Diabetic Medical Shoes and the Medicare Program

Jan. 11, 2011 - PRLog -- There is hope for those suffering from diabetes.
 Do you wish to avoid many of the foot related problems associated with your diabetes? Proper shoegear is a very important first step.
  Don't let finances interfere with obtaining therapeutic shoes prescribed by a podiatrist. If your primary care doctor qualifies you, make a fitting appointment for the special shoes. This will include an appointment to be evaluated for any foot risk factors. Medicare has a diabetic reimbursement program that Dr. Kerch can obtain payment for your shoes if you qualify.
 These shoes make a huge difference in allowing safer walking. In no time you will be protected in shoes with room in the toes because they have extra depth. The extra cushioning and support from the foot bed add comfort and support. These shoes come in many styles, colors, widths and lengths to meet all of your specific needs.
 We are accepting new appointments and we are located at the base of Capital Hill in Seattle 206-786-0064.

Diabetes Foot Facts
PREVALENCE OF DIABETES
TOTAL: 23.6 million people – Nearly eight percent of the U.S. population has diabetes.
DIAGNOSED: 17.9 million people
UNDIAGNOSED: 5.7 million people

PREVALENCE OF DIABETES AMONG PEOPLE 20 YEARS OR OLDER
• AGE 20 YEARS OR OLDER: 23.5 million. Nearly 11 percent of all people in this age group have diabetes.
• AGE 60 YEARS OR OLDER: 12.2 million. Almost 23 percent of all people in this age group have diabetes.
• MEN: 12 million. Close to 11 percent of all men, aged 20 years or older, have diabetes; nearly one third do not know it.
• WOMEN: 11.5 million. Nearly 10 percent of all women aged 20 years or older have diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes is at least two to four times higher among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic/Latino American women, than among non-Hispanic white women.

PREVALENCE OF DIABETES BY RACE/ETHNICITY AMONG PEOPLE 20 YEARS OR OLDER
• AFRICAN-AMERICANS: Nearly 15 percent or close to 4 million of all non-Hispanic blacks, aged 20 years or older, has diabetes. On average, non-Hispanic blacks are 1.8 times more likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites of similar age.
• HISPANIC/LATINO-AMERICANS: Nearly 11 percent of Hispanic/Latino Americans aged 20 years or older have diabetes. Mexican Americans, the largest Hispanic/Latino subgroup, are almost two times as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites.
• CAUCASIAN- AMERICANS: Close to 15 million or nearly 10 percent of all non-Hispanic whites, aged 20 years or older, have diabetes.

COMPLICATIONS OF DIABETES
AMPUTATIONS
• About 60-70 percent of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of diabetic nerve damage (which often includes impaired sensation or pain in the feet or hands, slowed digestion of food in the stomach, etc.) Severe forms of diabetic nerve damage can lead to lower-extremity amputations.
• More than 60 percent of non-traumatic lower-limb amputations in the United States occur among people with diabetes.
• After an amputation, the chance of another amputation within 3 to 5 years is as high as 50 percent, according to the National Diabetes Education Program.
• The rate of amputation for people with diabetes is 10 times higher than for people without diabetes.

PREVENTING DIABETES COMPLICATIONS
• Dr. Kerch, a podiatrist, a doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM) is qualified by her education, training and experience to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the foot, ankle and related structures of the leg. Dr. Kerch plays an integral role in a diabetes management team. Diabetes can affect many parts of the body and can lead to serious complications such as blindness, kidney damage, and lower-limb amputations. Working together, people with diabetes and their health care providers, such as Dr. Kerch, a podiatric physician, can reduce the occurrence of these and other diabetes complications.
• Comprehensive foot care programs can reduce amputation rates by 45 percent to 85 percent. The Medicare Diabetic Shoe Program was begun to reduce the incidence of these complications.




Information for this fact sheet has been compiled using the latest statistics from the American Diabetes Association and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Dr. Kerch is Board Certified with the American Board of Podiatric Surgery and is a Member of the APMA. Find out how you can get back to the activities you love without suffering from foot, leg or back pain. Seattle's "Your 2 Feet" gives you expert advice 7 days a week to choose from the best, a "One Stop Foot Shop": Z-CoiL,Ryn, Somnio, Crocs, Aetrex, more.