Does OB increase your income?

[PuffBlueCat]

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With all the obvious caveats like region/state, urban vs suburban vs rural, private practice/partnership vs employed, work hours, etc., I understand this is a difficult question to answer with specifics, so, I’d love to hear people’s thoughts in general. Medscape 2025 compensation reports states $281,000 as the average for family medicine. If low-med risk OB was a significant chunk of your practice (say 10-20%?), how would this affect income?

Let’s say a full time (4.5 days clinic), employed in a large group, and in a small-med sized city near the Great Lakes (ie Duluth, MN, Green Bay, WI, or Saginaw/Bay City, MI).

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

I know historically it has.

With the increasing introduction of additional codes to boost chronic disease management as well as primary care quality metrics if that's still the case I would bet its less of a difference than it once was.

Plus there's whatever value you assign to quality of life.

 

[Rapsidy]

I’d imagine you would have to heavily weigh whatever income
boost you can get with the liability cost of doing OB. Even low risk patients can turn into emergencies and keep you in lawsuits for years and years.

 

[cabinbuilder]

$281,000 for full time FP? I'd say you are doing it wrong, billing wrong or have a really bad contract.

 

[PuffBlueCat]

I’d imagine you would have to heavily weigh whatever income
boost you can get with the liability cost of doing OB. Even low risk patients can turn into emergencies and keep you in lawsuits for years and years.

Yeah the liability of OB is probably what gives me the biggest amount of pause.

 

[PuffBlueCat]

$281,000 for full time FP? I'd say you are doing it wrong, billing wrong or have a really bad contract.

I think MGMA had the 2025 average for FM at $319,000 ish? I’d love to see income data broken down further by geography, years of practice, etc. I just used the medscape number to start the conversation.

 

[Sardonix]

I think MGMA had the 2025 average for FM at $319,000 ish? I’d love to see income data broken down further by geography, years of practice, etc. I just used the medscape number to start the conversation.

I have multiple friends in the great lakes area.

Working 0.8 FTE (~4d full clinic days per week) without OB they are easily making $350,000 after all compensation. 4.5 clinic days a week could edge toward $400,000.