Reimbursements foster greater remote patient monitoring
All told, including those used for asthma and COPD, there are at least 40 digital therapeutics approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with more coming down the pike. While use and consumer acceptance of these products became more prevalent during the pandemic, ongoing reimbursements for the work associated with remote monitoring left questions about continued viability.
Progress is being made, however. In its Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) for 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) included updates for remote therapeutic management (RTM) reimbursement that will cover the cost of using digital therapeutics. This includes monitoring non-physiologic data for respiratory systems, which would allow insights into therapy response and patient adherence to treatment regimens. Most importantly, the 2023 digital and remote therapeutics codes now allow clinical staff to perform RTM activities, similar to how remote patient management (RPM) and chronic care management (CCM) are being addressed.
The use of digital therapeutics for those with asthma and COPD is a great starting point for helping patients better manage pulmonary diseases. But the key to these devices living up to their full potential is reimbursement and integration. Reimbursement will enable practices to dedicate the needed resources to enhancing patient care, while data generated from the devices must integrate with daily workflows across the continuum of healthcare and be available for use in clinical decision support to ensure patients receive the right treatment and achieve optimal outcomes.
About the Author: Lucienne Marie Ide, M.D., PH.D., is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Rimidi, a leading clinical management platform designed to optimize clinical workflows, enhance patient experiences and achieve quality objectives for chronic disease management. She brings her diverse experiences in medicine, science, venture capital and technology to bear in leading Rimidi’s strategy and vision. Motivated by the belief that we can do so much better as individuals, in industry and society, Lucie left clinical medicine to join the ranks of healthcare entrepreneurs who are trying to revolutionize an industry.
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