The use of remote monitoring technologies has shot in recent years, and in a new report, the center of Peterson on recommendations for medical care for political leaders on coverage and payment of thesis services.
The Peterson center in Healthcare is a non -profit organization focused on making medical care more affordable. In 2023, the organization launched the Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI), an independent evaluator of digital health solutions. This report is based on the findings of three PHTI evaluations about tools for diabetes, hypertension and musculoskeletal disorders, as well as an analysis of medicine trends and billing.
Remote monitoring includes remote physiological monitoring (RPM) and remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM). The first tracks the physical data of patients, such as weight or blood glucose, while the second tracks the self -informed data of patients, such as pain or activity levels.
The report indicates that Medicare billing for remote monitoring has increased in recent years. Federal expenditure on traditional Medicare at RPM increased from $ 6.8 million in 2019 to $ 194.5 million in 2023. RTM spending increased from $ 2.2 million in 2022 (when the codes were released) to $ 10.4 million in 2023.
In addition, there is a constant increase in patients who receive long -term monitoring, although studies show that most benefits occur within the first months. Some suppliers continue to invoice for remote monitoring services long after patients probably receive greater benefits, according to the report.
According to these problems, the center of Peterson in Healthcare made the following three recommendations for policy formulators on remote health technologies:
1. The coverage and reimbursement should be based on performance: Policy formulators and payers must create “remote monitoring duration limits based on evidence -based condition and require active redetermination of medical need for continuous coverage for these services beyond those limits.” They must also link coverage with clinical effectiveness or remote monitoring by condition.
2. Improve access and use of high -impact services: Policy formulators and payers must eliminate the use of low -performance remote monitoring technologies and increase access to high performance tools for those who need them.
“Today, there is very little penetration in the use or RPM or RTM in rural areas, where high -impact remote services must play a central role in attention for rural populations given higher rates of unpleasant chronicle, shortage of suppliers,” “” “” “” “” “”
3. Anticipated data collection or remote monitoring services: Payers and policy formulators need better data on how these technologies work, what digital solutions are being used, the conditions that technologies are to treat and other information. This will facilitate evidence -based capture and reimbursement decisions for remote monitoring services.
“As we adopt new and exciting technologies that extend attention beyond the walls of the doctor’s office, we need to design payment models that are aligned with the clinical benefits for patients,” said Caroline Pearson, executive director of Peterson on Healthcare, in a statement. “That Meeanos who end up ‘codify forever’ who encourage long -term ineffective and bad care billing that design payers who reimburse suppliers for periods of time should be actively monitoring and managing the diseases of their patients.”
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