The COVID-19 pandemic has made it apparent that there is significant value in remote patient monitoring.
Remote patient monitoring is the use of electronic devices to collect health data from patients at home and transmit it to clinicians for interpretation and intervention.
To help ease burdens on hospitals and reduce further risk of COVID-19 exposure, remote patient monitoring guidelines were loosened.
Changes to Remote Patient Monitoring In Response to COVID-19
More flexible guidelines are making it easier than ever for clinics to adopt remote patient monitoring, recruit patients, and keep everyone safe.
Changes in RPM guidelines in response to COVID-19 include:
1. Option to Waive Copays
One of the most beneficial changes to RPM guidelines during the pandemic is that clinicians can waive patient copays.
The 20% copay was a major obstacle to adopting remote patient monitoring because many patients didn’t fully understand what RPM was or didn’t want to pay an additional fee.
Clinicians can now take advantage of the option to waive copays to get more patients onboard.
Essentially, patients can get a free trial of remote patient monitoring and experience the benefits for themselves. More patients will be inclined to opt-in for RPM services if they do not have to pay.
2. In-Person Consult for New Patients Is No Longer Required
Another change in remote patient monitoring requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic is that new patients or patients who have not seen their physician within the last 12 months can opt-in remotely.
This can be especially helpful for at-risk patients who do not feel safe leaving their homes.
Remote opt-in can also help reduce patient traffic at clinics to promote safe social distancing and minimize wait times.
3. Acute Conditions Can Be Monitored
Before the pandemic, remote patient monitoring was primarily seen as a means to help patients with chronic conditions manage their symptoms or to keep tabs on patients after hospitalization.
However, COVID-19 has brought attention to the fact that remote patient monitoring can also be helpful for the management of acute conditions.
Patients that have or are suspected of having COVID-19 may show mild symptoms and don’t need hospitalization.
By utilizing RPM, patients can measure vital signs like body temperature, lung capacity, and oxygen saturation levels from home.
If a measurement is concerning, the remote patient monitoring platform will automatically alert the clinician for quick action.
This helps reduce hospital traffic and assures patients that they are being regularly checked upon.
4. Two Days of Monitoring for COVID-19 Patients
Usually, CPT codes 99453 and 99454 require at least 16 days of device use.
However, because of the quick development of COVID-19, patients may not need remote patient monitoring for 16 or more days.
Therefore, Medicare has reduced the 16 day requirement to 2 days, but only for patients that have or are suspected to have COVID-19.
Understanding Remote Patient Monitoring Changes During COVID-19
It’s important to understand that these changes are temporary and only approved for the duration of the pandemic.
However, the value of remote patient monitoring has been emphasized in light of the pandemic, which has accelerated its growth.
Therefore, it’s unlikely that regulations with revert back exactly as they were prior to the public health emergency. Further updates will be prompted.
COVID-19 has increased the adoption of remote patient monitoring across the nation, proving that quality healthcare can be accessible, safe, and efficient outside of the conventional clinic setting.
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