{"id":5717,"date":"2018-11-02T16:11:40","date_gmt":"2018-11-02T16:11:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tele.healthcare\/?p=5717"},"modified":"2018-11-02T16:11:40","modified_gmt":"2018-11-02T16:11:40","slug":"cms-to-reimburse-providers-for-remote-patient-monitoring-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drmiltie.com\/at-home-testing\/cms-to-reimburse-providers-for-remote-patient-monitoring-services\/","title":{"rendered":"CMS to Reimburse Providers for Remote Patient Monitoring Services"},"content":{"rendered":"
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CMS has issued its final update to the 2019 Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program, including three new CPT codes for reimbursement of remote patient monitoring. The changes mark an important step in the government’s acceptance of mHealth and telehealth technology.<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n
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By Eric Wicklund<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

CMS this week issued its final 2019 Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program<\/a>, opening the door to reimbursement for connected care services that enable providers to manage and coordinate care at home. The changes are focused on three new CPT codes that separate RPM services from telehealth, which is more restricted.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis provides opportunities for patients around communicating with providers remotely,\u201d CMS Administrator Seema Verma said during a Thursday afternoon conference call with reporters. \u201cWe\u2019ve never had this in the program at large. There has been a telehealth benefit mostly for rural providers, but access to care is not just a rural issue, it\u2019s something that patients struggle with across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an historic change in terms of increasing access and it\u2019s also a great example of some of the efforts that we\u2019re trying to make around supporting innovation,\u201d she added. \u201cThis has been happening in the private market and I think the opportunities and the impact could be tremendous. We\u2019re excited to be able to harness this innovation for Medicare beneficiaries.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alongside the 2,378-page rule, CMS also issued a fact sheet<\/a> breaking down the changes.<\/p>\n

When the changes were proposed this past July, Nathaniel Lacktman, a partner and healthcare lawyer with Foley & Lardner who chairs the firm\u2019s Telemedicine Industry Team and co-chairs its Digital Health Work Group, said they represent a \u201clandmark change\u201d<\/a> in government efforts to embrace telehealth and mHealth.<\/p>\n

He made that point again in a blog released today<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the\u00a0new\u00a0CPT codes for\u00a0Chronic Care Remote Physiologic Monitoring,\u00a0RPM will become\u00a0an area of significant upside potential over the coming years,\u201d Lacktman said.\u00a0\u201cHospitals and providers using\u00a0RPM\u00a0and non-face-to-face technologies to develop patient population health and care coordination services should take a serious look at\u00a0these new codes, and keep abreast of developments that can drive recurring revenue and improve the patient care experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new CPT codes are:<\/p>\n