11/4, CMS: Calendar Year (CY) 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule
CMS released its CY 2027 Physician Fee Schedule final rule, addressing extensive stakeholder feedback regarding proposed staffing restrictions on remote physiologic and therapeutic monitoring. Following public pushback over potential disruptions to digital health access and smaller provider workflows, CMS announced a two-year delay, moving the requirement that RPM and RTM services be furnished exclusively by direct employees of the billing practice to January 1, 2029. This transition window provides practices and clinical partners vital runway to adapt compliance, staffing, and care coordination models without abruptly curtailing remote patient care.
10/26, American Heart Association: Leading health groups redefine heart health for girls and women
The American Heart Association, ACOG, AAP, and SMFM issued landmark collaborative guidance establishing a life-stage framework to identify and manage cardiovascular risk across a woman’s lifespan. The framework positions pregnancy as a cardiovascular "stress test" and urges providers across specialties to close care gaps by monitoring blood pressure, hormonal transitions, and cardiometabolic health well beyond delivery.
10/30, Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health: New Harris Poll Findings Highlight Persistent Gaps in Maternal Mental Health Care
Findings from a Harris Poll survey reveal overwhelming demand for extended postpartum oversight, with 94% of recent mothers stating maternity providers should deliver care spanning 6 to 12 months after birth. An overwhelming 91% also expect their maternity care team to integrate and manage mental health support, pointing to an urgent need to close persistent transitions-of-care gaps.
10/24, NPR: U.S. birth rate drops to record low, but older women are having more babies
Recent CDC data shows the U.S. birth rate continuing its two-decade decline to a record low, driven by sharp drops among women in their teens and twenties due to rising costs, career pursuits, and lifestyle choices. In contrast, birth rates rose slightly among women ages 30 to 45, reflecting a growing shift toward delayed motherhood across the country. The risk of adverse maternal events rise with age, putting increasing pressure on OB/GYNs and health systems.
11/2, American Heart Association: Hypertension or diabetes before pregnancy linked to higher risk of fetal heart defects
An analysis of over 44 million U.S. births presented at the AHA Scientific Sessions found that pre-existing high blood pressure and pre-pregnancy diabetes are associated with a 30% and 48% higher risk, respectively, of delivering an infant with critical congenital heart disease. The findings highlight the rising prevalence of cardiometabolic conditions among pregnant individuals and underscore the need for early cardiovascular screening and intervention before conception.
From Babyscripts
11/2, MedCity News: CMS Is Regulating the Wrong Thing — Here’s How to Fix Remote Patient Monitoring Without Losing the Care
In an op-ed, Babyscripts CEO Anish Sebastian argues that CMS’s proposed 2027 rule requiring remote patient monitoring (RPM) staff to be direct W-2 employees misplaces regulatory focus on corporate structure rather than clinical accountability. He warns that restricting external clinical partnerships could inadvertently eliminate vital remote care for resource-constrained rural practices and maternal health populations where between-visit monitoring is essential. Instead of banning contracted staff, he urges regulators to establish enforceable guardrails centered on auditability, data integration, and measurable clinical outcomes.