(1) This section addresses care of the lower extremities (foot and ankle) referred to as foot care and applies to clients 21 years of age and older.

(2) The department covers the foot care services listed in this section when those services are provided by any of the following health care providers and billed to the department using procedure codes and diagnosis codes that are within their scope of practice:

(a) Physicians or physician assistants;

(b) Osteopathic physicians, surgeons, or physician assistants;

(c) Podiatric physicians and surgeons; or

(d) Advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNP).

(3) The department covers evaluation and management visits to assess and diagnose conditions of the lower extremities. Once diagnosis is made, the department covers treatment if the criteria in subsection (4) of this section are met.

(4) The department pays for:

(a) Treatment of the following conditions of the lower extremities only when there is an acute condition, an exacerbation of a chronic condition, or presence of a systemic condition such as metabolic, neurologic, or peripheral vascular disease and evidence that the treatment will prevent, cure or alleviate a condition in the client that causes pain resulting in the inability to perform activities of daily living, acute disability, or threatens to cause the loss of life or limb, unless otherwise specified:

(i) Acute inflammatory processes such as, but not limited to tendonitis;

(ii) Circulatory compromise such as, but are not limited to:

(A) Lymphedema;

(B) Raynaud's disease;

(C) Thromboangiitis obliterans; and

(D) Phlebitis.

(iii) Injuries, fractures, sprains, and dislocations;

(iv) Gout;

(v) Lacerations, ulcerations, wounds, blisters;

(vi) Neuropathies (e.g., reflex sympathetic dystrophy, secondary to diabetes, charcot arthropathy);

(vii) Osteomyelitis;

(viii) Post-op complications;

(ix) Warts, corns, or calluses in the presence of an acute condition such as infection and pain effecting the client's ability to ambulate as a result of the warts, corns, or calluses and meets the criteria in subsection (4) of this section;

(x) Soft tissue conditions, such as, but are not limited to:

(A) Rashes;

(B) Infections (fungal, bacterial);

(C) Gangrene;

(D) Cellulitis of lower extremities;

(E) Soft tissue tumors; and

(F) Neuroma.

(xi) Nail bed infections (paronychia); and

(xii) Tarsal tunnel syndrome.

(b) Trimming and/or debridement of nails to treat, as applicable, conditions from the list in subsection (4)(a) of this section. The department pays for one treatment in a 60-day period. The department covers additional treatments in this period if documented in the client's medical record as being medically necessary;

(c) A surgical procedure to treat one of the conditions in subsection (4) of this section performed on the lower extremities, and performed by a qualified provider;

(d) Impression casting to treat one of the conditions in subsection (4) of this section. The department includes 90-day follow-up care in the reimbursement;

(e) Custom fitted and/or custom molded orthotic devices to treat one of the conditions in subsection (4) of this section.

(i) The department's fee for the orthotic device includes reimbursement for a biomechanical evaluation (an evaluation of the foot that includes various measurements and manipulations necessary for the fitting of an orthotic device); and

(ii) The department includes an evaluation and management (E&M) fee reimbursement in addition to an orthotic fee reimbursement if the E&M services are justified and well documented in the client's medical record.

(5) The department does not pay for:

(a) The following radiology services:

(i) Bilateral X-rays for a unilateral condition; or

(ii) X-rays in excess of three views; or

(iii) X-rays that are ordered before the client is examined.

(b) Podiatric physicians or surgeons for X-rays for any part of the body other than the foot or ankle.