Medicare’s Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) program has evolved. In 2026, the program is more accessible than ever, reimbursing providers for:
Using digital devices to collect clinical data (now even for short-term, 2-day bursts).
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) developed this program to help providers monitor patients’ chronic and acute conditions in real time, improve patient engagement and develop comprehensive care plans that enhance health outcomes.
RPM enables daily monitoring of patient health data, including vitals, via Internet- or Bluetooth-enabled remote devices, such as blood pressure monitors, glucometers, pulse oximeters, and weight scales.
Providers can successfully submit RPM claims by meeting core requirements, including:
It is also recommended to:
In addition to ongoing data analysis, RPM supports care management services, such as:
And, while providers with an NPI number must oversee and ultimately bill for the service, licensed healthcare professionals can assist with RPM management, including:
The core requirements for RPM include eligibility, device readings, and monthly access time.
Providers no longer have to wait for a full 16 days of data or 20 minutes of staff time to bill.
Core Requirements for 2026:
CMS encourages providers to combine RPM with other Medicare programs, such as Chronic Care Management, Behavioral Health Integration, and Transitional Care Management. Concurrent billing of RPM with these other programs is approved as long as the individual program requirements are met.
Utilizing remote patient data complements these programs by providing analysis and notifications that alert care teams to concerning clinical trends and care gaps that require intervention or follow-up.RPM provides real-time data, helping care teams detect trends, confirm if care plans are working, and address gaps in care promptly.
For example,Combining CCM and RPM allows real-time monitoring of chronic conditions, improving clinical outcomes and generating financial benefits for the practice.
Remote Patient Monitoring entails four main steps.
These ensure a program meets auditing requirements, educates patients on remote device use, and provides ongoing engagement and intervention.
When supported by robust HIPAA-compliant software, an RPM program can be a profitable way to maximize staff time and have a real-time view of a patient’s health and status, enabling timely decision-making.
Determine which patients would benefit most from at-home monitoring via remote devices.
RPM use is most common for patients with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
However, RPM is no longer restricted to managing long-term chronic illness. It is now also widely used for:
RPM can also be used to manage and track a number of other health conditions and services, including:
Enrollment is typically completed during an evaluation or Annual Wellness Visit with written or oral consent documented. During enrollment:
Remote Patient Monitoring devices capture patient data from home and transmit it directly to providers.
Devices must meet criteria for a designated medical device, as determined by the Food and Drug Administration. These include a host of cellular - and Bluetooth-enabled devices, including:
During onboarding, ensure patients understand how to use the devices and how frequently readings should be taken. This ensures accurate data collection and fulfills CMS’s requirement for either 2-15 or 16 monthly readings. They also need to know the frequency at which they should use the device.
Clinicians should receive adequate information for trend analysis and to meet CMS’s minimum requirement of 2-15 or 16 readings each month.
CMS reimburses for this device setup, which can be billed once per device and only once per month.
The heart of any RPM program is receiving patient data, analyzing and gaining insights from that data, and taking action, if necessary. Seamless data receipt, visualization, notifications, and reports are vital to providing ongoing patient monitoring without manual management.
RPM devices collect a host of physiologic data, including:
Clinicians review collected data to see if there are any positive or concerning changes or trends that indicate the patient’s care plan needs adjusting. Alternatively, they can receive automated alerts when patient data is outside desired boundaries and timely intervention is needed to avoid exacerbation, disease progression, or hospitalization.
The insights gleaned from RPM device data help clinicians adjust medication doses or regimens, know if a patient’s medical condition is improving or worsening, and provider oversight of their health status between in-office appointments.
Billing and claims administration entails capturing required information, documenting care team activities accurately and appropriately, and guaranteeing monthly bills meet compliance rules.
This safeguards that providers are paid on time and mitigates the risk of denied claims.
CMS has established six CPT codes to reimburse for RPM devices and services:
Best Practices Include:
ThoroughCare is a comprehensive software platform that supports end-to-end RPM workflow.
Our platform offers a structured approach to Medicare care management programs while enabling flexibility to meet individual patient needs. We pair software with guidance from our Clinical Advisory Team to drive outcomes, revenue and care quality. This includes:
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) is a Medicare value-based care program. It allows providers to bill for using digital devices to capture and transmit clinical data from patients in their home or community settings. The program focuses on providing real-time measures as part of ongoing monitoring of a patient’s medical condition. Datacan be analyzed and used to change the patient’s care plan or intervene if readings fall outside of desired boundaries.
An RPM program has four main activity areas:
Each area is driven by meeting CMS requirements for service delivery, including device- and time-based billing across six CPT codes.