OBHG Statement on the CY 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule

OBHG Statement on the CY 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule

The following statement is from Dr. Mark Simon, MD, MMM, Chief Medical Officer at Ob Hospitalist Group.

Maternity care has evolved significantly, and the systems used to document and reimburse care should reflect how care is delivered today. Maternal health is a collaborative effort, with different clinicians playing essential roles throughout pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum care. OBHG applauds CMS' decision to move forward with the new maternity care coding framework and abandon its proposed Medicare-specific G-codes, supporting a more consistent approach that recognizes the realities of modern maternity care.

The new framework represents an important advancement for clinicians and patients alike. By recognizing labor management separately from delivery, the new coding framework better reflects the contributions of multiple clinicians involved in a patient's care, including those who manage complex labor and respond to complications. This creates opportunities for greater collaboration between community OB/GYNs and hospital-based teams, giving physicians more flexibility to focus on the services where they are most needed and potentially improving patient access to care.

Separately recognizing prenatal, labor, delivery and postpartum services also creates a more complete and accurate picture of maternity care across the U.S. Greater visibility into the care patients receive can help our healthcare system identify gaps, better understand clinical outcomes and inform quality improvement efforts. It can also strengthen our understanding of where earlier interventions and more coordinated care are needed to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality.

We are pleased to see progress on an issue OBHG has consistently championed. This decision lays an important foundation for a more sustainable, collaborative maternity care system that supports clinicians and the patients they serve. As the transition approaches, we remain committed to working closely with our community clinician partners, hospital partners and our clinicians to ensure they are prepared and positioned for success.