RPM Access Act

• Rural providers and low-index areas: Would set a floor so any computed practice-expense or malpractice geographic index below 1.00 is increased to 1.00 for RPM furnished on or after January 1, 2026. This floor is explicitly not budget neutral.
• RPM clinicians and suppliers: Would bar Part B payments for RPM unless a physician or advanced practice provider is available in real time to respond to physiologic anomalies, the RPM system can transmit data in a format compatible with electronic health records, and required data are collected and reported. The Secretary may exempt providers facing unreasonable hardship.
• Medicare oversight and beneficiaries: Would require a report to Congress within five years that analyzes four years of RPM data beginning January 1, 2026 on estimated Medicare savings from earlier interventions and fewer hospital days, medication adherence effects, and practice expenses such as cellular connectivity and platform maintenance.

*Would raise Medicare payments for RPM in low-index areas by creating a non-budget-neutral payment floor and add new reporting and operational requirements.*