CPT 98975–98985 supported • HIPAA compliant

Integrate EyeRehab Into Your Clinical RTM Workflow

A step-by-step implementation guide for adding Remote Therapeutic Monitoring to your vestibular rehabilitation practice. From patient identification through monthly billing — everything your clinic needs to operationalize RTM.

Last updated: February 2026 | Based on CMS 2024 Final Rule and 2026 CPT code updates

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4-Phase Clinical Workflow
1
Initial Evaluation
Setup • CPT 98975
2
In-Clinic Treatment
Therapy • CPT 97112 / 97530
3
Monthly RTM Operations
Monitor • CPT 98977 + 98980
4
Month-End Billing
Revenue • $110–150/mo per patient

Identify RTM-Eligible Patients

Patients with these vestibular and balance conditions are strong candidates for remote therapeutic monitoring with EyeRehab.

Vestibular Hypofunction

H81.3x

Unilateral or bilateral vestibular loss with impaired VOR

Post-Concussion Syndrome

F07.81 S06.0x

Persistent vestibular and oculomotor symptoms following mTBI

Cervicogenic Dizziness

M54.2 R42

Dizziness associated with cervical spine dysfunction

Visual Motion Sensitivity

H81.8x

Symptom provocation from complex visual environments

Chronic Disequilibrium

R42 R26.81

Persistent imbalance affecting functional mobility

Vestibular Migraine

G43.x H81.0

Migraine-associated vestibular symptoms requiring habituation training

Screening tip

Any patient performing structured home exercises between visits is a potential RTM candidate. The best candidates are those on a 6–12 week program with daily home exercise prescriptions — they generate the most consistent data transmission days. Review your active caseload for patients currently doing VOR, gaze stabilization, or balance exercises at home.

Four-Phase Clinical Workflow

From initial evaluation through monthly billing — a repeatable process for every RTM patient

1

Initial Evaluation & RTM Setup

CPT 98975 • $19.73

During the initial or follow-up visit, identify the patient as an RTM candidate and set up monitoring.

  1. 1 Confirm qualifying ICD-10 diagnosis and medical necessity for remote monitoring
  2. 2 Help the patient download EyeRehab and complete their first exercise session in-clinic
  3. 3 Link the patient in the Pro Portal via invite code and verify data transmission
  4. 4 Educate patient on home exercise frequency (daily) and symptom score entry
  5. 5 Document the RTM setup in your initial evaluation note
Sample RTM setup documentation note

RTM Enrollment Note

Date: [Date] | Provider: [Name, credentials]

Dx: [ICD-10 code] — [Diagnosis name]

Medical necessity: Patient requires daily vestibular rehabilitation exercises between clinic visits. Remote monitoring enables real-time tracking of exercise adherence, symptom response, and functional progression to inform treatment modifications.

Device: EyeRehab mobile application (iOS/Android)

Data collected: Exercise completion, session duration, difficulty level, pre/post symptom scores (dizziness, headache, brain fog, eye strain, nausea)

Patient education provided: App download, exercise demonstration, symptom scoring, daily usage expectations

CPT 98975 — RTM initial setup and education

2

In-Clinic Treatment Sessions

CPT 97112 / 97530

Continue regular therapy visits. Use EyeRehab's Projector Mode for in-clinic exercises and review home exercise data at each visit.

  1. 1 Review the patient's home exercise data in the Pro Portal before each visit
  2. 2 Use Projector Mode to deliver guided exercises on a large display during in-clinic sessions
  3. 3 Adjust home exercise difficulty based on symptom trends and compliance data
  4. 4 Document data-informed treatment modifications in your visit note

Projector Mode lets you display VOR, saccade, and pursuit exercises on a clinic screen or projector. Patients follow on-screen targets while you observe and assess. This is billed under standard therapy codes (97112, 97530), not RTM. Learn more about Projector Mode →

3

Monthly RTM Operations

CPT 98977 + 98980 • ~$93/mo

The ongoing monthly cycle of data monitoring, clinical review, and patient communication that generates RTM revenue.

