Does Medicare Cover Podiatry and Foot Care?
Yes, but only in specific situations. Medicare Part B covers medically necessary podiatry (foot doctor) services to treat injuries, diseases, and conditions such as bunions, hammer toe, and heel spurs. Medicare does NOT cover routine foot care, like trimming toenails or removing corns and calluses, unless you have a qualifying condition such as diabetes-related nerve damage or peripheral vascular disease. After you meet the 2026 Part B deductible of $283, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for covered foot care.
What podiatry services does Medicare cover?
Medicare Part B (medical insurance) covers podiatrist services when they are medically necessary to diagnose or treat a foot injury, disease, or condition. A podiatrist is a doctor who specializes in care of the feet, ankles, and lower legs.
Coverage applies to treatment of problems that are causing pain, deformity, or functional trouble, rather than general upkeep of healthy feet.
- Treatment of foot injuries, diseases, and conditions such as bunion deformities, hammer toe, and heel spurs
- Treatment of ingrown toenails, infections, and similar medical foot problems
- Foot exams and treatment related to qualifying conditions like diabetic nerve damage (see below)
- Therapeutic shoes and inserts for people with severe diabetic foot disease (see below)
What routine foot care does Medicare NOT cover?
Medicare does not pay for routine foot care. Routine care is general maintenance you could think of as upkeep rather than treatment of a specific medical problem.
There are important exceptions. Routine foot care that would normally be excluded may be covered when a systemic condition associated with severe circulatory insufficiency or areas of desensitization makes professional foot care medically necessary. Examples of qualifying systemic conditions include diabetes mellitus and peripheral vascular disease. In those cases, having a non-professional cut your nails or remove corns could pose a real risk of injury or infection, so Medicare may cover the care.
- Cutting or removal of corns and calluses
- Trimming, cutting, clipping, or debridement of toenails
- Other general hygienic and preventive foot maintenance
- Exception: covered when a qualifying systemic condition (such as diabetes or peripheral vascular disease) with severe circulatory problems or loss of sensation makes professional care medically necessary
Foot care for people with diabetes
Medicare gives people with diabetes extra foot-care protection because diabetes can damage nerves and circulation in the feet, raising the risk of serious problems including amputation.
Part B covers a foot exam and treatment if you have diabetes-related lower leg nerve damage (diabetic peripheral neuropathy) with loss of protective sensation that increases the risk of limb loss. If you qualify, Medicare covers a foot exam every 6 months, as long as you have not seen a foot care professional for another reason between those visits.
To qualify, loss of protective sensation (LOPS) must be diagnosed through sensory testing with the 5.07 monofilament, following Medicare's established guidelines. This is a quick in-office test where the provider touches different spots on your foot with a thin filament to check whether you can feel it.
Diabetic (therapeutic) shoes and inserts
Medicare Part B covers therapeutic shoes and inserts for people with diabetes who have severe diabetic foot disease, when prescribed or recommended by a qualifying provider.
Each calendar year, Medicare covers one of two options:
- One pair of custom-molded shoes (including the inserts furnished with them) plus 2 additional pairs of inserts, OR
- One pair of extra-depth (depth) shoes plus 3 pairs of inserts
What will you pay for podiatry under Medicare?
For covered, medically necessary foot care under Original Medicare, you pay the standard Part B cost-sharing. First you meet the annual Part B deductible, then Medicare pays its share and you pay coinsurance.
To have Part B coverage at all, you must be enrolled in and paying for Part B.
- 2026 Part B annual deductible: $283 (you pay this before coinsurance applies)
- After the deductible: you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount (Part B coinsurance) for covered foot care
- 2026 standard Part B monthly premium: $202.90 (some higher earners pay more)
- A Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy can help cover the deductible and/or 20% coinsurance
Medicare Advantage, referrals, and orthotics
Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans must cover at least the same podiatry services as Original Medicare. However, your costs, provider networks, and any extra routine foot-care benefits vary by plan. Some plans offer added routine foot care that Original Medicare does not, but this is not universal, so check your plan's Evidence of Coverage and confirm whether your podiatrist is in network.
Whether you need a referral depends on your coverage. Original Medicare does not require a referral to see a podiatrist who accepts Medicare, but many Medicare Advantage plans (especially HMOs) do require a referral or prior authorization. Confirm your plan's rules before scheduling.
Routine custom orthotics for general foot problems are generally not covered. The therapeutic shoe and insert benefit described above is specifically tied to severe diabetic foot disease. If you think you need orthotics for a non-diabetic condition, ask your provider whether the item is medically necessary and covered, since coverage of foot supports outside the diabetic benefit is limited.
Frequently asked questions
Does Medicare cover toenail trimming or corn and callus removal?
Not as routine care. Medicare generally does not cover trimming toenails or removing corns and calluses. However, it may cover this care if you have a qualifying systemic condition, such as diabetes or peripheral vascular disease, with severe circulatory problems or loss of sensation that makes professional foot care medically necessary.
How often will Medicare pay for a diabetic foot exam?
If you have diabetic peripheral neuropathy with loss of protective sensation, Medicare covers a foot exam every 6 months, as long as you have not seen a foot care professional for another reason between those visits.
Does Medicare cover bunions, hammer toe, or heel spurs?
Yes. Medicare Part B covers medically necessary treatment of foot conditions such as bunion deformities, hammer toe, and heel spurs. After you meet the 2026 Part B deductible of $283, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount.
How much does a podiatrist visit cost with Medicare?
Under Original Medicare, you first meet the 2026 Part B deductible of $283. After that, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for covered, medically necessary foot care. A Medigap policy can help cover these out-of-pocket costs. Medicare Advantage costs vary by plan.
Do I need a referral to see a podiatrist?
Under Original Medicare, no referral is needed to see a podiatrist who accepts Medicare. Many Medicare Advantage plans, especially HMOs, do require a referral or prior authorization, so check your plan's rules first.
How many pairs of diabetic shoes does Medicare cover per year?
Each calendar year, Medicare covers either one pair of custom-molded shoes (with their inserts) plus 2 more pairs of inserts, OR one pair of extra-depth shoes plus 3 pairs of inserts, for people with severe diabetic foot disease when prescribed by a qualifying provider.
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Medicare Login Guide is an independent resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or any government agency. This article is for general information only — confirm current figures and your specific options at medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.