Remote physiologic or patient monitoring (RPM) allows clinicians and health care teams the ability to monitor weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, pulse, temperature, oximetry, respiratory flow rates and more in a variety of settings, including patients’ homes. Based on the transmitted data, treatment plans are developed to help patients and caregivers optimally manage health issues, keeping patients out of hospitals and emergency departments. This virtual monitoring is especially important during a public health emergency (PHE) to continue chronic disease management while reducing risk of infection transmission to keep patients and staff safe.
While the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has reimbursed for RPM since 2019, to date they have not created RPM-related educational materials as they have for other Medicare services. Using proposed and final rules published in the Federal Register by CMS, Comagine Health has compiled relevant regulatory details for health care organizations to implement RPM, which enhances service delivery options and improves outcomes, augments the patient experience and reduces cost, particularly by keeping patients out of the emergency department and preventing hospitalizations.
Comments
RPM
Elaine,
Many thanks for this excellent question! No — the long-term care facility that collects the data may not bill for the seven RPM codes. In the CY 2021 Physician Fee Schedule — Proposed Rule, CMS clarifies that because the RPM codes are Evaluation and Management (E/M) codes, they can be ordered and billed only by physicians or nonphysician practitioners (NPPs) who are eligible to bill Medicare for E/M services. Feel free to contact me directly with any follow-up questions or comments at tbearden@comagine.org.
RPM
Are these codes billed by the long term care facility that collects the data or by the clinician who reviews the data?