Billing code 98985: RTM device supplyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports the musculoskeletal remote therapeutic monitoring device supply when qualifying device data are transmitted on 2–15 days during a 30-day monitoring period.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare pays $51.44 for 98985 nationally in the office. Local office rates run $44.07–$73.87.

Medicare rate · 98985

RTM device supply

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
0
Total RVUs
1.54
Global days
XXX

National rate · 2026

$51.44

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 98985 → · Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 98985 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 98985 covers

This code represents the supply of a remote therapeutic monitoring device for tracking information related to a musculoskeletal treatment plan. A rehabilitation practice may use a connected device or software to capture information such as exercise participation, symptoms, or functional status during care for a condition such as back pain or a joint injury. Physical therapists, occupational therapists, physicians, and other treating professionals may use these data to follow a patient’s progress between visits.

Report the code for the 2–15 days of device data transmission within the 30-day monitoring period. The record should identify the musculoskeletal monitoring purpose, the device or technology furnished, the monitoring period, and the days data were transmitted. This is the device-supply service, not the clinician’s time reviewing data, communicating with the patient, or adjusting the treatment plan; RTM treatment-management codes describe those services when performed and documented.

This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.

Where 98985 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 payment localities

$44.07 to $73.87

$44.07$58.97$73.87
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

98985 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$44.90Unavailable
Alaska*$54.61Unavailable
Arizona$49.81Unavailable
Arkansas$44.07Unavailable
Atlanta$52.32Unavailable
Austin$54.36Unavailable
Bakersfield$56.21Unavailable
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys$55.25Unavailable
Beaumont$46.81Unavailable
Brazoria$50.90Unavailable

98985 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

$44.07

$65.03

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
98985 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$54.611
AL$44.901
AR$44.071
AZ$49.811
CA$56.19–$73.8729
CO$54.631
CT$55.441
DC$60.571
DE$50.791
FL$49.36–$54.043
GA$45.98–$52.322
GU$58.301
HI$58.301
IA$46.891
ID$47.171
IL$47.18–$53.084
IN$47.541
KS$46.371
KY$45.741
LA$45.55–$48.472
MA$54.08–$61.312
MD$52.02–$60.573
ME$47.22–$50.852
MI$47.03–$49.882
MN$52.681
MO$44.38–$48.993
MS$44.251
MT$51.441
NC$47.891
ND$51.241
NE$47.291
NH$53.491
NJ$56.17–$59.642
NM$47.261
NV$51.431
NY$48.78–$61.385
OH$46.991
OK$45.891
OR$51.13–$57.022
PA$47.23–$53.602
PR$51.991
RI$53.091
SC$47.501
SD$51.221
TN$46.631
TX$46.81–$54.368
UT$48.341
VA$50.47–$60.572
VI$51.991
VT$50.761
WA$54.07–$62.982
WI$49.061
WV$44.891
WY$51.351

How the 98985 rate is calculated

Each of 98985’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.

How the rate is built · 98985

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 0.00Practice expense 1.53Malpractice 0.01

1.5400 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$51.44

All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 98985

98985 has no global surgery period, no multiple-procedure, bilateral or assistant-at-surgery adjustment, and no professional/technical split. What changes the payment is where the service happens: the place of service on the claim decides whether Medicare pays the office or the facility rate.

Place of service · 98985

Which rate does Medicare pay?

The POS code on the claim line (CMS-1500 box 24B).

Non-facility (office) rate · national

$51.44

Only one setting is priced for this code.

98985 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

98985 vs 98977 vs 98984 vs 98986: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 98985
    RTM device supply · 0 wRVU
    $51.44
  • 98977
    Remote monitoring · 0 wRVU
    $51.44+$0.00
  • 98984
    RTM device supply · 0 wRVU
    $52.11+$0.67
  • 98986
    · 0 wRVU
    —

How to choose

98977Remote monitoring
Both cover musculoskeletal RTM device supply. Choose 98985 for 2–15 data-transmission days in the 30-day period and 98977 for 16–30 days.
98984RTM device supply
This is the short-period RTM supply code for respiratory monitoring; 98985 is for musculoskeletal monitoring.
98986Rtm dev sply cbt 2-15 d
This is the short-period RTM supply code for cognitive behavioral therapy monitoring; 98985 is for musculoskeletal monitoring.

98985 billing questions

When should 98985 be chosen instead of 98977?

Use 98985 when device data are transmitted on 2–15 days in the 30-day period. Code 98977 is the musculoskeletal supply code for 16–30 days.

What supports the reported monitoring days?

Document the monitoring period and the dates on which the musculoskeletal device transmitted data. The record should also connect the monitoring to the patient’s treatment.

Does 98985 include clinician review or treatment management?

No. It represents device supply; clinician review, communication, and treatment-plan management are separate RTM services when performed and documented.

Can the practice report 98975 in the same RTM episode?

Yes, when the practice also performs the initial device setup and patient education represented by 98975. Document those setup and education services separately from the monitoring supply.

Is this code for respiratory or behavioral monitoring?

No. It is the short-period supply code for musculoskeletal monitoring; respiratory and cognitive behavioral therapy monitoring have separate supply codes.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.

CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 98985PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 12,963 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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