# RTM vs RPM: The Difference for Therapy Clinics By Younus Mahmood (Co-Founder & CEO, SuloMotion) · Published 2026-07-09 Canonical: https://sulomotion.com/blog/rtm-vs-rpm/ **The bottom line:** RTM (Remote Therapeutic Monitoring) reimburses for monitoring non-physiological data — exercise adherence, pain, function — and PTs, OTs, and SLPs can bill it directly. RPM (Remote Patient Monitoring) covers physiological vitals like heart rate and blood pressure and is billed by physicians and other providers with E/M billing rights. For a therapy clinic, RTM is almost always the right program. - RTM monitors therapy adherence and response; RPM monitors vital signs. - Therapists bill RTM in their own right — RPM requires E/M billing privileges they don't have. - RTM data can be self-reported by the patient; RPM data must be automatically transmitted by a device. - The same practitioner cannot bill RTM and RPM for the same patient in the same period. --- ## What is Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM)? **RTM is a set of CPT codes (98975–98986) that reimburse clinicians for monitoring how therapy is going between visits.** The data is *non-physiological*: whether the patient did their home exercises, how much pain they felt, how the program is affecting function. It was added to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule in January 2022, and it's the program built for the way PT, OT, and SLP care actually works — prescribe a home program, then manage it remotely. Our [complete RTM guide](/what-is-remote-therapeutic-monitoring) covers the full picture. ## What is Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)? **RPM is the older sibling (CPT 99453–99458, plus 2026 additions 99445 and 99470): codes that reimburse for monitoring *physiological* data** — blood pressure, glucose, weight, oxygen saturation — captured and transmitted automatically by a medical device. RPM is classified as an evaluation-and-management (E/M) service, which means it's billed by physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants managing medical conditions like hypertension, diabetes, or heart failure. (The 2026 fee schedule gave both programs partial-month flexibility: RPM's new 99445 and 99470 mirror RTM's 98985 and 98979.) ## RTM vs RPM: the comparison | | RTM | RPM | |---|---|---| | Data monitored | Non-physiological — adherence, pain, function, therapy response | Physiological — heart rate, BP, weight, SpO₂, glucose | | Who bills | Physicians **and** PTs, OTs, SLPs directly | Physicians, NPs, PAs (E/M billing rights required) | | How data is captured | Device-based **or patient self-reported** | Must be automatically captured and transmitted | | Equipment | Software on the patient's own phone qualifies | Typically dedicated connected hardware | | CPT family | 98975–98986 | 99453–99458, plus 99445 & 99470 (2026) | | Typical use | Home exercise programs, therapy adherence | Chronic disease management | ## Why does RTM fit therapy clinics better? Three structural reasons, all baked into how the codes were written: 1. **Billing rights.** RPM's E/M classification locks therapists out. RTM codes are general-medicine codes, so **PTs, OTs, and SLPs bill them in their own right** — no supervising physician required, just a therapy plan of care and the usual GP, GO, or GN modifier on each claim. 2. **The data matches the care.** Therapy outcomes live in adherence, effort, pain, and function — exactly the categories RTM defines. There's no vital sign that tells you whether a child did their torticollis stretches. 3. **Self-reported data is allowed.** RPM requires automatic device transmission; RTM explicitly permits patient- or caregiver-reported data. In pediatrics, where a parent logs the session from a text-message link, this single rule is what makes remote monitoring practical at all. ## Can a patient be on both RTM and RPM? **Yes — from different practitioners managing different problems.** A child with a cardiac condition might have RPM through cardiology while receiving RTM from their physical therapist. The restriction is on the practitioner: **the same provider can't bill both programs for the same patient in the same period**, and within RTM, only one practitioner bills the device-supply code per patient per 30 days. When multiple therapy disciplines share a patient, coordinate who owns the RTM billing. ## Which should your clinic use? If you're a therapy practice, the decision is nearly made for you: **RTM is the program you can actually bill.** The real question isn't RTM vs RPM — it's whether your clinic captures the RTM revenue for follow-up work it already does informally. At 2026 national rates the recurring pair of codes is worth about $94 per active patient per month; the [RTM guide's estimator](/what-is-remote-therapeutic-monitoring#estimate) shows what that means at your volume, and [RTM CPT codes explained](/blog/rtm-cpt-codes-explained/) breaks down each code's requirements. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can a physical therapist bill RPM? Generally no. RPM codes are evaluation-and-management (E/M) services, which PTs, OTs, and SLPs cannot bill under Medicare. RTM codes were created as general-medicine codes precisely so therapists could bill remote monitoring directly. ### Can a patient be enrolled in both RTM and RPM? A patient can receive both services from different practitioners — for example, RPM from a cardiologist and RTM from a physical therapist. But a single practitioner cannot bill both programs for the same patient concurrently. ### Which pays more, RTM or RPM? Per-patient monthly economics are broadly similar — both pair a device-supply code with time-based management codes. The choice should be driven by what's being monitored and who's billing, not by rate differences. ### Does RTM require special hardware like RPM does? No. RPM requires a device that automatically transmits physiological data. RTM explicitly allows patient self-reported data through software that meets the FDA's medical-device definition — an app on the family's own phone is enough. ## Sources 1. [CMS — Physician Fee Schedule Search (RTM and RPM rates by locality)](https://www.cms.gov/medicare/physician-fee-schedule/search) 2. [AMA — CPT overview and code maintenance](https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/cpt) --- **Disclaimer:** This article is provided by SuloMotion for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not legal, billing, coding, medical, or financial advice, and no professional or advisory relationship is created by reading it. Regulations, CPT® code descriptors, coverage policies, and reimbursement rates change frequently and vary by payer, plan, and locality; SuloMotion makes no representations or warranties as to accuracy, completeness, or timeliness, and accepts no liability for actions taken in reliance on this content. Verify current requirements with CMS, your Medicare Administrative Contractor, your payers, and your own billing, legal, and compliance advisors. CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association. Use of this content is subject to our Terms of Service: https://sulomotion.com/terms — © SuloMotion, https://sulomotion.com