Healthcare providers who offer obstetric services should begin preparing for significant maternity coding updates that take effect January 1, 2027. The American Medical Association (AMA) is retiring the longstanding global obstetric code structure and replacing it with a new maternity care code set designed to better reflect the care patients receive throughout pregnancy.
The current global coding model bundles many maternity services together, regardless of differences in patient needs, visit frequency, or pregnancy complexity. The new coding framework aims to provide more accurate reporting of services, improve data collection, and reduce administrative challenges associated with maternity billing.
One of the most important transition considerations involves patients whose pregnancies span both 2026 and 2027. For patients who deliver in 2026, providers should continue using existing global obstetric codes. However, patients who are pregnant in 2026 and expected to deliver in 2027 will require special attention, as antepartum visits provided during 2026 must be billed separately using the appropriate antepartum care-only codes based on the number of visits performed.
Practices that provide maternity services should review the upcoming coding requirements, evaluate their workflows, and ensure billing teams understand how to manage pregnancies that cross into the 2027 implementation period. Early preparation can help minimize claim delays and ensure a smoother transition when the new code set becomes effective.