A billing change backed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists could make prenatal care more expensive for some pregnant patients, according to a report by WUSF.
The proposed shift moves away from the current global billing model, under which a single bundled payment covers most prenatal visits, the delivery, and postpartum care. Under the new approach, OB-GYNs would bill for each visit individually, based on time spent with the patient.
Supporters of the change argue it more accurately reflects the actual work involved in obstetric care. The current global fee model, they say, was designed decades ago and does not account for the increasing complexity of modern pregnancies or the time physicians spend on care coordination, mental health screening, and managing high-risk conditions.
But patient advocates and some health policy researchers are raising concerns. Because individual visit billing would replace a single bundled charge, patients could face separate copays or cost-sharing for each appointment rather than one predictable total. For patients with high-deductible insurance plans, that could add up quickly over a typical pregnancy involving a dozen or more prenatal visits.
WUSF reported that the financial impact would depend heavily on a patient's specific insurance plan and how insurers choose to structure cost-sharing under the new model. Some patients might see little change. Others, particularly those with plans that charge per visit, could see meaningful increases.
The change would also affect how physicians document and code their visits, adding administrative work to practices that are already stretched. Smaller OB-GYN practices have raised concerns about the transition costs involved.
Advocates for the change argue that more accurate billing could ultimately improve care by giving physicians credit for time-intensive visits and making it financially sustainable to spend more time with complex patients. The current system, they say, pays the same whether a visit takes 10 minutes or 45.
The proposal has not yet taken effect. How it moves through the insurance and regulatory process will determine whether and when patients begin to see changes on their bills. WUSF noted the change has significant backing from organized medicine but that the patient cost question remains unresolved.
