CMS to Audit Remote Patient Monitoring: What Practices Need to Know

This news is significant for practices that have already established RPM programs or those that are thinking about launching a program. It will be some time to find out what auditors are focusing on and discovering during these audits. However, there are a few areas where practices are more likely to get tripped up concerning compliance, particularly given the general confusion on the requirements in the industry. Besides, there are actions practices can take now to more clearly follow the spirit and letter of the regulations to increase their program compliance and avoid auditor scrutiny.

As of the final 2021 rule, this is no longer the case. Time spent texting with patients can be counted towards RPM management time but does not satisfy interactive communication requirements. As such, at least some of the billable time for each RPM code must be audio communication with the patient or caregiver.