Remote Therapeutic Monitoring FAQs

RTM may be ordered and delivered by physicians and qualified non-physician providers within scope and licensure. This includes PTs, OTs, PAs, NPs, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives, and clinical psychologists. RTM is classified as general medicine, not evaluation and management, which is why PT and OT can bill it directly.

RPM centers on physiologic data and auto-transmitting devices and is billed under evaluation and management. RTM focuses on non-physiologic, therapy-related data like exercise adherence and symptoms. RTM allows patient-reported data through software that qualifies as a medical device.

No. Software-only tools can qualify if they meet medical device criteria. In musculoskeletal care this typically means a mobile app classified as SaMD that captures adherence and patient-reported outcomes securely and reliably.

• 98975 report once per episode of care for initial set-up and education.
• 98977 report each 30 days for device supply and therapeutic data when requirements are met.
• 98980 first 20 minutes of monthly management after at least one interactive, real-time, patient-facing communication.
• 98981 each additional 20 minutes in the same month.

Many payers require at least 16 days of therapy-related data within a 30-day period to report 98977. Days do not need to be consecutive. Always confirm payer policy for your locality.

Time must reflect medically necessary management activities such as reviewing trends, adjusting the plan of care, and communicating with the patient or caregiver. 98980 requires at least 20 minutes in the calendar month and at least one interactive, real-time, patient-facing communication. 98981 is each additional 20 minutes.

For 98977 the monitoring must support musculoskeletal care such as joint pain, post-surgical recovery, mobility limitations, or similar functional impairments. Respiratory RTM codes exist but are rarely used in PT and orthopedic settings.

Outpatient clinics commonly use POS 11. Modifier 95 is generally not required because RTM is not telehealth, although some private payers request it. For PTA involvement, some payers require CQ with a 15 percent reduction when a PTA furnishes more than 10 percent of the service for 98975, 98980, and 98981. See the modifiers and POS guide for details.

Many do, but policies vary by plan and state. Some mirror Medicare rules, others add restrictions. We help you identify active payers in your market and we do not charge for patients whose RTM claims are denied by a commercial payer.

• For 98975: date of set-up, education provided, and access granted to the tool.
• For 98977: evidence of qualifying days of use in the 30-day period.
• For 98980-98981: total time, clinical rationale, plan updates, and details of the interactive communication.

Keep artifacts organized by month and by patient.

PT and OT can bill RTM under their own NPI when permitted by state rules. Additional supervision policies may apply in certain settings such as hospital-based outpatient departments.

No. Only one provider or clinic can bill RTM for a patient during a given period. Coordinate at intake to prevent overlaps.

Onboarding typically happens at the evaluation or start of a new episode. Clinicians select a program, set frequency, enable RTM tracking, and invite the patient by text or email.

The RTM episode ends when goals are met or the patient is discharged. Billing stops after discharge. A new episode can begin later if clinically distinct, which allows 98975 again.

Yes. Patient-reported inputs qualify when captured by a tool that meets medical device requirements. Examples include exercise completion, pain scores, and therapy-related check-ins.

Yes. Orva captures adherence and patient-reported outcomes, logs clinician activity for time-based codes, and generates billing-ready summaries formatted for common payer expectations.

Orva monitors thresholds in real time, alerts on risks, time-stamps communications, and locks monthly reports for audit readiness. The queue highlights patients who meet requirements for the current period.

• Reporting 98977 without reaching the full 16 qualifying days in the 30-day period.
• Not reaching a full 20 minutes for 98980 or not including an interactive, real-time, patient-facing communication.
• Insufficient month-by-month documentation tying data review to clinical decisions.

RTM can add meaningful revenue without new staff or hardware when processes are clear and consistent. Outcomes and reimbursement vary by payer and locality.