OIG Calls for Stronger Compliance in Remote Patient Monitoring Programs

Story by Connor Danielowski / October 14, 2025

Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) is no longer a niche add-on—it’s a mainstream care management tool with fast-rising adoption. The HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) just released a new data snapshot on Medicare RPM billing patterns for 2024. Below, we break down what changed, what OIG is watching, and how compliant, clinically grounded RPM programs should respond.

Strong Growth, Bigger Stakes

In 2024, nearly 1 million Medicare enrollees received RPM, and Medicare payments topped roughly $536 million—up 31% year-over-year. This growth underscores RPM’s role in managing chronic and acute conditions while raising the bar on program integrity and clinical value. Learn more about RPM and how it works here.

What OIG is monitoring (and why)

OIG highlights five billing patterns that warrant closer scrutiny. Individually, none automatically proves fraud or abuse, but each can signal programs operating outside norms and should prompt review:

1. High volumes of patients without prior relationships
   Medicare requires an established relationship (in-person or telehealth) before billing RPM. Some practices billed RPM for large proportions of patients with no prior visit—an outlier pattern OIG flags for follow-up.
   
2. Many enrollees with no treatment management were billed
   Treatment management—reviewing device data, making decisions, and communicating with patients—is an essential component of RPM. OIG found practices where most patients never had treatment management billed in the year.
   
3. Sudden spikes in new enrollment
   Rapid RPM enrollment growth can be legitimate (program launches, new disease cohorts), but OIG flags large, abrupt surges as risk signals.
   
4. Multiple RPM devices billed for the same patient in a month
   Medicare generally allows billing one RPM device per patient per month. Repeated billing for two or more devices per month is an outlier signal.
   
5. Multiple practices billing RPM for the same patients
   Most practices don’t “share” RPM patients in the same months. A minority billed for patients already monitored by two or more practices, suggesting duplication.
   

Building on Prior OIG Oversight

OIG’s snapshot builds on its September 2024 review recommending safeguards such as requiring ordering-provider information and more transparency on devices and data. For providers navigating this compliance landscape, see our Value-Based Care overview and our recent blog on CCM and RPM workflow integration.

Practical Implications for Providers

1. Tighten your patient-relationship documentation
   Confirm and document a qualifying in-person or telehealth visit before RPM enrollment.
   
2. Align device supply with medical necessity
   Stick to one medically necessary device per patient per month, documenting rationale for any transitions.
   
3. Make treatment management traceable
   Capture structured notes tying device data to care decisions.
   
4. Monitor your own billing analytics
   Build dashboards that track new-enrollee growth, overlaps, and device counts.
   
5. Stay current with CMS rules
   Review the latest policies, including the 2026 CMS Proposed Rule on CCM/RPM.
   

How Chronic Care Staffing aligns with OIG’s direction

Chronic Care Staffing (CCS) builds RPM programs to emphasize clinical outcomes first and compliance always. Our approach includes:

• Verified prior-relationship checks before enrollment.
  
• Device supply matched to necessity with clear documentation.
  
• True treatment management, where our clinical staff chart directly in your EMR.
  
• Compliance dashboards aligned with OIG measures.
  

For practices expanding RPM alongside Chronic Care Management, CCS offers integrated solutions. If you’re weighing whether to focus on RPM or CCM, see our comparison: RPM vs. CCM: 5 Key Differences Explained.

Key Takeaways for Providers

OIG’s latest snapshot validates two truths: RPM is growing quickly and improving access, but oversight will keep tightening. Providers who prioritize compliance and clinical integrity will not only withstand scrutiny but deliver better patient outcomes.

Want to explore how CCS can help you implement a compliant RPM program? Contact us here.And for ongoing updates, check our news section where we break down regulatory shifts shaping CCM and RPM.

Categories: Chronic Care Management News