Along with each new year comes new coding changes, and 2026 is no different for the therapy community. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the 2026 therapy CPT® code updates impact physical therapists (PTs), occupational therapists (OTs), and speech-language pathologists (SLPs), who bill Medicare for therapy services. The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) is used to make payments for these therapy services, and it is essential that facilities and staff understand the updates effective January 1, 2026.
For therapy providers, the primary changes focus on the expansion of Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) to better align coding with how therapy services are delivered today. MM14250 – Therapy Code List: 2026 Annual Update provides further information.
Overview of CPT® Changes for 2026
According to the American Medical Association (AMA), the 2026 CPT code set includes:
- 288 new CPT codes
- 84 deleted codes
- 46 revised codes
While these changes span many specialties, this blog focuses only on updates relevant to therapy providers regarding RTM.
Key Therapy Related Change: Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM)
The most significant therapy related update involves RTM. RTM codes allow therapists to monitor a patient’s adherence and response to therapy outside of one-to-one, in-person treatment.
Prior to 2026, RTM device supply codes required 16-30 days of data collection within a 30-day period to be billable. A critical 2026 update is that therapists may now bill RTM for shorter monitoring periods, making these services more practical for real world therapy episodes of care.
The CY 2026 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Final Rule outlines the therapy related RTM codes and associated policies.
The following are new CPT® codes regarding RTM:
- 98984 “designated as sometimes therapy”
Remote therapeutic monitoring (e.g. therapy adherence, therapy response, digital therapeutic intervention); device(s) supply for data access or data transmissions to support monitoring of respiratory system, 2-15 days in a 30-day period. - 98985 “designated as sometimes therapy”
Remote therapeutic monitoring (e.g. therapy adherence, therapy response, digital therapeutic intervention); device(s) supply for data access or data transmissions to support monitoring of musculoskeletal system, 2-15 days in a 30-day period. - 98986: Remote therapeutic monitoring (e.g. therapy adherence, therapy response, digital therapeutic intervention); device(s) supply for data access or data transmissions to support monitoring of cognitive behavioral therapy, 2-15 days in a 30-day period. ASHA.
These codes expand beyond the previous requirement of 16-30 days in a 30-day period.
Revised RTM Code Descriptors
Due to the creation of the new short duration RTM device codes (98984 and 98985), the descriptors for the following existing RTM codes have been revised to clearly reflect 16-30 days of monitoring:
- 98976: Remote therapeutic monitoring (e.g. therapy adherence, therapy response, digital therapeutic intervention); device(s) supply for data access or data transmissions to support monitoring of respiratory system, 16-30 days in a 30-day period
- 98977: Remote therapeutic monitoring (e.g. therapy adherence, therapy response, digital therapeutic intervention); device(s) supply for data access or data transmissions to support monitoring of musculoskeletal system, 16-30 days in a 30-day period
- 98978: Remote therapeutic monitoring, device(s) supply for data access or data transmissions to support monitoring of cognitive behavioral therapy, 16-30 days in a 30-day period ASHA.
CMS indicates in the MM14250 – Therapy Code List: 2026 Annual Update:
“In the CY 2022 PFS final rule, CMS designated 5 RTM codes (98975, 98976, 98977, 98980, and 98981) as sometimes therapy codes. Beginning January 1, 2026, CMS designated 98979, 98984, and 98985 as sometimes therapy services. Any of these RTM services rendered by therapists are always provided under a therapy plan of care and require a GP, GO, or GN modifier, but only codes 98975, 98979, 98980, and 98981 are subject to the de minimis or 10% standard policy that also requires using the CQ or CO modifier when provided in whole or in part by a physical therapist assistant (PTA) or occupational therapy assistant (OTA) and provided under the general supervision of a physical therapist or occupational therapist, respectively.”
This revision improves clarity and aligns RTM codes with the actual duration of monitoring.
New RTM Treatment Management Code
One new RTM management code has been added as “sometimes therapy”:
- 98979: Remote therapeutic monitoring treatment management services, physician or other qualified health care professional time in a calendar month, requiring at least one real-time interactive communication with the patient or caregiver; first 10 minutes
This code complements existing RTM management codes:
- 98980: First 20 minutes
- 98981: Each additional 20 minutes
Why This Is a Positive Change
These updates allow therapists to report RTM for shorter monitoring periods or shorter episodes of care that previously could not be billed. This better reflects how therapy services are delivered outside the clinic and supports reimbursement for clinically meaningful remote care. The 2026 updates are focused on enhancements rather than disruptive changes.
Preparing for the 2026 Therapy CPT® Changes
To ensure compliance and operational readiness:
- Review the 2026 CPT® code set published by the AMA.
- Identify therapy codes used most frequently in your setting and compare the list to the updated code list to determine whether any codes are revised, deleted, or new.
- Engage your EMR/vendor partners to confirm system updates reflect the 2026 changes.
- Educate clinical and billing staff on new and revised RTM requirements.
- Conduct internal monitoring and audits to confirm compliance.
- Address errors promptly with retraining when needed.
- Update internal tools and patient consent forms, if applicable.
- Consider outside consulting support— LW Consulting, Inc. (LWCI) is always here to assist.
Bottom Line
The 2026 CPT® updates for RTM bring meaningful improvements for therapy providers, with a clear focus on recognizing and capturing the value of care delivered outside the clinic.
LW Consulting, Inc. (LWCI) offers a comprehensive range of services to assist your organization in maintaining compliance, identifying trends, providing education and training, or conducting documentation and coding audits. For more information, contact LWCI to connect with one of our experts!
