We Answer Your Latest Questions about Remote Therapeutic Monitoring: Part 2

The new CPT codes released by CMS in 2022 for remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) have opened up an exciting opportunity for many outpatient rehab providers, allowing them to bill for the remote management of their patients that many have already been performingbut theres also a learning curve involved.

In our three-part RTM FAQ series, we answer some of your most pressing questions from our recent webinar Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Strategies: 2023 Physicians Fee Schedule & Lessons Learned.

You can read part one of the RTM FAQ series here.

Operations

Can a provider set up RTM during in-person treatment time, (either the evaluation or the follow-up)? Is the documentation then performed separately?

Yesin fact, we recommend that you perform setup during the evaluation or an in-person visit. Youll need to document what you did and to whom you provided the education and assistance during setup (i.e., the patient, a caregiver, or a family member).

What is the frequency with which therapists need to check on patient adherence to exercises?

Theres no specific frequency requirement by CMS, so that should be determined by the provider or organization. We are seeing that when a clinician engages with the data reported by the patient more frequently and incorporates that into the discussions with the patient, more accountability is created, resulting in patients being more engaged and compliant with their remote programs.

 

Can a physical therapist who is licensed in one state but living in another state administer RTM in the other state?

No, PTs and PTAs need to be licensed in the state where the patient is located.

Are you recommending separate plans of care for RTM and in-clinic care, or can these be combined with notes kept separate?

RTM and in-clinic care plans should be combined into a single plan of care.

Will RTM notes count against allotted visits for plans that limit the number of visits?

Medicare doesnt have an allotted visit amount, but rather a dollar threshold. Therefore, services being provided dont necessarily count against visits. For commercial insurance plans, we advise you to speak to your insurance contact as it could be considered a new date of service/visit if billed on a separate day.

Can I use RTM after discharge?

No, once a patient is discharged from an episode of care they are NOT eligible to be billed for RTM.

Coding and Billing

Can more than one therapist use the codes for the same patient?

RTM can only be billed once per patient per month, so the first clinician to bill for that code will get reimbursed. For example, an OT and a PT cant both be reimbursed for the same patient session, but they can still co-manage the session.

Can we use RTM codes to bill for physical therapists providing cognitive behavioral therapy?

Yes, you can in 2023. As of 2023, CMS has released CPT code 98978, which is used to reimburse providers who are using RTM to provide cognitive behavioral therapy.

How can Medbridge help with RTM?

The Medbridge Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Solution includes our Home Exercise Program (HEP) Builder, Patient Mobile App, and Patient Portal, and helps with billing against CMSs new RTM codes.

Our comprehensive digital platform allows providers to onboard patients and assign them a digital home exercise program (HEP) that includes evidence-based education and exercises. Once HEP programs are assigned, providers can track patient engagement with the HEP, monitor patient data, update and modify programs for remote treatment, and facilitate communication between the patient and their care team, all from within the Medbridge RTM solution. Medbridge also provides patient data monitoring and maintains all of the required auditable documentation.