Central Distributor SID: Description of Data Elements

DRGVER - DRG or MS-DRG grouper version used on discharge date

Documentation Sections:

General Notes

Uniform Values

State Specific Notes

General Notes

The DRG Grouper Version (DRGVER) is assigned by the Medicare DRG grouper during HCUP processing. For discharges occurring before October 1, 1991, DRGVER contains the DRG "revision" number. For discharges after that date, DRGVER contains the DRG "version" number (which is one value higher than the revision number). This coding scheme is consistent with the labeling of the DRG reference material, including the DRG coding books. Thus, on September 30, 1991 the DRGVER = 7; but on October 1, 1991 the DRGVER = 9. With Version 33 of the DRGs (effective October 2015), CMS revised the DRG software to use International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) diagnoses and procedures. Prior to that the DRG software was based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes. With Version 25 of the DRGs (effective October 2007), CMS revised the DRG scheme (up to 540 DRGs) into over 700 Medicare-severity DRGs (MS-DRGs). First, DRGs were consolidated into 335 base MS-DRGs. Of these, 106 were split into two subgroups, and 152 were split into three subgroups, to arrive at 745 total MS-DRGs. The subgroups were based on the presence of complications or comorbidities (CCs) or major CCs (MCCs).

Top

Uniform Values

Variable Description Value Value Description DRGVER DRG or MS-DRG grouper version used on discharge date 4 4th revision, eff. Oct 1, 1987 5 5th revision, eff. Oct 1, 1988 6 6th revision, eff. Oct 1, 1989 7 7th revision, eff. Oct 1, 1990 9 Version 9, eff. Oct 1, 1991 10 Version 10, eff. Oct 1, 1992 11 Version 11, eff. Oct 1, 1993 12 Version 12, eff. Oct 1, 1994 13 Version 13, eff. Oct 1, 1995 14 Version 14, eff. Oct 1, 1996 15 Version 15, eff. Oct 1, 1997 16 Version 16, eff. Oct 1, 1998 17 Version 17, eff. Oct 1, 1999 18 Version 18, eff. Oct 1, 2000 19 Version 19, eff. Oct 1, 2001 20 Version 20, eff. Oct 1, 2002 21 Version 21, eff. Oct 1, 2003 22 Version 22, eff. Oct 1, 2004 23 Version 23, eff. Oct 1, 2005 24 Version 24, eff. Oct 1, 2006 25 Version 25, eff. Oct 1, 2007 26 Version 26, eff. Oct 1, 2008 27 Version 27, eff. Oct 1, 2009 28 Version 28, eff. Oct 1, 2010 29 Version 29, eff. Oct 1, 2011 30 Version 30, eff. Oct 1, 2012 31 Version 31, eff. Oct 1, 2013 32 Version 32, eff. Oct 1, 2014 33 Version 33, eff. Oct 1, 2015 34 Version 34, eff. Oct 1, 2016 35 Version 35, eff. Oct 1, 2017 36 Version 36, eff. Oct 1, 2018 37 Version 37, eff. Oct 1, 2019

Top

State Specific Notes

South Carolina The DRG version (DRGVER) is not available in the 2018 inpatient data. One can use discharge month (DMONTH) to identify which version of the DRG should apply by month. DRG version 35 should be used for discharge records from January through September 2018 and DRG version 36 should be used for discharge records from October through December 2018.

Top