosis.
    • Post-acute outcomes, rehabilitation, and disposition studies: longitudinal research following survivors of nontraumatic stupor or coma through hospital discharge, rehabilitation, and up to one year to characterize functional recovery, cognitive outcomes, readmission drivers, and long-term care needs. These cohort and intervention studies evaluate predictors of discharge disposition, effectiveness of early mobility and cognitive rehabilitation programs, and transitional care models that may reduce readmissions and long-term institutionalization. Evidence guides discharge planning, rehabilitation resource utilization, and payer decisions about coverage for post-acute services that can improve functional outcomes and downstream costs.

    Related Codes

    020-INTRACRANIAL-VASCULAR-PROCEDURES-WITH-PRINCIPAL-DIAGNOSIS-HEMORRHAGE-WITH-MCC

    Intracranial Vascular Procedures with Principal Diagnosis Hemorrhage with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    021-INTRACRANIAL-VASCULAR-PROCEDURES-WITH-PRINCIPAL-DIAGNOSIS-HEMORRHAGE-WITH-CC

    Intracranial Vascular Procedures with Principal Diagnosis Hemorrhage with CC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    022-INTRACRANIAL-VASCULAR-PROCEDURES-WITH-PRINCIPAL-DIAGNOSIS-HEMORRHAGE-WITHOUT-CC-MCC

    Intracranial Vascular Procedures with Principal Diagnosis Hemorrhage without CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    023-CRANIOTOMY-WITH-MAJOR-DEVICE-IMPLANT-OR-ACUTE-COMPLEX-CNS-PRINCIPAL-DIAGNOSIS-WITH-MCC-OR-ANTINEOPLASTIC-IMPLANT-OR-EPILEPSY-WITH-NEUROSTIMULATOR

    Craniotomy with Major Device Implant or Complex CNS DRG 023: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    024-CRANIOTOMY-WITH-MAJOR-DEVICE-IMPLANT-OR-ACUTE-COMPLEX-CNS-PRINCIPAL-DIAGNOSIS-WITHOUT-MCC

    Craniotomy with Major Device Implant or Acute Complex CNS Principal Diagnosis without MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    025-CRANIOTOMY-AND-ENDOVASCULAR-INTRACRANIAL-PROCEDURES-WITH-MCC

    Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    026-CRANIOTOMY-AND-ENDOVASCULAR-INTRACRANIAL-PROCEDURES-WITH-CC

    Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures with CC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    027-CRANIOTOMY-AND-ENDOVASCULAR-INTRACRANIAL-PROCEDURES-WITHOUT-CC-MCC

    Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures without CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    028-SPINAL-PROCEDURES-WITH-MCC

    Spinal Procedures with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    029-SPINAL-PROCEDURES-WITH-CC-OR-SPINAL-NEUROSTIMULATORS

    Spinal Procedures with CC or Spinal Neurostimulators: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

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    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
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    Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.

    Mean Rates by Payer — National — DRG 081
    Mean Rates by Payer — Alaska — DRG 081