Insurance and Shockwave for Foot Pain

Houston podiatrist Dr. Andrew Schneider uses Shockwave Therapy to treat Foot PainFoot pain has an impact in every aspect of your life. When you step out of bed and expect your foot to hurt, it has an effect on your activity and quality of life. Foot discomfort doesn't discriminate. In my Houston podiatry practice, I see patients under 10 years old and over 100 years old suffering from foot pain. More and more, I'm seeing patients looking for a natural way of resolving their injuries without using medication, injections, or surgery.

Fortunately, there are now several treatment options available for people suffering from foot injuries. One of these treatments, Shockwave Therapy, is becoming the most requested treatment for foot or ankle pain. Although the success of this treatment option has been proven over and over again, one of the most common questions about shockwave therapy for foot and ankle injuries is its cost and if it is covered by insurance plans.

What is Shockwave Therapy?

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT), a non-invasive treatment, uses low-intensity acoustic waves to increase blood flow into the effected area of the body in order to speed up the healing process or regenerate tissue. This works very well when treating musculoskeletal conditions of the foot and ankle. We use a form of Radial Shockwave Therapy called Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology (EPAT). 

Benefits of EPAT Include:

  • Non-invasive, non-surgical treatment
  • No side effects
  • Accelerates the natural healing process and tissue repair by increasing blood flow to the injured site
  • No anesthesia necessary 
  • Each shockwave session is usually under 10 minutes
  • Avoid more invasive therapies
  • Lasting reduction in pain

What Foot and Ankle Conditions Can Be Treated with Shockwave Therapy?

EPAT is effective in a number of musculoskeletal foot and ankle conditions including:

Is there Insurance Coverage for Shockwave for Foot and Ankle Pain?

At this time, insurance companies do not cover EPAT therapy. This is true for government plans, such as Medicare and Medicaid. It also applies for private insurance companies. Why? It's a hard question to answer. The technology is FDA approved and much peer-reviewed research has been done to justify the shockwave protocol. For now, it is an investment directly from the patient.

How Much Does Shockwave Therapy for Foot Pain Cost?

Shockwave treatment for your foot or ankle condition requires 3 treatments, each approximately a week apart. At times, I may recommend a fourth treatment a month later. At our Houston podiatry office, a session of therapy is $250. Also, there is usually an exam fee, which is conducted before the actual treatment.

Because of the protocol we use, we have packaged the three treatments together for a single investment of $650 for the initial three sessions. If, during your follow up, we decide that a fourth session is necessary, that is included in the package and is given at no additional cost.

For our most active patients. The ones who suffer from multiple incidents of foot issues over the course of a year, we have the "Any Ache or Pain" package for $1950. That gives you unlimited access to EPAT treatments. We'll still follow the protocol for each site of injury to be treated. But you can treat as many injured areas as you need to. To further limit your potential for injury, it includes a pair of custom orthotics and a ModPod CBD Pain Balm. 

Is Shockwave Therapy the Best Treatment Option for Your Foot Injury?

EPAT is the only noninvasive treatment that elicits a natural healing response. It requires no medicine, injections, or surgery for it to effectively treat your musculoskeletal conditions. It has a success rate of over 80%. There is no adverse effects of shockwave therapy. 

The answer is clear. Shockwave Therapy is the best treatment for your foot pain. With high deductibles and copays, you'd be at least matching the investment for shockwave through conventional treatments. Request an appointment online or contact us at our Houston podiatry office.