CCP RPM & Telehealth Delivery 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the 2020 Coronavirus preparedness legislation and subsequent CMS waivers, which of the following telehealth restrictions was temporarily lifted for Medicare beneficiaries?
- Originating site must be a rural health professional shortage area
- Audio-only visits became reimbursable for a broader range of services (Correct answer)
- Patients must always use a physician-owned device
- Telehealth visits cannot substitute for annual wellness visits
Correct answer: Audio-only visits became reimbursable for a broader range of services
CMS waivers during the COVID-19 public health emergency allowed audio-only visits to be reimbursed for a much wider range of services than previously permitted.
Question 2: A care coordinator notices a patient's RPM blood pressure readings have been consistently above 160/100 mmHg for five days. What is the FIRST action the coordinator should take?
- Wait until the next scheduled visit to discuss with the physician
- Contact the supervising clinician immediately per the escalation protocol (Correct answer)
- Advise the patient to double their antihypertensive dose via text
- Document the readings and take no action until readings exceed 180/110
Correct answer: Contact the supervising clinician immediately per the escalation protocol
Sustained severely elevated blood pressure readings require prompt clinician notification per established escalation protocols to prevent adverse events.
Question 3: Which of the following chronic conditions has the STRONGEST evidence base supporting use of RPM to reduce hospitalizations?
- Osteoarthritis
- Heart failure (Correct answer)
- Migraine disorder
- Allergic rhinitis
Correct answer: Heart failure
Heart failure has the strongest evidence base for RPM, with multiple studies demonstrating reductions in hospital readmissions through daily weight and symptom monitoring.
Question 4: In telehealth, 'asynchronous communication' is best described as:
- A live video call between clinician and patient
- Transmission of patient data or messages reviewed by the clinician at a later time (Correct answer)
- A phone call with a care coordinator
- A real-time chat session requiring simultaneous participation
Correct answer: Transmission of patient data or messages reviewed by the clinician at a later time
Asynchronous (store-and-forward) communication involves data, images, or messages sent by the patient and reviewed by the clinician at a different time.
Question 5: Which federal law primarily governs patient privacy in the context of RPM data transmission and storage?
- EMTALA
- HIPAA (Correct answer)
- Stark Law
- Anti-Kickback Statute
Correct answer: HIPAA
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) governs the privacy and security of protected health information, including RPM-generated data.
Question 6: A patient with type 2 diabetes is using a connected glucometer for RPM. The physician wants to bill for the device supply. Which CPT code is used monthly for the supply of the RPM device and ongoing data transmission?
- 99453
- 99454 (Correct answer)
- 99457
- 99091
Correct answer: 99454
CPT 99454 is billed monthly for the supply of the remote monitoring device and the transmission of the collected data to the clinician.
Question 7: What is a key workflow consideration when integrating RPM data into an EHR for a patient panel of 200 patients?
- Each alert must be reviewed by the billing department before clinical staff
- Automated alert thresholds and triage rules must be established to prioritize actionable data (Correct answer)
- All data should be printed and placed in the paper chart
- The physician must personally review every single reading without support staff
Correct answer: Automated alert thresholds and triage rules must be established to prioritize actionable data
For large panels, structured alert thresholds and care team triage workflows are essential to ensure clinically significant data is acted upon without overwhelming clinicians.
CCP RPM & Telehealth Delivery 3
Under the 2020 Coronavirus preparedness legislation and subsequent CMS waivers, which of the following telehealth restrictions was temporarily lifted for Medicare beneficiaries?