FAQ

The simple answer is no.

For this reason, please make sure that you have extended health benefits for your  any of the services we provide before you decide to go ahead with your treatment or order your custom foot orthotic. We can provide you with a predetermination or quote for our more costly services such as nail surgery or custom foot orthotics.

Generally,  the whole cost of the custom foot orthotic is paid for in advance of receiving the custom foot orthotic. We provide you with all of the necessary documentation for you to get reimbursed by your extended health insurance company.

The extended health insurance companies expect you to pay in full for your custom foot orthotic before you get reimbursed.

You may also need a prescription from you family doctor for your custom foot orthotic device.  Some insurance companies will accept the prescription from a chiropodist or podiatrist.

Please check with your benefits department of your employer or the insurance company for the exact amount of your custom foot orthotic benefit. The custom foot orthotic benefit may depend on the type of extended health benefit policy your employer has purchased from an insurance company.

Your employer can choose from two types extended health benefit plans. Your employer can buy an extended health benefit insurance policy from the insurance company to cover the health costs of their employees. The level of reimbursement for custom foot orthotic may be $400 or higher.

The level of reimbursement for other treatments may be also $400.  In some policies you may only have $400 to spend on chiropody/podiatry services whether it is orthotics or other services. Futhermore, your employer may have decided to self fund the health benefits for their employees and arrange for an insurance company to administer the benefits. This option is much cheaper for the employer. in this situation, the level of reimbursement for custom foot orthotic may be lower than $400.

Chiropodists are regulated under the Chiropody Act, 1991, S.O. 1991, CHAPTER 20.

The scope of practice of  practice of chiropody is the assessment of the foot and the treatment and prevention of diseases, disorders or dysfunctions of the foot by therapeutic, orthotic or palliative means. .

Chiropodists are authorized to perform the following:

1. Cutting into subcutaneous tissues of the foot.
2. Administering, by injection into feet, a substance designated in the regulations.
3. Prescribing drugs designated in the regulations.
4. Administering, by inhalation, a substance designated in the regulations. 1991, c. 20, s. 5 (1); 2009, c. 26, s. 2 (1).

Chiropodists and podiatrists are both regulated by the College of Chiropodists of Ontario to practice foot care in Ontario. The difference between a chiropodist and podiatrist in Ontario is determined by the country the chiropody or podiatry degree was awarded. If the chiropodist or podiatrist graduated from a podiatry school in  the United States before July 1993 then they are allowed to use the title podiatrist to practice in Ontario. US trained podiatrists licensed before July 1993 have an expanded scope of practice that includes forefoot bone surgery to surgically treat problems such as bunions and hammer toes.

Chiropodists or podiatrists trained in a podiatry school in Ontario or a commonwealth country can only use the title chiropodist. A podiatrist trained in the US after July 1993  can only use the title chiropodist. Ontario is the only jurisdiction differentiating use of title based on country of training. Historically all podiatrists were chiropodists. In the USA, the profession changed the name in 1960 from chiropodist to podiatrist because of the title chiropodist was being mistaken for chiropractor. In commonwealth countries,  the name changed from chiropodist to podiatrist in  1990. Unfortunately, in Ontario, this name change has not occurred.

Across Canada provincial regulations differ from province to province.

• British Columbia only allows US trained podiatrists to practice
• Alberta appears only to allow US trained podiatrists to practice
• Saskatchewan allows  Canadian, commonwealth and US trained podiatrists to use title podiatrist
• Quebec allows Quebec trained and US trained podiatrists to use title podiatrist
• New Brunswick allows  Canadian, commonwealth and US trained podiatrists to use title podiatrist
• NS, PEI and NFLD allows both Canadian, commonwealth and US trained podiatrists to use title podiatrist