Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Postpones Modifier 25 Policy in Response to Osteopathic Advocacy

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The postponement of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s (BCBSM) proposed reimbursement policy affecting evaluation and management (E/M) services billed with modifier 25 marks a critical step in safeguarding accurate physician reimbursement, reducing administrative burden and protecting patient access to timely, high-quality care. The decision, announced April 15, follows significant feedback from osteopathic physicians and organized medicine regarding the policy’s operational challenges, implications for payment accuracy and potential impact on health care delivery.

The Michigan Osteopathic Association (MOA) and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), working in coordination with the American Academy of Osteopathy (AAO), the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) and the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD), played a central role in advocating for the delay. Osteopathic physicians were among the first to raise concerns, helping to elevate awareness and prompt broader engagement across the medical community.

“This outcome underscores the importance of physician-led advocacy in ensuring that reimbursement policies reflect the realities of clinical practice,” said AOA President Robert G. G. Piccinini, DO, D.FACN. “Modifier 25 plays a critical role in accurately capturing distinct services such as osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) provided during patient encounters. Delaying this policy allows for more thoughtful consideration of its impact on both physicians and the patients we serve.”

AOA expressed appreciation for BCBSM’s decision and emphasized its commitment to ongoing advocacy efforts that support fair and accurate payment systems aligned with established coding standards and patient-centered care.

“We are encouraged by BCBSM’s willingness to listen to the concerns of the osteopathic physician community,” said AOA CEO Kathleen S. Creason, MBA. “This decision reflects the power of collaboration across osteopathic medical societies and reinforces our shared responsibility to protect access to high-quality care. We will continue working to ensure that future policies support both physicians and the patients who depend on them.”

The AOA will continue to work with MOA and other partners in monitoring developments related to this policy as our groups remain dedicated to advancing policies that appropriately recognize OMT and promote patient-centered osteopathic care.

About the American Osteopathic Association (AOA)

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) represents more than 207,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and osteopathic medical students; promotes public health; encourages scientific research; and serves as the primary certifying body for DOs. To learn more about DOs and the osteopathic philosophy of medicine, visit findado.osteopathic.org.