The core RPM codes
| Code | What it covers | Frequency / threshold |
|---|---|---|
99453 | Initial setup and patient education on the monitoring device | Once per episode |
99454 | Device supply with daily recordings or programmed alerts | 16+ days of data per 30 days |
99445 (new 2026) | Device supply, shorter window | 2-15 days of data per 30 days |
99457 | Treatment-management services, first interval | First 20 minutes per month |
99470 (new 2026) | Treatment-management services, shorter interval | First 10 minutes per month |
99458 | Additional treatment-management time | Each additional 20 minutes |
99091 | Collection and interpretation of physiologic data by a physician or QHP | Per 30 days |
National payment amounts vary by year and locality and are set in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Because they change annually, this guide focuses on what each code is for rather than a dollar figure that quickly goes stale.
What changed in 2026, and why it matters
Until 2026, the device-supply code 99454 required at least 16 days of transmitted data in a 30-day period. That threshold did not fit shorter clinical windows well. The new code 99445 allows the device-supply component to be billed when a patient transmits data on as few as 2 days, and 99470 adds a shorter, 10-minute management increment. Together they make remote monitoring billable for episodes that last days to a few weeks, not only month-long programs.
The exclusivity rule
The new shorter-window codes are alternatives to, not additions to, the existing ones for the same period: 99445 cannot be billed together with 99454, and 99470 cannot be billed together with 99457, within the same 30-day period. You choose the set that matches the monitoring duration.
Why this fits post-surgical cardiac monitoring
Late cardiac tamponade after heart surgery typically presents in the second to third week after the operation, often after discharge. That is a short, defined, high-value window, exactly the kind of episode the 2-day threshold was designed for. A patient discharged with a pulse oximeter running PulSentry can be monitored through that window, and the monitoring can be billed under the existing RPM framework rather than requiring any new code.
For how that translates into a business model, see the market and reimbursement section on the main site.