Week-by-Week Timeline

Week 1–2
  • • Patient exercises daily using the app
  • • Monitor data transmission day count in Pro Portal
  • • Send encouragement via secure messaging if compliance drops
Week 2–3
  • • Review patient dashboard data (log review minutes)
  • • Conduct phone or video check-in (interactive communication)
  • • Update care plan if symptoms or metrics indicate changes needed
Week 3–4
  • • Continue monitoring data transmission days toward 16-day threshold
  • • Additional data review as needed (accumulate toward 20+ minutes)
  • • Document total review time and communication for the month
Month End
  • • Verify data transmission day count meets threshold (16+ or 2–15)
  • • Confirm total review time is 20+ minutes (or 10–19 for 98979)
  • • Submit billing codes with supporting documentation

Messaging vs. Interactive Communication: EyeRehab's secure messaging is ideal for daily check-ins, exercise reminders, and care coordination — but it does not count as the interactive communication required for CPT 98980. You must conduct at least one phone or video call per month.

4

Month-End Billing

$110–150/mo per patient

Compile documentation and submit RTM codes based on the patient's activity for the billing period.

Billing Checklist

  • Verify data transmission days

    16+ days → bill 98977 ($43.02) | 2–15 days → bill 98985

  • Confirm review time logged

    20+ min → bill 98980 ($50.14) | 10–19 min → bill 98979

  • Verify interactive communication completed

    At least one phone or video call documented with date, duration, and content

  • Check for additional 20-min blocks

    40+ min total → add 98981 ($39.14 per block)

  • Export supporting documentation

    Download progress report from Pro Portal, attach to billing submission

Typical Monthly Revenue Per Patient
$110–$150 /month

98977 ($43.02) + 98980 ($50.14) + 98981 ($39.14) = ~$132. Setup (98975, $19.73) billed once per episode.

Documentation Templates

Audit-ready documentation templates for RTM enrollment and monthly review

Initial RTM Enrollment Note Template

REMOTE THERAPEUTIC MONITORING — INITIAL ENROLLMENT

Date: [Date] | Provider: [Name, PT/OT/SLP, credentials]

Patient: [Name] | DOB: [Date] | MRN: [Number]

Diagnosis: [ICD-10 code] — [Diagnosis name]

Medical Necessity: Patient presents with [condition] requiring daily home vestibular rehabilitation exercises. Remote therapeutic monitoring is medically necessary to track exercise adherence, symptom response (dizziness, brain fog, headache, eye strain, nausea), and functional progression between clinic visits. Data will inform treatment modifications and exercise progression decisions.

Monitoring Device: EyeRehab mobile application (iOS/Android)

Data Collected: Exercise type and completion, session duration, difficulty parameters, pre/post symptom scores (5-point scale), data transmission timestamps

Patient Education: Instructed on app download, account setup, exercise execution, symptom scoring, and daily usage expectations. Patient demonstrated understanding and completed first session in-clinic with successful data transmission verified.

Monitoring Plan: Daily home exercises with remote data review. Monthly phone/video check-in for care plan adjustment.

CPT 98975 — RTM initial setup and patient education

Monthly RTM Review Note Template

REMOTE THERAPEUTIC MONITORING — MONTHLY REVIEW

Billing Period: [Month/Year] | Provider: [Name, credentials]

Patient: [Name] | DOB: [Date] | MRN: [Number]

Diagnosis: [ICD-10 code] — [Diagnosis name]

Data Transmission: [X] days of data received out of [Y] days in billing period. Threshold: [98977 (16+ days) / 98985 (2–15 days)].

Data Review Summary: [Total minutes] of data review across [X] sessions. Reviewed exercise adherence, symptom trends, and progression metrics.

