Billing code 98981: RTM managementMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Report 98981 for each additional 20 minutes of remote therapeutic monitoring treatment-management work after the primary monthly management service.
Medicare pays $42.50–$46.80 for 98981 in the office in Washington, from Rest Of Washington to Seattle (King Cnty). Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 9 sections
What 98981 covers
This add-on represents additional treatment-management time for remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM), such as reviewing a patient’s therapy-related data and managing care for a musculoskeletal or respiratory condition. Physicians and other qualified health care professionals, including therapists when acting within their scope, may furnish the management in office-based or other care settings. The monthly service requires at least one interactive communication with the patient or caregiver; device setup or data transmission alone is not this management work.
Report 98981 with the primary RTM management code 98980 when the documented work reaches an additional 20 minutes beyond the time represented by that primary service. Keep a record of the management activities, time, and required interactive communication in the applicable calendar month. CMS classifies 98981 as an add-on: it is billed only with a primary procedure and paid within that procedure’s global period.
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 98981 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | $42.50 | $25.62 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $46.80 | $27.13 |
How the 98981 rate is calculated
Each of 98981’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 · 98981
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.61Practice expense 0.60Malpractice 0.03
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 98981
The CMS indicators that decide how 98981 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 98981
RTM management
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | ZZZ | Add-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
98981 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
98981 vs 98980 vs 98979 vs 98975 vs 98976: national Medicare rates
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How to choose
- 98980RTM management
- 98980 is the primary monthly RTM management service; 98981 represents each additional 20 minutes and must be reported with a primary procedure.
- 98979RTM management
- 98979 covers the initial shorter management-time band. Use 98981 only for additional time beyond the primary service, not instead of the primary code.
- 98975RTM setup
- 98975 covers RTM device setup and patient education, rather than ongoing treatment-management time.
- 98976RTM device supply
- 98976 concerns respiratory-system device supply for RTM; 98981 reports additional time spent managing treatment.
98981 billing questions
Can 98981 be billed by itself?
No. It is an add-on reported with the primary RTM management service, 98980.
How much additional time supports 98981?
Report it for each additional 20 minutes of qualifying RTM treatment-management work beyond the time represented by 98980. Document the time and the work performed.
Is interactive communication required?
The monthly RTM management service requires at least one interactive communication with the patient or caregiver during the calendar month. Document that communication along with the management work.
Does device setup or data supply count as 98981?
No. Setup and patient education, or the supply of a monitoring device, are distinct RTM services; 98981 represents additional treatment-management time.
How does CMS treat the add-on payment?
CMS requires 98981 to be billed with a primary procedure and pays it within that procedure’s global period.
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
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