Summary & Overview
CPT 98986: Remote Therapeutic Monitoring for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
CPT code 98986 covers the provision of one or more devices used for remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) specifically for cognitive behavioral therapy, when monitoring occurs two to 15 days in a 30-day period. The code formalizes device-supplied RTM for behavioral health modalities, enabling billing for technology-facilitated monitoring outside traditional clinical encounters. This matters nationally as payers and providers expand telehealth and remote care models for mental health and chronic condition management, where continuous or intermittent device-collected data inform therapy adjustments and engagement tracking.
Key payers addressed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of what the code represents, guidance on the clinical and operational context in which it is used, and a summary of typical coverage considerations encountered across major payers. The publication also outlines benchmarks and policy updates relevant to RTM adoption, comparisons to adjacent remote monitoring services, and practical coding relationships for clinicians and billing teams to consider.
The content is written for a national audience and focuses on the code’s clinical intent, service setting, and the payer landscape relevant to remote therapeutic monitoring for cognitive behavioral therapy.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 98986 describes a service in which the provider supplies one or more devices for remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) of cognitive behavioral therapy. The monitoring period covered by this code is monitoring that occurs for two to 15 days within a 30-day period.
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Service type: Remote therapeutic monitoring (device-supplied monitoring) for cognitive behavioral therapy
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Typical site of service: Remote / Patient home (device-based monitoring occurs outside a clinical facility)
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Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 34-year-old patient with generalized anxiety disorder and persistent insomnia is enrolled in a remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) program focused on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques. The clinician provides the patient with one or more FDA-cleared or validated digital devices/apps that capture patient-reported measures and behavioral data supporting CBT (sleep logs, thought records, activity engagement) for short-interval monitoring that occurs between two and 15 days within a 30-day period. The clinical workflow includes: initial evaluation and device/app setup during an office or telehealth visit, patient education on use, periodic automated or clinician-reviewed data transmissions to the clinician’s RTM platform, asynchronous review of collected data by the clinician or behavioral health specialist, and brief follow-up contact (telephonic or electronic) to adjust therapy goals or provide coaching based on the monitored data. Typical sites of service include outpatient behavioral health clinics, primary care offices integrating behavioral interventions, and telehealth/remote care settings where the device and data transmission occur at the patient’s home or other non-facility location.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
25 | Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management (E/M) service by the same physician on the day of a procedure | Use when a distinct E/M visit addressing a separate problem occurs on the same day as RTM device provision or setup |