Rural Patient Monitoring (RPM) Access Act
The Rural Patient Monitoring (RPM) Access Act aims to bolster and standardize remote physiologic monitoring for Medicare beneficiaries, with a focus on rural areas. It would (1) create a floor of 1.00 for the practice expense and malpractice geographic adjustment indices used to pay RPM services starting in 2026 (and explicitly not budget-neutral), and (2) add new quality and data-reporting requirements for RPM providers. Specifically, RPM providers would need to (a) respond to data anomalies via clinical support, (b) transmit relevant vitals and treatment notes to the supervising clinician’s electronic health record, and (c) collect data to help evaluate Medicare cost savings from RPM. The bill also defines RPM, provides an exception mechanism for small practices, and requires a Department of Health and Human Services report within two years assessing potential Medicare savings and related costs (such as connectivity and platform maintenance).
Key Points
- 1Floor for RPM payments: Establishes a mandatory floor of 1.00 for practice expense and malpractice geographic indices for RPM payments starting January 1, 2026, and states this provision is not budget-neutral.
- 2Quality standards for RPM: Requires RPM providers to (i) respond to data anomalies via clinical support, (ii) transmit all relevant captured vitals and treatment notes to the supervising provider’s EHR as needed, and (iii) collect/report data needed to evaluate Medicare cost savings from RPM.
- 3Definition and scope: Defines remote physiologic monitoring as non-face-to-face monitoring/analysis of physiologic data used to manage a treatment plan for chronic or acute conditions.
- 4Small practice exceptions: Allows the Secretary to establish exceptions to the RPM requirements for small medical practices.
- 5Reporting requirement: Requires a DHHS/Secretary report within 2 years analyzing projected Medicare savings from RPM (earlier interventions, fewer hospitalizations, improved medication adherence) and detailing RPM-related practice expenses (e.g., cellular connectivity, platform maintenance).