Audit of Medicare Part B Remote Patient Monitoring Services

OBJECTIVE

Medicare Part B remote patient monitoring (RPM) services have the potential to significantly improve health outcomes, but the services warrant additional oversight. RPM services involve the collection of patient physiologic data used to develop and manage a care plan related to a chronic and/or acute health illness or condition. For example, sensors that monitor temperature in a patient’s extremities may help prevent diabetic ulcers that can lead to amputations. However, since 2018, the way that providers bill for certain Medicare Part B RPM services has changed significantly, and Medicare payments for those services have increased dramatically. RPM services are also susceptible to fraud, waste, and abuse (e.g., unsolicited device shipments, inadequate monitoring, and inappropriate billing). In November 2023, OIG issued a Consumer Alert about a fraud scheme for RPM services. We will determine whether providers furnished and billed for RPM services in accordance with Medicare requirements.

TIMELINE

• December 16, 2024
  Announced
• Today
  Office of Audit Services In-Progress
• Est FY2026
  Estimated Fiscal Year for Project Completion

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