The ability to monitor certain aspects of a patient's health from their own home has become an increasingly popular telehealth option. And it cuts down on patients' travel costs and infection risk.
Remote patient monitoring, also referred to as remote physiologic monitoring, is the use of digital technologies to monitor and capture medical and other health data from patients and electronically transmit this information to healthcare providers for assessment and, when necessary, recommendations and instructions.
Common examples of remote health monitoring devices include continuous glucose monitors that remind diabetes patients to take their insulin, while allowing their physician to monitor the disease, digital blood pressure monitors that enable patients to remotely send physicians their blood pressure and blood oxygen, etc.
Per CMS: In recent years, CMS has finalized payment for seven remote physiologic monitoring (RPM) codes. In response to stakeholder questions about RPM, CMS clarified in the CY 2021 PFS final rule our payment policies related to the RPM services described by CPT codes 99453, 99454, 99091, 99457, and 99458. In addition, we finalized as permanent policy two modifications to RPM services that we finalized in response to the COVID-19 PHE.
Reimbursement for RPM CPT codes can vary but the national
averages are as follows:
RPM CPT Code: 99453: $21.00
RPM CPT Code: 99454: $62.00
RPM CPT Code: 99457: $52.00
RPM CPT Code: 99458: $42.00
RPM Total: $177.00 Per Month
1. We clarified that after the COVID-19 PHE ends, there must be
an established patient-physician relationship for RPM services
to be furnished.
2. We finalized that consent to receive RPM services may be
obtained at the time that RPM services are furnished.
3. We finalized that auxiliary personnel may provide services
described by CPT codes 99453 and 99454 incident to the billing
practitioner’s services and under their supervision. Auxiliary
personnel may include contracted employees.
4. We clarified that the medical device supplied to a patient as
part of RPM services must be a medical device as defined by
Section 201(h) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, that
the device must be reliable and valid, and that the data must be
electronically (i.e., automatically) collected and transmitted
rather than self-reported.
5. We clarified that after the COVID-19 PHE ends, 16 days of
data each 30 days must be collected and transmitted to meet the
requirements to bill CPT codes 99453 and 99454.
6. We clarified that only physicians and NPPs who are eligible
to furnish E/M services may bill RPM services.
7. We clarified that RPM services may be medically necessary for
patients with acute conditions as well as patients with chronic
conditions.
8. We clarified that for CPT codes 99457 and 99458, an
“interactive communication” is a conversation that occurs in
real-time and includes synchronous, two-way interactions that
can be enhanced with video or other kinds of data. We further
clarified that the 20-minutes of time required to bill for the
services of CPT codes 99457 and 99458 can include time for
furnishing care management services as well as for the required
interactive communication.