Breaking: CMS Increases 2026 RTM Reimbursement Higher Than Expected

Tune in for a discussion about this exciting reimbursement change and much more in our upcoming live podcast on March 6th, 2026 at 12PM ET, Connected Digital Health Podcast: The Clinician’s Perspective on Remote Therapeutic Monitoring.

CMS has updated the practice-expense portion of RTM codes 98985 (device supply 2 –15 days) and 98977 (device supply 16 – 30 days). This has resulted in a significant increase in reimbursement for these codes compared with 2025 rates—higher than was expected from the final rule. 

The 2025 national payment amount for 98977 was $43.02. After the final rule, we expected that to decrease to $38.75. Instead, after the adjustments to the PE portions of the code, the rate is $51.44, coming in at 32.75 percent higher than expected. 

That’s quite the turnaround in just a few short months and great news for organizations moving forward with plans to implement RTM this year. Many organizations are wisely concerned with the return on investment and financial sustainability for running a monitoring service, even though the clinical benefits for patients have been well established. Improving reimbursement for RTM increases Medicare beneficiaries' access to an important new tool that can help them to achieve their goals and improve their health. 

The table below shows the 2025 rate, expected 2026 rate, and actual 2026 rate for each of the MSK RTM codes:

*Based on national payment amounts listed in the Physician Fee Schedule Lookup tool. Bolded field highlights the largest reimbursement increase. Please check the tool for your Medicare Administrative Contractor for a more accurate estimate of your reimbursement. 

Usage

Of course, providers billing for device supply will select only one of the codes—98985 or 98977—that accurately reflects the number of days of data transmitted by the device: 2 – 15 days or 16 – 30, respectively, and document the name and description of the device provided for the monitoring service for either code that is selected (per the APTA RTM practice advisory).

To learn more about implementing RTM in your organization, take a look at our billing guide to help you get started. 

Then register for our upcoming live podcast on March 6th, 2026 at 12PM ET, Connected Digital Health Podcast: The Clinician’s Perspective on Remote Therapeutic Monitoring. Come hear directly from clinicians in the field about what’s working well, potential roadblocks you can avoid, and their perspectives on the value RTM provides to clinicians and patients.

Finally, explore Medbridge RTM with a demo to see just how seamless it can be to make monitoring a standard part of care in your clinic, and to learn more about how patients benefit. 

All information is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind and is not guaranteed to be complete, accurate, or up to date. CMS codes and guidance are subject to change, and nothing in this material is intended as legal, billing, or regulatory advice. Responsibility for proper billing remains with the licensed practitioner and their advisors.