Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) CPT Codes For 2024

Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) is a service for monitoring and collecting non-physiological data from patients using an approved and connected medical device. As stated in the 2022 final rule, this data tracks a variety of health indicators, including musculoskeletal system status, respiratory system status, medication adherence, and therapy response. 

RTM is meant for the monitoring and treatment of patients who use medical devices that collect non-physiological information in both digitally uploaded and self-reported formats. Just like Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM), RTM can be used to treat a number of chronic health conditions, including cancer and pulmonary diseases. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has positioned RTM as a separate model that supplements and supports RPM.

CPT Codes For Remote Therapeutic Monitoring

CMS introduced five new RTM CPT codes, also called general medicine codes in the 2022 final rule, including:

• CPT 98975

The national reimbursement amount for this code is $19.65*. CPT Code 98975 is a one-time billable code that covers initial equipment setup and patient instruction.

• CPT 98976 (Respiratory)

Supply of RTM device(s) with scheduled recording and/or programmed alert transmission to monitor the respiratory system for every 30 days. The national reimbursement for this code is $46.83*. CPT Code 98976 is billable once every 30 days and requires 16 unique days of data collection or measures on respiratory system status.

• CPT 98977 (Musculoskeletal)

Supply of RTM device(s) with scheduled recording and/or programmed alert transmission to monitor the musculoskeletal system for each 30-day period. The national reimbursement for this code is $46.83*. CPT Code 98977 is billable once every 30 days and requires 16 unique days of self-reported data on musculoskeletal system status which can be self-reported.

• CPT 98980

CPT Code 98980 is a time-based code that can be billed once every 30 days. It covers the first 20 minutes of care management and interactive communication by clinical staff, MD, or QHCP. This code demands at least one interactive communication per calendar month. The national reimbursement for this code is $49.78*.

• CPT 98981

CPT Code 98981 is a time-based code that covers every additional 20 minutes of care management and interactive communication provided by clinical staff, an MD, or a qualified health care provider. This code demands at least one interactive communication per calendar month. The national reimbursement amount for this code is $39.30*.

(*reimbursement rates vary across different locations)

Advantages of RTM for Physical Therapists

Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) helps in managing patients’ health and treatment progress virtually, using SaMD. It focuses on obtaining and sending health information from patients in one place to healthcare professionals in another location via remote monitoring devices, allowing for a quick and personalized response to a patient’s health status. 

Both physical therapists and patients can benefit from remote therapy monitoring solutions in many ways including: 

• Enhanced Accessibility: RTM makes healthcare treatments available to people living in remote locations, people with mobility issues who can’t visit clinics frequently, and during international health emergencies.
  
• Increased Efficiency: A healthcare provider can identify any issues or changes in a patient’s health status by monitoring the records uploaded regularly, thereby facilitating interventions or treatment changes.
• Better Patient Engagement: RTM encourages patients to become more active participants by uploading their health status regularly. This leads to improved therapeutic compliance and greater patient engagement. 
• Cost-effective Service: Since RTM reduces the need for hospital readmissions or in-person visits, both patients and physical therapists can end up saving costs on traveling, bills, and more in the long run.

Let HealthArc Help You Get RTM Reimbursement

HealthArc’s monitoring software is designed to scale your healthcare results and make patient monitoring and management easy. 

Please request a free demo to learn about how we can help your organization achieve its patient monitoring goals. Also, feel free to talk to our team at +201 885 5571 for any queries about the RTM CPT codes and reimbursement changes.