Key Findings: [Summarize adherence rate, symptom score trends, exercise difficulty progression, any concerning patterns]

Interactive Communication: [Date] — [Phone/Video] call, [duration]. Discussed [topics]. Patient reports [subjective status].

Clinical Decision: [Maintain current program / Modify exercises / Adjust difficulty / Refer for follow-up]

Codes Billed: 98977/98985 (device supply) + 98980 (treatment management, [X] min) [+ 98981 if applicable]

Key documentation elements for audit defense

Always document: (1) medical necessity linking the diagnosis to the need for remote monitoring, (2) specific dates and minutes of data review, (3) clinical decisions made based on the data, and (4) date, format, duration, and content of every interactive communication. The Pro Portal's automated data transmission logs and exportable progress reports provide the objective data layer — your notes provide the clinical reasoning layer.

Patient Engagement Strategy

How to onboard patients, maintain compliance, and use data to motivate adherence

Frame It as Therapy

Patients respond better when RTM is presented as enhanced care, not technology adoption.

"I'm prescribing a therapy app for your home exercises. It tracks your symptoms and progress so I can monitor your recovery between visits and adjust your program in real time. Let me show you how it works."

Weekly Engagement Loop

Four weekly touchpoints to maintain compliance and generate consistent data transmission days.

  1. 1 Check dashboard for missed days
  2. 2 Send a brief message if compliance drops
  3. 3 Note any symptom score spikes for review
  4. 4 Log your review time (counts toward 98980)

Data-Driven Motivation

Use symptom trends to show patients their progress and reinforce adherence.

  • Share symptom score improvements during check-in calls
  • Highlight exercise streak and consistency data
  • Connect data to clinical outcomes for objective progress measurement

Scalable Clinic Models

RTM revenue projections from solo provider to multi-provider practice

Practice Size RTM Patients Per Patient/Mo Monthly Revenue Annual Revenue
Solo Provider
1 PT managing RTM
 10–15 ~$110 $1,100–$1,650 $13,200–$19,800
Multi-Provider
2–3 PTs with PTA support
25–40 ~$120 $3,000–$4,800 $36,000–$57,600
Large Practice
5+ PTs, dedicated RTM coordinator
60–100 ~$130 $7,800–$13,000 $93,600–$156,000

Based on 2025 Medicare rates. Assumes average code stack of 98977 + 98980 with periodic 98981. Commercial rates may be higher. Setup code (98975) not included in recurring totals.

Solo Provider Model

  • Manage 10–15 RTM patients alongside regular caseload
  • Batch data review in one 60–90 min block per week
  • Schedule monthly check-in calls on a set day
  • Estimated time investment: 3–4 hours/week for 15 patients

Multi-Provider Clinic Model

  • Each PT manages their own RTM patients (billing provider = reviewing provider)
  • PTA/OTA handles data organization and compliance monitoring
  • Front desk schedules monthly check-in calls in advance
  • Dedicated RTM billing day each month for streamlined submission

Quick-Reference SOP Summary

Print-friendly reference for your clinical team

Phase Action Billing Code Documentation
1. Initial Eval Diagnose, onboard patient to app, educate on usage 98975 RTM enrollment note with diagnosis, necessity, education
2. In-Clinic Tx Therapy sessions using Projector Mode and manual techniques 97112 / 97530 Standard therapy visit note with data-informed modifications
3. Monthly RTM Review data, message patient, conduct monthly call
98977 98980
Time log, communication log, data review summary
4. Month-End Bill Verify thresholds, compile documentation, submit codes
98977/98985 98980/98981
Monthly RTM review note, exported progress report

RTM Clinical Workflow FAQ

Common questions about implementing RTM in your vestibular rehabilitation practice

