Medicare Coverage For Diabetic Shoes

Information from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Medicare covers services to help people with diabetes manage their condition so they can prevent or reduce the severity of diabetes-related complications.

Medicare will cover the cost of diabetic shoes and inserts for beneficiaries who have Medicare Part B, have diabetes, and are being treated under a comprehensive plan of care. This benefit includes either 1 pair of custom-molded (including inserts provided with such shoes) and two additional pairs of inserts, or one pair of depth shoes and three pairs of inserts (not including the non-customized removable inserts provided with such shoes). Medicare beneficiaries pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after meeting the yearly Medical Part B deductible.

Medicare covers therapeutic shoes to prevent foot complications. The physician managing the beneficiary's diabetic condition must document and certify the beneficiary's need for therapeutic shoes. To be covered by Medicare, therapeutic shoes must be prescribed by a podiatrist or other qualified physician, and furnished or fitted by a podiatrist or other qualified physician. The Medicare deductible and copayment or coinsurance applies to this benefit.