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    v1.0.28
    OpenPayerBilling CodesDiseases and Disorders of the Ear, Nose, Mouth and ThroatDRG 154-other-ear-nose-mouth-and-throat-diagnoses-with-mcc
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    Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat Diagnoses with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    DRG 154 encompasses complex inpatient ear, nose, mouth, and throat diagnoses accompanied by a Major Complication or Comorbidity, reflecting higher clinical severity. This matters for inpatient reimbursement because the Major Complication or Comorbidity status increases the relative weight and payment under Medicare, affecting hospital revenue for resource-intensive cases.

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    DRG 154 Overview

    DRG 154 covers inpatient stays for complex or severe conditions of the ear, nose, mouth, and throat when a Major Complication or Comorbidity is present. Typical cases include severe infections, complicated surgical complications, or acute airway and swallowing problems that require significant resources. This Diagnosis-Related Group matters for Medicare payment because the presence of a Major Complication or Comorbidity increases relative resource use and drives higher reimbursement compared with less complex ear, nose, mouth, and throat diagnoses. Accurate clinical documentation and coding determine assignment to this Diagnosis-Related Group and the associated inpatient payment level.

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    Clinical Trials

    • Acute airway management and hemostasis interventions: trials in this area evaluate emergency procedures and perioperative techniques to control airway compromise and bleeding in patients with severe ear, nose, mouth, and throat (ENT) conditions presenting with major complications or comorbidities. These studies typically enroll hospitalized adults who require urgent operative or endoscopic interventions for obstructive lesions, traumatic injury, severe epistaxis, or deep neck space infections, and they compare procedural approaches, timing, or adjunctive hemostatic measures. Results inform best practices for reducing ICU transfers, procedure-related complications, and short-term resource utilization — key concerns for clinicians and payers responsible for inpatient safety and cost containment.
    • Comparative effectiveness of surgical vs minimally invasive or conservative management for complex ENT diagnoses: these trials compare outcomes such as complication rates, length of stay, readmission, and functional recovery between different definitive treatments (for example, open surgical procedures versus endoscopic or image-guided minimally invasive approaches) in patients with complicated or recurrent ENT pathology accompanied by major comorbid conditions. Typical populations include older adults or medically complex inpatients grouped under this DRG where an MCC influences perioperative risk; research addresses which approach yields better clinical outcomes and lower overall inpatient and downstream costs. Findings are directly relevant to hospital surgical practice patterns, discharge planning, and payer decisions about coverage and bundled payments for higher-risk ENT admissions.
    • Post-discharge recovery, complication surveillance, and care transition studies: these observational or interventional studies focus on monitoring functional outcomes, late complications (such as aspiration, chronic infection, or wound breakdown), and healthcare utilization after discharge for patients hospitalized with serious ENT diagnoses and major comorbidities. They enroll discharged inpatients from this DRG to evaluate the impact of structured follow-up, remote monitoring, or targeted rehabilitation on readmissions, emergency visits, and patient-reported outcomes. This research is important to providers and payers because improving post-discharge outcomes can reduce costly readmissions and long-term morbidity in a population with elevated risk due to the presence of MCCs.

    Related Codes

    135-SINUS-AND-MASTOID-PROCEDURES-WITH-CC-MCC

    Sinus and Mastoid Procedures with CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    136-SINUS-AND-MASTOID-PROCEDURES-WITHOUT-CC-MCC

    Sinus and Mastoid Procedures without CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    137-MOUTH-PROCEDURES-WITH-CC-MCC

    Mouth Procedures with CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    138-MOUTH-PROCEDURES-WITHOUT-CC-MCC

    Mouth Procedures without CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    139-SALIVARY-GLAND-PROCEDURES

    Salivary Gland Procedures: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    140-MAJOR-HEAD-AND-NECK-PROCEDURES-WITH-MCC

    Major Head and Neck Procedures with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    141-MAJOR-HEAD-AND-NECK-PROCEDURES-WITH-CC

    Major Head and Neck Procedures with CC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    142-MAJOR-HEAD-AND-NECK-PROCEDURES-WITHOUT-CC-MCC

    Major Head and Neck Procedures without CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    143-OTHER-EAR-NOSE-MOUTH-AND-THROAT-O-R-PROCEDURES-WITH-MCC

    Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat O.R. Procedures with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    144-OTHER-EAR-NOSE-MOUTH-AND-THROAT-O-R-PROCEDURES-WITH-CC

    Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat O.R. Procedures with CC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    Showing 1–10 of 24

    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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