Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) Practice Exam 2026 – Comprehensive All-in-One Guide to Achieve Exam Success!

The procedure that would increase the MS-DRG assignment the most in a patient with septicemia is respiratory ventilation for greater than 96 consecutive hours. This option is significant because prolonged mechanical ventilation is associated with severe cases of respiratory failure and can indicate a more critical illness, often leading to increased resource use and complexity in medical care.

When patients require extended ventilatory support, it typically involves intensive monitoring, comprehensive nursing care, and potentially the use of additional treatments and interventions, all of which accumulate higher medical costs and resources. Thus, the MS-DRG system assigns a higher weight to cases involving long-term ventilation, reflecting the increased severity of the patient’s condition and the intensity of services rendered.

In contrast, the other options represent procedures that, while they may contribute to the overall treatment of septicemia, typically do not reflect the same level of complexity or resource intensity. Procedures like bronchoscopy, nonexcisional debridement, and toenail debridement generally lead to lower MS-DRG assignments compared to extended ventilation, as they may be part of a routine treatment plan rather than interventions that significantly change the patient’s health status or resource requirements.