Prenatal Care Provided by Primary Care Physicians

Number: 0047

Table Of Contents

Policy
Applicable CPT / HCPCS / ICD-10 Codes
Background
References


Policy

Scope of Policy

This Clinical Policy Bulletin addresses prenatal care provided by primary care physicians.

  1. Medical Necessity

    Notes: Aetna members may choose to remain with their qualified family physician for delivery or for prenatal care only. The following policy applies to family physicians providing only prenatal care:

    All family practices that provide prenatal services to their patients must identify themselves to Aetna and must agree to abide by Aetna policies for this care.

    The pregnant Aetna member must be offered the choice of prenatal care by either the practice or a participating obstetrician.

    When a member chooses to remain in the primary care practice for prenatal care, the following must occur:

    1. All genetic testing will be coordinated through the Aetna Healthy Chapters maternity program.
    2. The member must choose a participating obstetrician as a co-manager of her care.
    3. The member will be referred to her selected obstetrician for continuing care and delivery no later than the 28th week visit. The member's complete prenatal record must be available at this visit.
    4. The member will be referred to the selected obstetrician for all ultrasound and fetal non-stress testing.
    5. The practice will be responsible to present a fetal aneuploidy screening consent form to the member for accept/decline signature in the first trimester.
    6. The practice will enroll the member in Aetna's Healthy Chapters maternity program.
    7. The practice will refer the member to her selected obstetrician for a first trimester educational visit.
  2. Related Policies 


Table:

CPT Codes / HCPCS Codes / ICD-10 Codes

Code Code Description

Other CPT codes related to the CPB:

59025 Fetal non-stress test
59425 Antepartum care only; 4-6 visits
59426 Antepartum care only; 7 or more visits
76801 - 76817 Obstetrical ultrasound
76818 Fetal biophysical profile; with non-stress testing
76819 Fetal biophysical profile; without non-stress testing
76820 Doppler velocimetry, fetal; umbilical artery
76821 Doppler velocimetry, fetal; middle cerebral artery
76825 Echocardiography, fetal, cardiovascular system, real time with image documentation (2D), with or without M-mode recording
76826 Echocardiography, fetal, cardiovascular system, real time with image documentation (2D), with or without M-mode recording; follow-up or repeat study
76827 Echocardiography, fetal, cardiovascular system, real time with image documentation (2D), with or without M-mode recording; follow-up or repeat study
76828 Doppler echocardiography, fetal, pulsed wave and/or continuous wave with spectral display; follow-up or repeat study
76830 Ultrasound, transvaginal
82105, 82106 Alpha-fetoprotein; serum, or amniotic fluid
88271 - 88275 Molecular cytogenetics
88291 Cytogenesis and molecular cytogenesis, interpretation and report
93975 Duplex scan of arterial inflow and venous outflow of abdominal, pelvic, scrotal contents and/or retroperitoneal organs; complete study
93976 Duplex scan of arterial inflow and venous outflow of abdominal, pelvic, scrotal contents and/or retroperitoneal organs; limited study

ICD-10 codes covered if selection criteria are met:

O09.00 - O09.93, Z34.00 - Z34.93 Supervision of pregnancy [normal and high risk]

Background

Many family physicians in our network are trained and qualified to provide obstetric care. This policy will assure high-quality prenatal care for Aetna members while allowing family physicians the opportunity to continue their care through the 27th week of pregnancy.


References

The above policy is based on the following references:

  1. American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). AAFP--ACOG joint statement of cooperative practice and hospital privileges. Am Fam Physician. 1998;58(1):277-278.
  2. American Academy of Family Physicians. Maternity and gynecologic care. Recommended core educational guidelines for family practice residents. Am Fam Physician. 1998;58(1):275-277.
  3. Mengel MB, Phillips WR. The quality of obstetric care in family practice: Are family physicians as safe as obstetricians? J Fam Pract. 1987;24(2):159-164.
  4. Ramírez SI. Prenatal care: An evidence-based approach. Am Fam Physician. 2023;108(2):139-150.