Definitions for "Diagnosis-Related Groups"
A reimbursement system used by Medicare and other insurers to classify illnesses according to diagnosis and treatment. It clusters patients into 468 categories on the basis of their illnesses, diseases and medical problems. All Medicare inpatient hospital operating costs are determined in advance and paid on a per-case basis, according to fixed amount or weight established for each DRG.
A system of classifying patients on the basis of diagnoses.
A statistical system of classifying any inpatient stay into groups for purposes of payment. This is the form of reimbursement that HCFA uses to pay hospitals for Medicare recipients. Also used by a few states for all payers and by some private health plans for contracting purposes. A standard flat rate per procedure is derived from this scale, which is paid by Medicare for their beneficiaries.