MS-DRG 329: Major small and large bowel procedures with MCC
MS-DRG 329 is the inpatient billing code for major small and large bowel procedures with mcc. Across the United States, hospitals submitted an average charge of $214,982 for this type of stay and were actually paid an average of $43,388 — about 5 times less. That gap is normal: no hospital collects its list price. It is also the single most useful fact to have when you are looking at a bill for this code.
Billed versus paid, nationally
Based on 31,031 Medicare stays nationwide in 2024. The "billed" figure is the amount hospitals submitted; the "paid" figure is what was actually received, from all sources combined.
If you are holding a self-pay bill near the billed figure, you are being asked for a price almost nobody pays. That is not an accusation of wrongdoing — it is how hospital chargemasters work — but it is a documented, citable reason to ask for a reduction.
What this code actually classifies
| Official title | MAJOR SMALL AND LARGE BOWEL PROCEDURES WITH MCC |
|---|---|
| Code | MS-DRG 329 |
| Body system (MDC 06) | Digestive system |
| Type | Surgical — an operating room procedure was billed |
| Relative weight (FY 2026) | 4.5965 — Medicare's measure of how resource-intensive this stay is compared with an average stay of 1.0 |
| Typical length of stay | 9.4 days (geometric mean), 12.2 days (arithmetic mean) |
"With MCC" means a major complication or comorbidity was recorded; "with CC" a complication or comorbidity; "without CC/MCC" neither. These modifiers move a stay into a higher-paying group, which is exactly why it is worth checking that the complications on your bill match what actually happened during your stay.
Source: CMS FY 2026 IPPS Final Rule (CMS-1833-F), Table 5. MS-DRG definitions are published by CMS and are in the public domain.
Where this stay is billed highest
The same care carries wildly different list prices depending on where you are treated. The amount actually paid barely moves.
| State | Average billed | Average paid | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $385,567 | $61,511 | 6.3× |
| Nevada | $370,382 | $40,366 | 9.2× |
| Florida | $283,746 | $36,198 | 7.8× |
| Alaska | $273,519 | $55,531 | 4.9× |
| New Jersey | $268,481 | $45,075 | 6× |
| Colorado | $265,689 | $42,040 | 6.3× |
| New York | $258,392 | $55,612 | 4.6× |
| District of Columbia | $254,748 | $62,849 | 4.1× |
| Texas | $247,919 | $37,815 | 6.6× |
| South Carolina | $240,237 | $44,532 | 5.4× |
| Pennsylvania | $239,495 | $41,373 | 5.8× |
| Alabama | $228,249 | $37,399 | 6.1× |
How to use this when disputing your bill
- Check the code matches your stay. Ask for a fully itemized statement and confirm the diagnosis, the procedures and any recorded complications are things that actually happened.
- Question the modifiers. If your bill says "with MCC" but no major complication occurred, that single word may be worth thousands. Ask for a coding review against the medical record.
- Anchor your request in the paid figure, not the billed figure. "Federal Medicare data shows an average payment of $43,388 for MS-DRG 329" is a concrete, verifiable benchmark a billing office can act on.
- Ask about financial assistance separately. A coding dispute and a financial assistance application are different requests, and you can make both. Look up what your hospital is required to offer.
Frequently asked questions
What does MS-DRG 329 mean on my hospital bill?
It means the hospital classified your inpatient stay as "Major small and large bowel procedures with MCC". MS-DRGs group a stay by diagnosis, the procedures performed and the severity of your condition, and the group determines what Medicare pays. This is a surgical group, meaning an operating room procedure was billed.
How much does major small and large bowel procedures with mcc cost?
There is no single price. Federal data shows hospitals submitted an average charge of $214,982 for this stay and were paid an average of $43,388 — roughly 5 times less than billed. What you are asked to pay depends on your insurance, the hospital's discount policies, and whether you request financial assistance.
Can I dispute a bill with this code?
Yes. Ask in writing for a fully itemized statement, check that the diagnosis and procedures actually match your stay, and if the code seems more intensive than the care you received, ask for a coding review against your medical record. Miscoding is a common and legitimate ground for a bill to be reopened.
How long is a typical stay for MS-DRG 329?
Medicare's published geometric mean length of stay for this group is 9.4 days (arithmetic mean 12.2 days) for fiscal year 2026. If your bill charges for substantially more days than you were actually there, that is worth questioning.