Can You File Insurance? – We cannot and don’t file insurance. It often feels like instead of a medical world, it’s an insurance world and it’s not a very favorable environment, one that is hard to navigate and to know all the connections and approvals. Recently in a meeting, we learned that the company we were visiting has a division solely dedicated to getting aligned with insurance providers and securing the necessary registration as a provider. It’s a difficult and expensive process with not always a guarantee that a company will be accepted. We can and have successfully accepted and used Health Savings and Flex accounts as they are appropriate for our products. We also can provide documents and codes that allow our customer to file a claim with their insurance for reimbursement and have assisted in getting physician scripts with orders for our products which also aid our customers in filing and approval. A sidebar issue to this is the question “will this fit in my shoes?” Often the equipment is too large and bulky and is really only over the counter not custom and not always crafted appropriately.

How Can I Justify this Expense? – We can justify that this works and that the cost is worth it! $349 may seem expensive but in comparison to the billable products where they mark up because of the lack of full reimbursement of insurance and that it is the allowable billing makes for a difficult industry standard. Expensive but billed to insurance (even Medicare) seems to be accepted as quality versus sometimes just paying half that cost and getting real quality and commitment is perceived as expensive. We also offer the 90 day money back guarantee. In reality, $349 over the course of a year is .95 cents a day and over the course of three years is .31 cents a day to maintain your great foot health.  These are average usage times showing successful foot improvement with daily wear within the first year and is before a customer’s update evaluation is due.

Do I Have That Big of a Problem/Pain? – Any amount of discomfort from the body is a signal that something is not right. Discomfort leads to dis-ease, which leads to disease, and is usually rooted in dysfunction. Address early to avoid issues that can’t be fixed but can only be accommodated for later. While we can handle both, it’s better to be proactive than reactive especially as people notice small ailments like aching legs, tendonitis, and calf, knee, hip and back pain which can become a bigger problems later in life.

Is This a Scam? – Our 90 day money back guarantee proves that this is not a scam. Statistically less than 2% is our return rate over the seven years we have been in business (2500/35). In our customer campaign that we use to do our follow-up and check on process, we have a beginning notice, a 45 day , and again at 90 days via email. It’s not our goal to trick someone. It’s our goal to operate with integrity and proactively seek to do all we can to make sure our customers has great results. We have science behind us that this works and we want it to work!

Do You Have Medical Expertise? – The professional designation of Certified Pedorthist is assigned to individuals who have completed the required training through education and clinical experience, and have passed the Pedorthic Certification exam. An individual who has met the above requirements must comply with mandatory continuing education (23 hours annually) in order to maintain this certification and be nationally registered. Kathy has the designations and continues to maintain the required education annually in addition to other workshops and webinars. Pedorthists can also consult with patients based on a referral from a prescribing healthcare professional such as a family physician and can be integrated members of health care teams. A Certified Pedorthist is a health professional who is trained to assess patients, formulate and implement a treatment plan, and follow-up with patients. The services provided include, but are not limited to:

Actions

• Alleviating painful or debilitating conditions of the lower limb;
• Accommodation of foot deformities;
• Re-alignment of anatomical structures;
• Redistribution of external and internal forces;
• Improvement of balance;
• Control of biomechanical function;
• Accommodation of circulatory special requirements; and,
• Enhancement of the actions or limbs compromised as a result of accident, congenital deformity, neural condition, or disease.

Assessment

• The evaluation and documentation of: Biomechanics;
• Gait analysis including temporal and spatial assessment;
• Range of motion;
• Footwear analysis;
• Review of potentially complicated health factors;
• Circulation;
• Skin integrity;
• Pedorthic requirements;
• Environmental barriers including social, home, and work integration.

Formulation of a treatment

• Verification of prescription/documentation;
• Evaluation of the prescription rationale;
• A needs assessment based on patient and/or caregiver input;
• Development of functional goals;
• Analysis of structural and design requirements;
• Consultation with and/or referral to other health care professionals as required.

Implementation of the treatment plan

• Acquisition of / modification and/or rectification of anthropometric data;
• Casting and measuring for custom foot care;
• Material selection and fabrication;
• Fitting and modifying standard and orthopedic footwear;
• Accommodating/incorporating complementary assistive devices;
• Fabrication of pedorthic devices;
• Device structural evaluation;
• Patient education and instruction.

Follow-up treatment plan

• Documentation of functional changes;
• Formulation of modifications to ensure successful outcomes;
• Reassessment of patient expectations;
• Reassessment of treatment objectives;
• Development of long term treatment plan;
• Confirmation of patient education and instruction.

Often potential customers assume that going to a Podiatrist/Foot Doctor will be a stronger course of action but while a podiatrist is a doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM), also known as a podiatric surgeon, they diagnose and treat conditions of the foot, ankle, and related structures of the leg and the DPM scope of practice includes performing foot and ankle surgeries and expertise in the care and preservation of the diabetic foot. They can also identify systemic diseases such as diabetes and vascular issues. Their work includes these areas:

• Perform surgery
• Perform reconstructive and microsurgeries
• Administer sedation and anesthetics
• Perform complete medical histories and physical examinations
• Prescribe medications
• Set fractures and treat sports-related injuries
• Order and perform physical therapy
• Take and interpret X-rays, ultrasound, MRI’s and other imaging studies
• Prescribe and fit orthotics, insoles, casts and prosthetics

The average American buys eight pairs of shoes a year. Depending on the study, approximately 80% of the population has foot problems. Diabetes is a huge and growing problem. The population is aging. There is so much need out there for all of our services that we can all keep busy helping people. We all have something for which we are especially trained and experienced. We try to specialize where our strength and expertise is. In this way, everyone wins, especially our customers!

Why am I Afraid? –

• Afraid of what might be wrong
• Afraid of showing the problem to others
• Afraid of costs
• Afraid that it won’t be fixed and money will be wasted
• It’s like going to the gynecologist or getting a prostrate exam – not always comfortable or fun to anticipate but essential for our health

We’d like to reassure people that it’s probably not as bad as you think and truthfully, due to our experience we’ve seen pretty much everything and it’s not ugly or difficult to us. Cost is low when you compare to surgery and other options some of which may not be necessary. We are committed to working for our customers’ best results and will stick to it until there may be no other option than to return their money and that is our guarantee! We’re not aware of anyone else making that offer!