CommercialBilling CodesHigh impact
Update on maternity coding and reimbursement
Cigna·OB-GYN·Coding
Effective date
Sep 1, 2026
We identified it
Aug 22, 2026
Summary
The AMA released new maternity coding guidelines effective January 1, 2027, replacing the global maternity package with detailed CPT codes. However, Cigna Healthcare is NOT implementing these changes and will maintain current maternity billing guidance. For patients with initial prenatal visits on or after September 1, 2026, providers must continue using existing maternity billing processes and NOT submit the new AMA-recommended prenatal E/M CPT codes to avoid payment delays.
Action Required
By September 1, 2026: Billing team must ensure that maternity claims for patients with initial prenatal visits on or after this date continue to use existing maternity billing codes and processes. Instruct all billing staff and providers to NOT submit the new AMA-recommended prenatal care E/M CPT codes to Cigna Healthcare. Update any internal billing guidelines, encounter forms, or software templates to reinforce the continuation of current maternity billing workflows. Verify with providers that they understand the requirement to maintain existing contractual billing requirements. Non-compliance will result in payment delays and unnecessary claims reprocessing. Monitor the Provider Newsroom for additional 2027 guidance from Cigna Healthcare later in the year.