Medical-grade footwear
Financial subsidies are available under the Medical Aids Subsidy Scheme (MASS) to support eligible Queenslanders who require medical-grade pre-fabricated, custom-made and customised medical-grade footwear.
The guidelines relating to reapplication for Medical Grade Footwear/Orthoses will change from 1 October 2017.
From 1 October, the eligibility timeframes for Medical Grade Footwear/Orthoses will be:
Adults (16 years and older) 18 months
Children (under 16 years) 12 months
The reapplication timeframes will be from the date of last approval, and will apply to all applications received from 1 October. Applications received before that date will be subject to the existing timeframes.
Applications inside the new eligibility periods will be considered on a case by case basis, but will require a written request supported by clinical reasoning.
Eligible prescribers
- Private orthopaedic surgeons
- Vascular surgeons
- Medical specialists in rheumatology, rehabilitation, geriatrics, endocrinology and neurology
How to prescribe
Specific eligibility, application and documentation requirements are provided in both the MASS General Guidelines (PDF, 474kB) and relevant application guidelines. Applicants should seek a referral to a medical-grade footwear supplier approved by MASS for a medical prescription and quotation to include with their application form. As part of determining clinical eligibility, a photograph of the applicant wearing the footwear is required. The prescriber then works with the applicant to complete and submit their application form. Re-applications for subsidy funding must be 12 months from the last approval for adults (16 years and older) and 9 months for children (under 16 years).
Application guidelines
- Application Guidelines for Medical-Grade Footwear (PDF, 477kB)
Application forms
- MASS 60 - Medical-Grade Footwear Application Form (PDF, 641kB)
- Appendix: Supplier Information (PDF, 115kB)
- MASS 82 - MGF/Orthoses Photographic Consent Form (PDF, 171kB)
Approved medical-grade footwear suppliers
Clinical resources
- MASS Medical-Grade Footwear Program (2011) (PDF, 1.6MB) – Presentation illustrating fabricated, customised and custom made medical-grade footwear
- MASS Prescription Footwear and Associated Modifications (PDF, 1.9MB) – Presentation illustration types of prescription footwear
Information for clients
- Medical grade footwear - frequently asked questions (PDF, 236kB)
Advice and clinical support
Contact the MASS Principal Medical Advisor for Medical-Grade Footwear.
