The Benefits and Concerns of Remote Patient Monitoring
Billy Abbott, an ex-Army medic, begins his day at 6 am by checking his weight and blood pressure using specialized devices that transmit the data to his doctor in Gulf Shores, Alabama, and a health technology company in New York. This remote monitoring system helps him manage his high blood pressure effectively.
A company called Cadence remotely monitors Abbott’s health data, along with those of approximately 17,000 other patients nationwide. The nurses at Cadence keep a close eye on the readings and vital signs, reaching out to patients if there are any concerns. They have the authority to adjust medications or dosages if necessary without consulting the patient’s doctor first.
Abbott, who is 85 years old, appreciates the extra layer of care he receives through remote monitoring. He believes more doctors should recommend this service to their patients, a sentiment that is becoming increasingly common.
A surge of tech companies has entered the remote monitoring market, promoting their services to primary care physicians as a method to monitor patients with chronic conditions remotely, which also helps free up appointment slots and generates additional revenue from Medicare.
However, some experts caution that the rapid expansion of remote monitoring services, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has outpaced the development of guidelines and evidence on its optimal use. Caroline Reignley, a partner at McDermott Will & Emery law firm, notes that accessibility to remote monitoring services has become widespread, often at the discretion of individual doctors.
In response to the growing demand, Medicare eased billing regulations in 2019 to encompass routine vital sign monitoring like blood pressure, weight, and blood sugar readings. This adjustment allowed clinical staff in separate locations from the physician to conduct the monitoring, a change supported by telemedicine companies.
From 2019 to 2021, Medicare witnessed an exponential increase in remote monitoring services billed, rising from under 134,000 to 2.4 million. Concurrently, Medicare payments for popular remote monitoring codes surged from $5.5 million to $101.4 million. Medicare’s policy to reimburse for remote monitoring indefinitely, regardless of patients’ health status as long as their doctors deem it beneficial, adds to the appeal.
Physicians stand to benefit financially from remote monitoring, with Medicare paying approximately $100 per patient per month for monitoring, in addition to setup fees. Patients enrolled in Medicare may incur 20% cost-sharing for the devices and monthly monitoring, although some private plans within Medicare cover these expenses.
The future of remote patient monitoring remains promising yet uncertain, as healthcare providers, patients, and policymakers grapple with the implications of this evolving technology.