How long does it take to onboard a patient into RTM?
The initial onboarding typically takes 10–15 minutes during a regular visit. This includes downloading the app, linking the patient in the Pro Portal, demonstrating the first exercise, and confirming data transmission. You bill CPT 98975 for this setup. After the first session, the patient exercises independently at home and the app handles all data collection automatically.
Can a PTA or OTA handle RTM data review?
PTAs and OTAs can collect and organize RTM data under the supervision of the billing provider. However, the clinical interpretation and treatment decisions based on RTM data must be performed by the PT or OT who bills the treatment management codes (98980/98981). The billing provider must personally review the data and make clinical decisions — delegation of data organization is allowed, but not clinical decision-making.
How do I track my RTM review time?
Use a simple time log (spreadsheet or EMR note) recording: date, patient name, start/stop times, and activity performed (data review, care plan update, patient communication). The EyeRehab Pro Portal timestamps when you access each patient's dashboard. Combine portal access logs with your manual time entries to document the 20+ minutes required for CPT 98980. Many clinicians batch-review patients in dedicated RTM blocks to streamline time tracking.
What documentation do I need to survive an audit?
Keep four categories of documentation: (1) Initial setup note with date, diagnosis, medical necessity, and patient education provided (supports 98975). (2) Monthly data transmission log showing dates the patient used the app (supports 98977/98985). (3) Time log with dates and minutes of data review and clinical decision-making (supports 98980/98981). (4) Communication log with date, duration, format (phone/video), and clinical content of each interactive communication. The EyeRehab Pro Portal auto-generates transmission day counts and session-level data exports.
Does in-app messaging count as the required interactive communication?
No. CMS requires that the interactive communication be a real-time, synchronous, two-way audio interaction capable of being enhanced with video. This means a phone call or video call. Text messages, emails, and in-app messaging do not qualify. Use EyeRehab's secure messaging for routine check-ins and care coordination, but schedule a brief phone or video call each month to satisfy the 98980 requirement.
Can I bill RTM and regular therapy visits in the same month?
Yes. RTM codes are designed to complement in-person therapy, not replace it. You can bill standard therapy codes (97110, 97112, 97530, etc.) for in-person visits and RTM codes (98977, 98980, 98981) for between-visit monitoring in the same calendar month. The RTM work must occur outside of in-person visit time — do not double-count time spent during a face-to-face session.
What's a good script for introducing RTM to patients?
Frame it as enhanced care, not surveillance: 'I'd like to prescribe a therapy app for your home exercises. It tracks your symptoms and progress between visits so I can monitor how you're responding and adjust your program without waiting for your next appointment. The app is free for you — I'll show you how to use it today.' Avoid billing language with patients. Focus on the clinical benefit: better monitoring leads to faster, safer recovery.
What is the minimum viable RTM workflow?
At minimum: (1) Onboard patient with app during a visit (bill 98975). (2) Patient uses the app at home — aim for 16+ days per month for 98977. (3) Review the patient's dashboard data for 20+ minutes during the month. (4) Make one phone call to the patient to discuss progress. (5) Document your review time and the call. (6) Submit 98977 + 98980 at month end. This can add ~$93 per patient per month with minimal workflow change. Scale up from there.
Do commercial payers cover RTM codes?
Coverage varies significantly by payer and region. Medicare covers RTM codes nationally. Many large commercial payers (UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Aetna, Anthem) have begun covering RTM, though policies differ. Some require prior authorization or limit eligible diagnoses. Always verify coverage with the specific payer before initiating RTM services. Start with Medicare patients to establish your workflow, then expand to commercial payers as you verify coverage.
What if a patient uses the app fewer than 16 days in a month?
With the 2026 code updates, you now have options. If the patient transmits data on 2–15 days, bill CPT 98985 (the new reduced-threshold device supply code) instead of 98977. If you spent 10–19 minutes on data review, bill CPT 98979 (the new partial management code) instead of 98980. These new codes ensure you can still capture revenue from patients with moderate compliance. Use the Pro Portal's messaging feature to encourage daily app usage and improve compliance over time.

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EyeRehab handles patient-side data collection automatically. You focus on clinical review, treatment decisions, and billing — with audit-ready documentation at every step.

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