Section 441.78.5. Podiatrists.

Payment will be approved only for certain podiatric services.

       78.5(1) Payment will be approved for the following orthotic appliances and treatment of nail pathologies:

        a.           Durable plantar foot orthotic.

        b.           Plaster impressions for foot orthotic.

        c.           Molded digital orthotic.

        d.           Shoe padding when appliances are not practical.

        e.           Custom molded space shoes for rheumatoid arthritis, congenital defects and deformities, neurotropic, diabetic and ischemic intractable ulcerations and deformities due to injuries.

        f.            Rams horn (hypertrophic) nails.

        g.           Onychomycosis (mycotic) nails.

       78.5(2) Payment will be made for the same scope of podiatric services available through Part B of Title XVIII (Medicare) except as listed below:

        a.           Treatment of flatfoot. The term “flatfoot” is defined as a condition in which one or more arches have flattened out.

        b.           Treatment of subluxations of the foot are defined as partial dislocations or displacements of joint surfaces, tendons, ligaments, or muscles of the foot. Surgical or nonsurgical treatments undertaken for the sole purpose of correcting a subluxated structure in the foot as an isolated entity are not covered.

Reasonable and necessary diagnosis of symptomatic conditions that result from or are associated with partial displacement of foot structures is a covered service. Surgical correction in the subluxated foot structure that is an integral part of the treatment of a foot injury or is undertaken to improve the function of the foot or to alleviate an induced or associated symptomatic condition is a covered service.

        c.           Routine foot care. Routine foot care includes the cutting or removal of corns or callouses, the trimming of nails and other hygienic and preventive maintenance care in the realm of self-care such as cleaning and soaking the feet, the use of skin creams to maintain skin tone of both ambulatory and bedfast patients and any services performed in the absence of localized illness, injury, or symptoms involving the foot.

        d.           Orthopedic shoes. Payment will not be made for orthopedic shoes or for any device to be worn in or attached to orthopedic shoes or other types of shoes when provided by the podiatrist. Payment will be made to the podiatrist for the examination including tests to establish the need for orthopedic shoes.

       78.5(3) Prescriptions are required for drugs and supplies as specified in paragraph 78.1(2)“c.” Payment shall be made for drugs dispensed by a podiatrist only if there is no licensed retail pharmacy in the community where the podiatrist’s office is located. If eligible to dispense drugs, the podiatrist should request a copy of the Prescribed Drugs Manual from the Iowa Medicaid enterprise provider services unit. Payment will not be made for writing prescriptions.

This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code section 249A.4.