Summary & Overview
Vaginal Delivery without Sterilization or D&C with CC: Inpatient Reimbursement Overview
DRG 806 encompasses vaginal delivery cases without sterilization or dilation and curettage that include a Complication or Comorbidity and defines the clinical scope as childbirth with additional maternal conditions affecting resource use. It matters for inpatient reimbursement because hospitals are paid based on Diagnosis-Related Group classification that reflects case complexity and drives Medicare hospital payment for the admission.
DRG 806 Overview
DRG 806 covers inpatient admissions for vaginal delivery without concurrent sterilization or dilation and curettage when a complication or comorbidity is present. It applies to typical obstetric care where additional medical complexity increases resource use, such as mild maternal conditions or managed peripartum complications. This Diagnosis-Related Group influences Medicare payment by grouping clinical severity to determine relative reimbursement for the hospital stay. Understanding this grouping helps clarify billing classification for inpatient vaginal deliveries with added clinical complexity.
National Payment Rates
Across national commercial payers the observed rate range spans roughly from $370 to $25K, with median benchmarks between about $6.4K and $10K depending on payer. Anthem and Aetna show the highest maximums ($25K and $19K respectively), producing the widest spread between minimums and maximums. See the table and chart below for payer-specific quartiles and distribution details.
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, average submitted covered charges, average Medicare payment amount, and total discharges for DRG 806. Values reflect national aggregates for Medicare FFS in 2023.
State Payment Rates
State: Alaska1 / 49
Alaska Benchmarks
Payer rates for DRG 806 in Alaska span from about $7.5K up to $32K, with Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield both clustering around a $12K mean while Cigna averages $19K. The most notable deviation from national averages is Cigna’s higher mean in Alaska compared with its national mean, producing a wider state range driven by Cigna’s upper bound. Reference the table and chart below for the payer-specific distributions.
Key Insights for Alaska
- Anthem is the lowest payer in Alaska at $7.5K–$18K (mean $12K), while Cigna is the highest at $8.5K–$32K (mean $19K).
- Blue Cross Blue Shield aligns with Anthem in range and mean ($7.5K–$18K, mean $12K), creating a tighter state cluster around $12K for two major payers.
- Cigna’s mean of $19K meaningfully exceeds national means for these payers, indicating a higher-than-national reimbursement level in Alaska for this DRG.
Clinical Trials
- Studies of intrapartum management strategies to reduce complications (comparative effectiveness): trials comparing different labor management protocols, such as active management of labor durations, second-stage maneuvers, or use of standardized oxytocin augmentation protocols for term, singleton vaginal deliveries without concurrent sterilization or dilation and curettage. The patient population includes low- to moderate-risk obstetric patients admitted in active labor; outcomes measured typically include rates of operative vaginal delivery, postpartum hemorrhage, perineal lacerations, maternal length of stay, and neonatal APGAR or admission to higher-level care. This research is directly relevant to providers and payers because optimizing intrapartum care can lower complication rates, reduce resource use (operative interventions, transfusions, or NICU stays), and influence DRG-related costs and reimbursement through improved quality metrics.
- Comparative trials of pain management and analgesia approaches during labor and immediate postpartum (peri-procedural effectiveness and safety): randomized or pragmatic studies evaluating neuraxial analgesia techniques, varying epidural protocols, adjunct systemic analgesics, or nonpharmacologic modalities in birthing people undergoing vaginal delivery without sterilization or D&C. The studies focus on maternal pain control, mobility during labor, labor progression, breastfeeding initiation, and short-term neonatal outcomes in term singleton deliveries; subgroup analyses often include primiparous versus multiparous patients. Results inform clinical pathways and resource allocation for anesthesia services, impact maternal satisfaction and potential downstream utilization (length of stay, readmissions for pain-related issues), and help payers assess value and appropriate coverage of labor analgesia strategies.
- Post-discharge maternal and neonatal outcome and health services research (longitudinal outcomes and utilization): cohort studies and pragmatic trials following patients after uncomplicated vaginal delivery to assess postpartum recovery, postpartum hemorrhage late presentations, wound or perineal complications, mental health screening adherence, breastfeeding continuation, and infant readmissions or outpatient visits. The population includes mothers discharged after vaginal delivery without concurrent sterilization/D&C and their newborns, with attention to sociodemographic and comorbidity factors that predict higher post-discharge utilization. This research matters to providers and payers because identifying predictors of post-discharge complications and effective interventions (education, home visits, telehealth follow-up) can reduce readmissions and emergency care, improve patient-centered outcomes, and influence overall cost of care under the DRG.
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