There is no single best orthotic for everyone, and no clinic can honestly promise one. What you can do is check that the orthotics you pay for are made properly, by someone qualified, in a way your plan will pay for. This checklist is what we would ask any clinic in Barrie, including ours.
The checklist
- Who will assess me and dispense the orthotics, and what is their title?
- Is my plan willing to pay when that person dispenses them?
- Do I need a prescription, and from whom?
- Will you assess how I stand and walk before anything is made?
- Are the orthotics made from a 3D scan or cast of my feet, or only a footprint?
- Which shoes are they designed for?
- What is the price, and what does it include?
- What receipts and documents will I get for my claim?
- What happens at pickup, and is there a follow-up?
- What if they do not feel right? Are the remake or warranty terms in writing?
Who assesses and dispenses them
Orthotics in Ontario are dispensed by several kinds of practitioners, including pedorthists, chiropodists, podiatrists and orthotists. Plans such as Green Shield keep a list of who may dispense orthotics. Ask for the person’s name and title, and check it against your plan before you book.
At Pro Motion Healthcare, orthotics are assessed and dispensed by a certified pedorthist (C.PED): Stan Chikh, C.PED, founder and clinic director. The clinic’s team page also lists Cynthia Au, Pedorthist.
Your prescription
Most extended health plans ask for a prescription with a medical diagnosis from a physician, chiropodist or podiatrist; some, such as Green Shield, also accept a nurse practitioner. A prescription that lists only symptoms may not be enough. Ask your plan what it needs before your appointment. Pro Motion Healthcare’s own advice is that you will need a prescription for custom made orthotics.
A real assessment, and a scan or cast
A good clinic looks at more than your foot size. Expect questions about your pain, work, sport and shoes, a look at how you stand and walk, and a 3D scan or cast of each foot. Plans generally do not pay for orthotics made from a simple footprint or pressure plate alone. At Pro Motion Healthcare the assessment includes a 3D scan of each foot as you stand and a walk on a pressure mat that records your walking pattern; the stages are set out on the custom orthotics Barrie page.
Be wary of deals
Insurers investigate clinics that bill for orthotics nobody needed, and some delist clinics after false claims. Green Shield warns members to steer clear of two-for-one offers, gifts that come with orthotics, mass screenings and family-wide deals. If an offer sounds like it is built around your plan’s limit rather than your feet, ask questions.
Price and what it includes
Ask for the price per pair and whether it covers the assessment, the scan, the fitting and the follow-up. Pro Motion Healthcare’s site gives $495 per pair for custom orthotics at the time of writing; ask the clinic for the current price. Your share depends on how much your plan pays and how often. A clear price up front makes it easier to compare clinics fairly.
Receipts for your claim
Insurers usually want an itemised receipt showing the pickup date and payment in full, details of the assessment and the scan, and sometimes a lab invoice. Ask whether the clinic bills your plan directly or gives you the documents to claim yourself. Pro Motion Healthcare helps with direct billing to many plans and provides the paperwork.
Fitting, follow-up and the warranty
Orthotics should be fitted in your shoes, with a clear plan for breaking them in, and someone you can call if they rub. Pro Motion Healthcare contacts every patient about two weeks after pickup and can adjust the shells. Its refund policy says custom orthotics are not refundable and are covered by a fit and function warranty; whichever clinic you choose, ask for those terms in writing.
Keep reading
For the conditions people come in for, see foot orthotics Barrie. For the types and models, see orthotics Barrie. For drive times from your part of town, see orthotics near me.
Want these questions answered for your feet? Call Pro Motion Healthcare.
What your plan checks
- A prescription with a diagnosis
- Assessed, scanned and dispensed by a provider your plan accepts
- An itemised receipt and the assessment details
Coverage depends on your plan. Check your benefits booklet or call your insurer before you book.
Questions people ask
What are the best orthotics in Barrie?
The ones made for your feet, by a qualified person your plan accepts, after a proper assessment and a 3D scan or cast, with receipts your insurer will take and a follow-up if they do not feel right. Use the checklist on this page to compare any clinic.
What is the best kind of practitioner for orthotics?
Several are qualified, including pedorthists, chiropodists, podiatrists and orthotists. What matters for your claim is that your plan accepts the person who dispenses them. At Pro Motion Healthcare that is a certified pedorthist (C.PED).
Do I need a prescription for orthotics?
For most plan claims, yes: a prescription with a diagnosis from a physician, chiropodist or podiatrist, and some plans accept a nurse practitioner. Check your plan before you book.
Are cheaper orthotics just as good?
Price alone does not tell you much. Ask what the price includes, whether there is an assessment and a scan or cast, and what follow-up you get. Off-the-shelf insoles cost less but are usually not claimable.