Preparing Your Maternity Service Line for OB Code Unbundling
The 2027 shift to unbundled obstetric coding will change how maternity services are billed, but the real impact goes deeper. Coverage models, physician practice patterns, workforce planning, and long-term access to care are all on the table. The hospitals and physician groups that start working through these questions together now will be in the strongest position when the changes take effect. This brief readiness check can help you and your colleagues take stock of where those conversations stand today and where to focus next.
Maternity Care Readiness Check
Select the statements that apply to your organization across each of the four categories below.
Understanding
Workforce
Collaboration
Planning
Understanding the Change
Select any statements that reflect your organization’s current position.
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We understand how the 2027 maternity reimbursement changes may affect the way maternity care is delivered. -
We’ve discussed these changes with our physician partners or leadership team. -
We are monitoring how physician practice patterns may evolve over time.
Step 1 of 4
Physician Practice & Workforce
Select any statements that reflect your organization’s current position.
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We’ve talked about how physician expectations around clinic, labor and delivery, and call responsibilities are changing. -
We believe our current practice or staffing model is sustainable over the next three to five years. -
We have a strategy to recruit and retain obstetric providers.
Step 2 of 4
Collaboration & Coverage
Select any statements that reflect your organization’s current position.
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Physicians and hospital leaders have discussed long-term maternity care needs together. -
We have confidence in our approach to labor and delivery coverage. -
We have a plan to maintain access to care if physician participation changes.
Step 3 of 4
Planning Ahead
Select any statements that reflect your organization’s current position.
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We’ve identified opportunities these changes may create for our organization or practice. -
We are proactively planning for 2027 rather than waiting to react. -
We have begun conversations about the future of our maternity care model.
Step 4 of 4
Your Readiness Snapshot
Preparation, not panic, is the goal. The 2027 reimbursement changes are more than a coding update. They create an opportunity for physicians and hospitals to work together to strengthen practice sustainability, preserve access to maternity care, and prepare for the future.
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