CPT 98981: RTM add-on, extra 20 min
An add-on reported with 98980 for each additional 20 minutes of treatment management time in the same month.
CPT 98981 at a glance
- Time threshold
- Each additional 20 minutes beyond the first 20
- Who performs it
- The billing practitioner or therapist, or staff under general supervision where incident-to billing applies
- How often
- Add-on to 98980; monthly limits apply
- Approx. 2026 national rate
- Varies by locality
What the record needs to show
- 98980 supported for the same patient and month
- Time log showing minutes beyond the first 20
- Notes showing the added time was real treatment management
Common billing mistakes
- Reporting 98981 without 98980
- Rounding up an incomplete 20-minute block
Where Zenith fits
Your practice stays the billing provider for CPT 98981. Zenith supplies trained clinical staff who do the work inside your EHR and invoice your practice for the labor. Zenith does not bill Medicare. See Remote Therapeutic Monitoring for how the program runs.
Educational summary, not billing or legal advice. Rates are 2026 Medicare national averages and vary by locality and payer. Confirm current rules in the CMS Physician Fee Schedule and with your Medicare Administrative Contractor.