Remote-Patient Monitoring Companies Dodge Medicare Shift—For Now
Federal health regulators are postponing a controversial policy that would restrict outsourced staffing for remote-patient monitoring services. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized other monitoring guardrails set for 2027, but pushed the vendor restriction rule to January 1, 2029. This delay provides medical practices and third-party remote monitoring companies additional time to adapt. Meanwhile, Medicare patients beginning programs in 2027 could face separate initiating visits and new eligibility regulations.
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- ✓ The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services delayed a requirement to only allow payment for remote patient monitoring or remote therapeutic monitoring services when performed by clinical staff employed by the practice.
- ✓ The implementation of the remote monitoring vendor restriction is delayed to January 1, 2029.
What changed
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services pushed the implementation date for the third-party remote monitoring staffing restriction from its earlier schedule to January 1, 2029.
Live updates
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Medicare Delays Outsourced Remote Monitoring Restriction to 2029
Federal health regulators are postponing a controversial policy that would restrict outsourced staffing for remote-patient monitoring services. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized other monitoring guardrails set for 2027, but pushed the vendor restriction rule to January 1, 2029. This delay provides medical practices and third-party remote monitoring companies additional time to adapt. Meanwhile, Medicare patients beginning programs in 2027 could face separate initiating visits and new eligibility regulations.
Why it matters
The delayed restriction involves requirements that would limit Medicare payments strictly to monitoring services performed by clinical staff directly employed by a medical practice. Industry advocates and provider groups fought against the initial timeline, arguing it would disrupt care delivery. The extension gives stakeholders a multi-year window to lobby regulators and restructure their operations.
What is confirmed
- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services delayed a requirement to only allow payment for remote patient monitoring or remote therapeutic monitoring services when performed by clinical staff employed by the practice.
- The implementation of the remote monitoring vendor restriction is delayed to January 1, 2029.
Still unconfirmed
- Medicare patients starting remote monitoring programs in 2027 may need a separate initiating visit and face new eligibility rules.
What to watch next
- Implementation of finalized remote monitoring guardrails in 2027
- Further lobbying and advocacy efforts by provider groups and third-party vendors ahead of the 2029 deadline
confidence 100%Sources used for this update (9)
- WSJ — Remote-Patient Monitoring Companies Dodge Medicare Shift—For Now
- STAT — Medicare delays controversial remote patient monitoring rule to 2029
- MedCity News — CMS Is Regulating the Wrong Thing — Here’s How to Fix Remote Patient Monitoring Without Losing the Care
- Modern Healthcare — CMS postpones third-party remote patient monitoring restriction
- www.statnews.com — Medicare delays controversial remote patient monitoring rule to 2029
- STAT — After Medicare punts RPM overhaul to 2029, advocates see window to fight back
- The National Law Review — CMS Finalizes Remote Monitoring Guardrails for 2027, Delays Outsourced Staffing Restriction to 2029
- www.medicaldaily.com — Medicare Delays Remote Monitoring Vendor Ban Until 2029, but ...
- ncpa.org — NCPA gains victory with two-year delay in RPM/RTM reforms
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