Hello All & Hope your Holidays find you well.
My office manager highlighted the new Medicare diabetic shoes rules in the December edition of the Almanac…
One in particular bothers me:
Effective Jan 1, 2011…the certifying physician must have an in-person visit with the patient during which diabetes management is addressed within 6months before delivery of the shoes and/or inserts. ….there must also be documentation of an in-person visit with the prescribing physician within 6months of delivery of the shoes and/or inserts.
The bothersome part is WE are responsible to ensure that the patient’s prescribing physician documents about their diabetes & need for protective footwear…are we supposed to get copy of their Dr visit-notes?
Good thing: Physician’s in our area will not sign an Rx or certifying forms unless they have seen the pt within 6months, but who’s to say the patient will follow through w/their Dr appt following receipt of shoes/inserts?
I don’t love working with diabetic shoes/inserts, but I’d hate to leave diabetic footwear to the shoe stores that “specialize” in diabetic shoes. You know the ones…. they allow Tommy Highschooler who “loves running shoes” fit the diabetic shoes.
Who’s dropping diabetic shoes/inserts from their scope of practice?
If you are continuing to provided diabetic footwear, how are you going to ensure the physician’s documentation adequately covers what you’re doing?
As always,
Thank You.
Rick
Rick Milen, CPO, PTA
NEXSTEP, Inc.
Prosthetic Specialists
West Lawn, PA
www.iwalknexstep.com
Peripheral Reorganization Seen After Transhumeral Amputation
People with transhumeral amputations continue to have muscle activity patterns in their residual arms and experience phantom hand movements. However,...
Read more