Remote patient monitoring allows providers the opportunity to improve the quality of care for patients from the comfort of the patients’ home. RPM can also increase practice revenue without increasing physician or clinical staff workload.
RPM connects clinicians with relevant patient data and creates a more efficient daily routine, easing the possibility of physician burnout — resulting in increased patient care.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) first recognized RPM in 2019:
RPM definition: The use of digital technologies to collect health data from an individual in one location and electronically transmit that information securely to a healthcare provider in a different location.
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) Code Descriptions.
CPT 99453: reimbursement for initial set-up and patient education.
CPT 99454: reimbursement for the supply of the devices for daily recording/transmission over 30 days. Does require at least 16 days within a 30-day billing cycle.
CPT 99457: 20 minutes spent on reviewing, interpreting, and acting on transmitted data. Requires live interactive communication with the patient/caregiver.
CPT 99458: additional 20 minutes of care spent on reviewing, interpreting, and communicating with the patient. RPM codes can be billed with other care management codes
Other RPM Requirements:
Ordered by a physician or nonphysician practitioner
Monitoring identified for a CMS listed condition
Informed consent documented in the patient’s chart (verbal or written)
Technology used for RPM must be a medical device as defined by the FDA.
Why Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) works:
Provides daily insight into the current condition of patients. Identifies trends or health changes. Allows for timely intervention in an effort to prevent unnecessary emergency care/visits
Promotes clinical coordination among all members of the care team.
Promotes patient and caregiver engagement through ongoing two-way outreach activities
RPM Goal: Provide high-quality clinical services that demonstrate a positive impact on the health and well-being of patients and caregivers, while also increasing practice revenue.
Telehealth Monitoring comes standard with:
Automatic Notification alerts –
24/7 access to an Online app with patient data.
Devices:
5 FDA-approved Bluetooth peripherals devices: Blood Pressure Machine, Glucometer, Pulse Ox, Scale, Thermometer.
Chronic Care Management reduces the costs of care for chronic disease patients while improving their overall health.
However, providers have not been reimbursed for non-face-to-face Chronic Care Management services, until now.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recognizes the importance of Chronic Care Management (CCM) and the impact that it has on healthcare expenses and outcomes, CMS has started monthly reimbursements for care coordination services. Currently, in the US 85% of healthcare spending goes towards Medicare patients. 2/3rds of all Medicare dollars are spent on patients with 5 or more chronic conditions. BCA offers quality CCM services to improve the quality of life for patients and develop a consistent revenue stream for providers.