Therapeutic shoes & inserts
Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers therapeutic shoes and inserts if you’re eligible
Coverage details
Therapeutic shoes and inserts refers to the furnishing and fitting of either one of these:
- A pair of custom-molded shoes or inserts, and 2 additional pairs of inserts
- A pair of extra-depth shoes, and 3 pairs of inserts
Who's eligible
You have diabetes and severe diabetes-related foot disease.
Provider requirements
The doctor who treats your diabetes must certify your need for therapeutic shoes or inserts.
A podiatrist (foot doctor) or other qualified doctor must prescribe the shoes or inserts, and you must get the shoes or inserts from one of these:
- A podiatrist
- An orthotist
- A prosthetist
- A pedorthist
- Another qualified individual
Medicare will only cover your therapeutic shoes if your doctors and suppliers are enrolled in Medicare. Doctors and suppliers have to meet strict standards to enroll and stay enrolled in Medicare. If your doctors or suppliers aren't enrolled, Medicare won't pay the claims they submit.
Costs
After you meet the Part B deductible , you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount (if your supplier accepts assignment ).
It's important to ask your suppliers if they participate in Medicare before you get therapeutic shoes. If suppliers are participating suppliers in Medicare, they must accept assignment (which means they can charge you only the coinsurance and Part B deductible for the Medicare-approved amount). If suppliers aren't "participating" and don't accept assignment, there's no limit on the amount they can charge you.
How often
Every calendar year, you can get
- Either one pair of custom shoes or inserts, or one pair of extra-depth shoes.
- Either 2 or 3 additional pairs of inserts, depending on your shoe type.