Speech-Language Pathology CPT and HCPCS Code Changes for 2026

The following updates to Current Procedural Terminology (CPT ® American Medical Association) codes related to speech-language pathology services are effective January 1, 2026. There are no changes to Healthcare Common Procedures Coding System (HCPCS) Level II codes related to speech-language pathology services in 2026. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can contact ASHA's health care policy team at reimbursement@asha.org for questions.

Note: SLPs should always check with payers regarding coverage of new or revised billing codes. Coding changes may not always alter payer coverage decisions for specific conditions or services.

See ASHA's annual coding updates for past updates to speech-language pathology codes.

On this page:

• Overview of Changes
• New Codes
• Revised Codes
• Resources

Overview of Changes

Beginning January 1, 2026, the remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) code set (CPT codes 98974–98986) will be updated to give clinicians more flexibility and better reflect how digital tools are used in care. The revisions introduce new codes and adjust existing ones to support shorter monitoring periods and briefer clinician–patient interactions.

Today, clinicians can bill RTM device supply codes (such as 98976 and 98977) only when a device transmits data for at least 16 days in a 30-day period. Treatment management codes (98980 and 98981) require at least 20 minutes of interactive communication per month. These thresholds limit RTM to longer-term monitoring and exclude shorter interventions—such as two-week home program check-ins or brief follow-up after therapy changes.

To expand access, new device supply codes (98979, 98984, 98985, and 98986) allow billing when a device collects and transmits data for just 2–15 days in a 30-day period. A new treatment management code (98979) also allows billing for 10–19 minutes of clinician interaction per month. Existing codes 98976, 98977, and 98978 have been revised to clearly reflect use for 16–30 days of data transmission.

These updates preserve the intent of the RTM code family while giving clinicians more practical options across musculoskeletal, respiratory, and cognitive-behavioral monitoring—acknowledging that effective care does not always require 16 days of data or 20 minutes of communication.

Important Reminders

• Any device used must be FDA-defined as a medical device.
• Documentation requirements for RTM codes have not changed. Clinicians should report RTM codesly only when services are provided under an established plan of care and used to inform patient management.
• Clinicians must continue to document:
  • The duration of monitoring
  • The number of data transmission days
  • The type of device used
  • Details of any interactive communication with the patient
• Audiologists can't bill RTM services to Medicare; however, other payers may allow reimbursement.

See ASHA’s website for more information on billing virtual services, including RTM.

New Codes

Effective January 1, 2026, the following new codes are added to the RTM code set to support shorter monitoring periods and briefer clinician-patient interactions.

Coding Notes

• Report 98979 for the first completed 10 minutes of clinician time within a calendar month.
  • Do not report 98979 for services totaling less than 10 minutes.
  • Report 98979 only once per calendar month, regardless of how many therapeutic monitoring modalities are used.
  • 98979 requires at least one real-time interactive communication with the patient or caregiver. This interaction can contribute towards the total time but does not need to represent the entire accumulated time.
• Codes 98984, 98985, and 98986 should not be reported if cumulative monitoring is less than 2 days within a 30-day period.

Revised Codes

Effective January 1, 2026, existing CPT codes 98976, 98977, and 98978 are revised to specify the required minimum of 16-30 days of data transmission per 30-day period.

Coding Notes

• Codes 98976, 98977, 98978 should not be reported if cumulative monitoring is less than 16 days in a 30-day period.
• Report 98980 for the first completed 20 minutes of clinician time within a calendar month.
  • Do not report 98980 for services totaling less than 20 minutes. The "halfway mark plus one" rule for timed codes does not apply.
  • Report 98980 only once per calendar month, regardless of how many therapeutic monitoring modalities are used.
  • 98980 requires at least one real-time interactive communication with the patient or caregiver. This interaction can contribute towards the total time but does not need to represent the entire accumulated time for treatment management.
• Code 98981 is an add-on code to report each additional 20 minutes of treatment management. 98981 must be reported in conjunction with 98980.
  • Do no report 98981 for less than an additional increment of 20 minutes. The "halfway mark plus one" rule for timed codes does not apply.

Resources

• • Coding and Payment for Communication Technology-Based Services
  • New and Revised ICD-10-CM Codes for SLP
  • Superbill Template for Speech-Language Pathology Services
  • Medicare Fee Schedule for Speech-Language Pathologists
  • HCPCS Level II Device Codes: Speech-Language Pathology