New US Billing Codes for Deliveries Likely to Raise Maternity Costs With No Better Outcomes

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The approach to paying obstetricians and midwives is changing. These changes will likely raise the cost of childbirth, with no guarantee of better maternity outcomes.

The American Medical Association (AMA), at the recommendation of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, will eliminate the global payment codes for deliveries used by obstetricians and midwives at the end of this year. The AMA will replace these global fees, where health plans paid for professional services based on a single bill after delivery, with fee-for-service, or pay-as-you-go, codes for prenatal and postpartum visits, fetal monitoring, and various procedures.

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