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    OpenPayerBilling CodesDiseases and Disorders of the Digestive SystemDRG 394-other-digestive-system-diagnoses-with-cc
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    Other Digestive System Diagnoses with CC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    DRG 394 addresses other digestive system diagnoses with a Complication or Comorbidity and encompasses a variety of gastrointestinal conditions that increase inpatient resource needs. Proper grouping matters for inpatient reimbursement because the presence of a Complication or Comorbidity influences payment under the Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Group methodology.

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    DRG 394 Overview

    DRG 394 covers inpatient cases involving other digestive system diagnoses with a Complication or Comorbidity. This Diagnosis-Related Group includes a range of non-specific gastrointestinal conditions that incur additional complexity due to comorbid conditions or complications. It matters for Medicare payment because the presence of a Complication or Comorbidity adjusts relative resource use and affects reimbursement levels under the Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Group system. Accurate coding of the primary diagnosis and associated Complication or Comorbidity determines the appropriate payment grouping.

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    National Payment Rates

    Across commercial payers the rate range runs roughly from $9K up to $34K, with the widest spread observed between BCBS (as low as $370/$1.2K in lower percentiles to $25K max) and Anthem (max $34K). Reference the payer table and the chart below for percentile detail and payer-specific distributions. National commercial benchmarks show variation by payer, with Aetna, Cigna, Anthem, and BCBS reporting different median and upper-quartile values.

    The CMS 2023 data represent national Medicare fee-for-service inpatient payments published under the CMS Provider Utilization and Payment Data program. The table below reports average total payment ($9.1k), average submitted covered charges ($44.6k), average Medicare payment amount ($7.0k), and total discharges (30.3k).

    Average Total PaymentAverage Submitted ChargesAverage Medicare PaymentTotal Discharges
    $9.1K$45K$7K30K

    Patient Population

    The DRG 394 population generally includes a mix of Medicare-age and working-age adults, though claims volume tends to skew toward Medicare beneficiaries. Payer mix often shows a substantial Medicare presence alongside commercial coverage for younger adults. This results in a mixed-age population with a notable Medicare component.

    State Payment Rates

    State: Alaska1 / 49

    Alaska Benchmarks

    For DRG 394 in Alaska, mean contract rates range from 15K (Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield) up to 23K (Cigna), a span that reflects moderate state-level variation. Cigna’s mean sits above typical national means for this DRG, representing the most notable deviation from national averages. See the table and chart below for payer-specific percentiles and distribution details.

    Key Insights for Alaska

    • Cigna is the highest-paying payer in Alaska with a mean of 23K, while Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield are tied at the lowest mean of 15K.
    • Alaska’s payer range (15K–23K) skews higher than several national medians for this DRG, with Cigna’s mean notably above national payer means around 15K–16K.
    • The concentration of Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield at a flat 15K suggests limited variability for those payers compared with Cigna’s wider distribution in the state.

    Clinical Trials

    • Acute intervention trials evaluating optimized perioperative or inpatient care bundles for patients admitted with complicated or symptomatic non-specific digestive diagnoses (for example severe gastritis, acute pancreatitis without severe organ failure, or complex biliary colic). These studies enroll patients during the inpatient stay to test protocols that may include early imaging and risk stratification, standardized IV fluid and electrolyte management, and criteria-driven timing for endoscopy or minimally invasive procedures. Results are relevant to providers for improving short-term clinical outcomes and to payers because reductions in length of stay, avoidance of ICU transfers, and fewer procedure-related complications can lower inpatient costs for this heterogeneous DRG group.
    • Comparative effectiveness studies comparing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for subgroups within the DRG, such as outpatient versus inpatient observation pathways for suspected but unconfirmed acute digestive conditions, or early endoscopic intervention versus conservative management for select presentations. These trials typically focus on patients with moderate illness severity and comorbidities that place them at risk for CC-level complications, aiming to identify which approaches best balance clinical outcomes, readmission risk, and resource use. Payers and hospital leaders use this evidence to design care pathways and utilization criteria that target appropriate admissions, reduce unnecessary procedures, and optimize reimbursement margins while maintaining patient safety.
    • Post-discharge outcomes and care-transition research assessing readmission prevention, medication adherence, nutrition support, and outpatient follow-up effectiveness among patients discharged after treatment for complex digestive conditions (for example ongoing symptom control after peptic ulcer disease with bleeding history or management of chronic pancreatitis exacerbations). These observational cohort studies and pragmatic trials enroll patients at discharge and measure 30- and 90-day readmissions, emergency visits, and functional status, often integrating case management or telehealth follow-up arms. Findings guide discharge planning, allocation of transitional care resources, and payer investments in outpatient programs that can reduce costly readmissions and downstream utilization for this DRG population.

    Related Codes

    326-STOMACH-ESOPHAGEAL-AND-DUODENAL-PROCEDURES-WITH-MCC

    Stomach, Esophageal and Duodenal Procedures with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    327-STOMACH-ESOPHAGEAL-AND-DUODENAL-PROCEDURES-WITH-CC

    Stomach, Esophageal and Duodenal Procedures with CC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    328-STOMACH-ESOPHAGEAL-AND-DUODENAL-PROCEDURES-WITHOUT-CC-MCC

    Stomach, Esophageal and Duodenal Procedures without CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    329-MAJOR-SMALL-AND-LARGE-BOWEL-PROCEDURES-WITH-MCC

    Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    330-MAJOR-SMALL-AND-LARGE-BOWEL-PROCEDURES-WITH-CC

    Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    331-MAJOR-SMALL-AND-LARGE-BOWEL-PROCEDURES-WITHOUT-CC-MCC

    Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures without CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    332-RECTAL-RESECTION-WITH-MCC

    Rectal Resection with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    333-RECTAL-RESECTION-WITH-CC

    Rectal Resection with CC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    334-RECTAL-RESECTION-WITHOUT-CC-MCC

    Rectal Resection without CC/MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    335-PERITONEAL-ADHESIOLYSIS-WITH-MCC

    Peritoneal Adhesiolysis with MCC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview

    Showing 1–10 of 57

    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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    Mean Rates by Payer — National — DRG 394
    Mean Rates by Payer — Alaska — DRG 394