New Statement of Policy Affirms ACOG’s Commitment to Fair and Equitable Payment for Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Recognizing the ongoing financial challenges facing our members and the difficulties in maintaining sustainable practices, the ACOG Board of Directors has issued a new statement of policy addressing the commitment of the organization to ensure fair and equitable payment for obstetrician–gynecologists.

The statement affirms ACOG’s advocacy for "payment that sustains obstetric and gynecologic practices, provides equitable coverage and payment for all services provided by obstetrician–gynecologists, reduces administrative burden, and protects the physical and emotional health and well-being of physicians.”

The new statement stresses that the current payment model—for example, bundled global maternity codes for obstetric services—does not reflect the reality of care, the range of care provided, and the variety of clinical teams and practices providing that care. The statement also addresses the lack of data available to understand the number of visits provided for various comorbid conditions in pregnancy, the amount of medical decision-making that is necessary for each visit, or the time and complexity of labor management.

“The practice of obstetrics and gynecology is increasingly complex, and members of our specialty must balance the clinical and legislative complexities with ongoing financial and administrative challenges,” said Verda J. Hicks, MD, FACOG, president of ACOG. “In order to improve access to care and health outcomes for all patients seeking obstetric and gynecologic care, we must achieve payment from Medicaid, Medicare, and private payers that sustains practices, regardless of geographic location and setting. This is especially crucial in a country with growing care deserts and increasingly worsening workforce shortages.”

Finally, the new policy statement calls on all payers to ensure that payment empowers obstetrician–gynecologists by including the “necessary resources to offer individualized, patient-centered care.” Explore the full statement.