How many secondary diagnoses are needed, in addition to diabetes, for Medicare coverage of shoes and inserts?

For Medicare coverage of therapeutic shoes and inserts for patients with diabetes, the requirement is that the patient has diabetes as the primary diagnosis and, in addition, at least one of a specified list of secondary diagnoses is necessary. The patient must have at least one qualifying secondary diagnosis, and in this context, a total of six specific conditions are recognized as necessary for coverage. This means that in addition to the primary diagnosis of diabetes, the documentation must include the presence of certain other medical conditions, which can support the need for therapeutic footwear.

Therefore, having six secondary diagnoses in total fulfills the requirement for Medicare coverage alongside diabetes. This ensures that the patient not only has diabetes but also additional complications or risk factors that necessitate the use of therapeutic shoes.