New coding framework will provide more meaningful data to improve maternal health and better understand drivers of maternal mortality
Statement attributable to:
Willie Underwood III, MD, MSc, MPH.
President, American Medical Association
November 5, 2026 – “The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ decision to adopt the modernized CPT® codes for reporting maternal care services is a significant step to advance maternal health in the United States. This profound change will deliver better, more accurate data and save lives.
“On January 1, 2027, the 30-year-old global maternity care bundle will be replaced with a code framework that better reflects contemporary obstetric practice. This is one of the most significant changes to maternity care coding in decades and more accurately captures how pregnancy care is delivered today.
“The new codes will provide more meaningful clinical information, adding new insight and transparency for physicians and researchers looking to improve maternal health by better understanding the clinical drivers of maternal mortality. Ultimately, patients benefit when physicians have better information to understand pregnancy-related complications, identify opportunities to improve care and make more informed clinical decisions.”
About the AMA
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in healthcare. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises, and driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in healthcare. For more information, visit ama-assn.org.
