Turn Vestibular Rehab Into ~$300/month Per Patient

Remote Therapeutic Monitoring is a set of CPT codes (98975–98985) that allow physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists to bill for monitoring patients' musculoskeletal data outside of in-person visits. Unlike Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM), which is limited to physiologic data like blood pressure and glucose, RTM covers non-physiologic therapeutic data — including exercise adherence, symptom responses, and functional outcomes. RTM was introduced by CMS in 2022 and has been expanded with new codes effective January 2026.

Yes. CMS explicitly lists physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists as eligible billing providers for RTM codes 98975–98985. This is a distinction from RPM, which is generally limited to physicians and certain mid-level providers. However, you must comply with state scope-of-practice laws and verify that your specific payer covers RTM services, as commercial payer adoption varies.

RPM (Remote Patient Monitoring) uses CPT codes 99453–99458 and covers physiologic data like vital signs, blood glucose, and weight — typically used by physicians. RTM (Remote Therapeutic Monitoring) uses CPT codes 98975–98985 and covers non-physiologic therapeutic data like exercise adherence, pain levels, and functional outcomes — available to rehabilitation professionals. The key difference for PTs is that RTM codes are specifically designed for the type of data rehab professionals already collect.

No. CMS clarified in the 2024 Final Rule that the 16-day data transmission requirement applies only to device supply codes (98977, 98985) — not to treatment management codes (98979, 98980, 98981). Treatment management codes are time-based: you need at least 20 minutes of data review and treatment management per patient per month for 98980, with at least one interactive communication (phone or video call). Additional 20-minute blocks can be billed under 98981.

Per CMS guidance, interactive communication requires at minimum a real-time synchronous, two-way audio interaction that is capable of being enhanced with video or other kinds of data transmission. In practice, this means a phone call or video call with the patient or their caregiver. Text messages and emails do not qualify. At least one interactive communication must occur during the calendar month to bill CPT 98980.

Effective January 2026, CMS introduced two new codes and adjusted thresholds. CPT 98985 covers device supply for 2–15 days of data transmission (filling the gap below the 16-day threshold of 98977). CPT 98979 covers 10–19 minutes of treatment management (below the 20-minute threshold of 98980). Additionally, the setup code 98975 now only requires 2 days of monitoring instead of 16. These changes allow billing for patients with moderate compliance who previously fell below thresholds.

CMS requires documentation of: (1) date and minutes of data analysis for each patient, (2) date, duration, format (phone vs. video), and content of each interactive communication, and (3) any plan-of-care changes resulting from data analysis or patient interaction. The monitoring platform should automatically log data transmission days and session metrics. You are responsible for documenting your clinical review time and communications.

Yes. RTM code 98977 specifically covers monitoring of the musculoskeletal system, and vestibular rehabilitation falls within this scope. The patient performs exercises at home using a monitoring device (the app), the app collects and transmits therapeutic data (session completion, symptom scores, exercise metrics), and you review this data to inform treatment decisions. This is precisely what RTM is designed for.

Under 2025 Medicare reimbursement rates: CPT 98975 (setup) pays $19.73 once per episode. CPT 98977 (device supply, 16+ days) pays $43.02 per 30-day period, or 98985 (2–15 days) at a reduced rate. CPT 98980 (first 20 min management) pays $50.14 per calendar month. CPT 98981 (additional 20 min) pays $39.14 per block. For an active patient, this can total approximately $110–150 per month in additional revenue beyond standard therapy visits.

RTM requires an appropriate ICD-10 diagnosis code tied to the monitored condition. For vestibular patients, common qualifying codes include H81.x (vestibular function disorders), H83.x (other diseases of inner ear), S06.x (intracranial injury/concussion sequelae), and R42 (dizziness and giddiness). The diagnosis must support the medical necessity of ongoing remote monitoring.