It's time to start preparing for the end of the global obstetric package.
One of the biggest CPT® changes in recent years is arriving on January 1, 2027, and if your practice provides obstetric services, this is one update you don't want to wait until the last minute to understand.
After more than 30 years, the familiar global obstetric package is officially being retired. Beginning in 2027, providers will no longer report maternity care using one bundled global code. Instead, each phase of pregnancy will be reported and reimbursed separately.
In my opinion, this change has been a long time coming.
Healthcare looks very different today than it did three decades ago. Obstetric care is no longer routinely provided by a single physician from the first prenatal visit through postpartum care. Multiple providers, hospital-based physicians, specialists, advanced practice providers, and different healthcare organizations often participate in a patient's care throughout pregnancy and delivery. The traditional bundled payment model simply hasn't kept pace with how maternity care is delivered in today's healthcare environment.
What's Changing?
Beginning January 1, 2027, maternity care will be reported as four separate phases of care:
- Antepartum Care
- Labor Management
- Delivery
- Postpartum Care
Rather than submitting one global obstetric package, providers will report the individual services they actually perform. This allows reimbursement to better reflect the work completed by each provider while making it easier to report care when multiple practitioners are involved.
The Biggest Impact Will Be E/M Coding
For many coders, billers, and providers, the most significant change won't be the new CPT codes—it will be the increased reliance on Evaluation and Management (E/M) coding.
The existing global package codes for antepartum and postpartum care are being eliminated. Instead, those office visits will now be reported individually using the appropriate E/M code.
That means every prenatal and postpartum encounter will require accurate documentation and proper E/M code selection.
Practices that have become comfortable relying on the global package will likely need to adjust both their documentation habits and their billing workflows.
Billing Workflows Will Change
Many organizations are accustomed to submitting one bundled claim for maternity services. Beginning in 2027, billing will become much more encounter-driven.
Instead of waiting until delivery to report many of these services, practices will be submitting claims throughout the patient's pregnancy and postpartum period.
That means revenue cycle teams, coders, providers, and billing departments should begin reviewing their current processes well before implementation.
CPT Changes at a Glance
The maternity care update includes:
- Deletion of 17 CPT codes
- Addition of 12 new CPT codes
- Revisions to 6 existing CPT codes
- New maternity care subsections
- Updated coding guidelines
- Reorganization of several existing CPT codes
This represents one of the most significant restructurings of obstetric coding in decades.
My Advice: Don't Wait Until January
I've seen practices struggle when major coding changes are left until the last few weeks before implementation.
This is one of those updates where preparation will make a tremendous difference.
Now is the time to begin educating providers, coders, billers, compliance staff, and practice managers about what's changing. Review your documentation requirements, refresh E/M coding knowledge, and evaluate how these changes may affect your billing processes and reimbursement timelines.
The organizations that prepare early will likely experience a much smoother transition than those waiting until the end of the year.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the changes take effect?
The new maternity care coding guidelines become effective January 1, 2027.
What happens to the global obstetric package?
The traditional global package will be retired. Maternity care will instead be reported using separate CPT codes for antepartum care, labor management, delivery, and postpartum care.
How will prenatal and postpartum visits be reported?
These visits will no longer be included in a bundled global package. Instead, providers will report each encounter individually using the appropriate Evaluation and Management (E/M) code.
Why is this change being made?
The way obstetric care is delivered has changed significantly over the past 30 years. Today's maternity care frequently involves multiple providers and varying levels of service. The new coding structure is designed to better reflect the care actually provided while supporting more accurate reimbursement.
What should practices do now?
Begin educating providers and coding staff, review E/M documentation requirements, evaluate current billing workflows, and monitor payor guidance as implementation approaches.
Note: This article is based on the CPT® 2027 maternity care revisions published by the American Medical Association. Readers should continue to monitor official CPT® guidance and payor updates as additional implementation information becomes available.