Remote Patient Monitoring in Medicare: Growth, Risks, and Oversight

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) has become one of Medicare’s fastest-growing innovations in care delivery. By allowing patients to use connected medical devices—such as blood pressure cuffs or weight scales—that automatically transmit health data to their providers, RPM supports better chronic condition management and reduces the need for frequent office visits.

But with growth comes risk and responsibility. As the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expands access to RPM, organizations must prepare for heightened oversight and audits. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is sharpening its focus on billing patterns, and providers that cannot demonstrate compliance with CMS and OIG requirements risk costly penalties. Preparing now with initiative-taking audits, staff training, and strong compliance frameworks is essential for any healthcare practice that offers RPM services.

The OIG’s latest data snapshot on RPM billing highlights both the opportunities and risks facing providers today.

Key Findings

Explosive Growth

Nearly 1 million Medicare enrollees received RPM services in 2024, a 27% increase from 2023. Payments across Medicare and Medicare Advantage topped $536 million, a 31% jump year over year. (Resource: OIG Data Snapshot: Billing for Remote Patient Monitoring in Medicare (OEI-02-23-00261))

Billing Concentration

About 4,600 medical practices routinely billed for RPM in 2024, with most managing ~70 enrollees each. Yet some practices experienced sudden, dramatic increases—one billed for nearly 3,400 new enrollees in a single month. (Resource: Medicare Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring Fact Sheet – CMS)

Prior Relationships in Question

CMS requires providers to establish a prior in-person or telehealth relationship before billing for RPM. Still, OIG found 45 practices billing for RPM without prior relationships for more than 80% of their patients. (Resource: CMS Remote Patient Monitoring Policy)

Lack of Treatment Management

Treatment management, spending at least 20 minutes per month using patient data and talking with the patient, is central to RPM. While most practices billed for it, 52 practices billed RPM without treatment management for over 75% of enrollees. (Resource: CMS Final Rule, 85 Fed. Reg. 84472 (Dec. 28, 2020))

Multiple Devices and Shared Billing

Medicare generally allows billing for only one device per month per enrollee. Yet about 20 practices are frequently billed for multiple devices, and 34 practices billed the same patients alongside other providers. Both patterns may indicate overbilling. (Resource: OIG Oversight Report: Additional Oversight of RPM in Medicare Is Needed (OEI-02-23-00260))

Why This Matters

RPM can transform chronic disease management, improve outcomes, and help patients stay healthier at home. But the rapid growth in billing and the concerning outliers underscore the need for stronger oversight.

According to OIG, unusual billing patterns do not automatically equal fraud. They do, however, signal the need for closer scrutiny. CMS and Medicare Advantage organizations must balance promoting innovation with protecting program integrity.

Moving Forward

The OIG reiterated its prior recommendation that CMS implement additional safeguards for RPM billing. Better monitoring will help:

• Ensure patients receive the full benefit of RPM.
• Protect Medicare funds from fraud, waste, and abuse.
• Maintain trust in technology-enabled care delivery.

How LW Consulting, Inc. Can Help

At LW Consulting, Inc. (LWCI), we partner with healthcare organizations to strengthen compliance and improve operational performance. With decades of experience in Medicare and Medicaid program integrity, our experts can help you:

• Conduct billing audits to ensure compliance with CMS and OIG guidance.
• Provide training for clinical and administrative staff on RPM coding, documentation, and oversight.
• Develop risk management frameworks to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.
• Support organizations in aligning technology-enabled care with regulatory requirements.

Whether you are expanding RPM services or seeking to validate existing processes, LWCI can guide you toward compliant, efficient, and patient-centered practices.

Bottom Line

Remote patient monitoring is reshaping Medicare, with nearly a million seniors already benefiting from connected devices and real-time care management. But with payments growing rapidly—and some billing practices raising questions—robust oversight is essential to safeguard patients and the Medicare program alike.

To learn how LWCI can help your organization strengthen compliance and leverage RPM effectively, contact LWCI to connect with one of our experts!