Insurers Push Back Against Medicare Plan Limiting Remote Patient Monitoring Billing
Major health insurers are pushing back against a Medicare proposal that would limit how doctors bill for remote patient monitoring services. UnitedHealth Group, CVS Health, and Kaiser Permanente have all written letters to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services opposing the plan.
The proposed rule would require that remote patient monitoring care be delivered by direct employees of the practice billing for it, effectively banning providers from using contractors for this type of care. This is significant because many medical conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart failure, can be managed with devices like connected blood pressure cuffs, scales, and blood glucose meters.
The opposition from UnitedHealth Group is particularly notable since its insurance subsidiary recently stopped paying for most remote patient monitoring services due to insufficient evidence of efficacy. This move aligns with the Medicare proposal's goal of limiting billing practices but raises questions about the value of these services in managing chronic conditions.