Medical grade footwear

Information and resources for health providers and contracted suppliers. Learn how to prescribe or supply medical grade footwear to eligible clients.

Health providers

What is Medical Grade Footwear

Medical grade footwear (MGF) may be provided when suitable everyday shoes cannot fit or be modified because of a:

• deformity of either or both the foot or the ankle
• abnormality of either or both the foot or the ankle

Medical grade footwear includes:

• ready-made extra depth and/or width footwear
• custom-made footwear manufactured by a contracted supplier to fit a client's individual foot and/or ankle structure.

Medical grade footwear does not include:

• everyday footwear that can be purchased from a retail shop (sneakers, casual shoes, formal shoes)
• inappropriate styles of shoes (slippers, slip-on shoes, open-toed shoes, high-heeled shoes or orthotic shoes)
• shoes for the primary purpose of accommodating orthosis

Who can receive MGF

Our clients may be eligible for MGF if they have been clinically assessed as having a deformity or abnormality of either or both the foot or the ankle. They must hold either a:

• Veteran Gold Card
• Veteran White Card and the footwear is to treat an accepted health condition

Who can prescribe

You can prescribe MGF if you are a podiatrist or medical specialist such as a:

• orthopaedic surgeon
• rehabilitation specialist
• rheumatologist

Before a podiatrist can assess the client you must have a valid referral from a:

• general practitioner (GP)
• medical specialist
• health professional as part of hospital discharge

Prescribing MGF

Before you prescribe

Assessing health providers must follow the rules and supply limits in our guidelines:

• National Guideline for the Medical Grade Footwear Program (DOCX 67 KB)
• Footwear Prescription - Flowchart of clinical pathway 2023 (DOC) 

Before you treat a client with a Veteran White Card you must check their eligibility by contacting our provider line 1800 550 457.

How to prescribe MGF

As a health provider you need to complete Section A of the current prescription form:

• D0688 - Medical Grade Footwear prescription form

Then send the prescription form to a contracted MGF supplier:

• MGF suppliers list (XLSX 93 KB)

When required, the contracted MGF supplier will seek prior approval from us. The supplier will send the MGF to you as the assessing health provider to issue to the client, unless you have made other arrangements with the supplier.

Ready-made MGF

If you are prescribing ready-made MGF you can either:

• select a shoe from the ready-made register
• specify the required features of the shoe that can be sourced from the ready-made MGF register.

Register of DVA-approved ready-made MGF footwear (XLSX 100 KB)

Custom made MGF

If you are prescribing custom made MGF you will need to specify:

• the shoe requirements
• any modifications to accommodate the foot function and structure

Recreational MGF

Clients may be eligible for an additional pair of recreational MGF (e.g. bowling or golf shoes) if the client is participating in recreational sporting activity.  Please ensure the client is already using a pair of MGF

Follow-up assessment

Within 1-2 months of the newly supplied MGF, assessing health providers should check the quality, fit and suitability of the supplied MGF.  If any problems are identified at this stage, liaise with the MGF supplier to adequately resolve the issue in a timely manner.

Contracted suppliers

As a contracted supplier, you should:

• accept the assessing health provider's prescription (Section A of the current prescription form)
• work with the client and the assessing health provider to supply the MGF according to the prescription
• measure, fit and trial the MGF with the client
• seek prior approval from us when we require it
• complete and send Section B of the prescription form to the assessing health provider
• send the MGF to the assessing health provider to issue to the client, unless you have made other arrangements with the provider.

Current prescription form

• D0688 - Medical Grade Footwear prescription form

Contracted suppliers must follow the rules set out in our:

Terms and conditions

• MGF Terms and Conditions (DOCX 79 KB)

Notes

• The Notes for MGF Suppliers (PDF 2.5 MB)

Fees

• DVA Medical Grade Footwear Schedule of Fees

Register of ready made MGF footwear

• Register of DVA-approved ready-made MGF footwear (XLSX 100 KB)

MGF Technical Specifications

• Technical Specifications of Medical Grade Footwear (DOCX 139KB)

List of MGF contracted suppliers

• MGF suppliers list (XLSX 93 KB)

Obtaining prior approval

You must obtain prior approval from us for:

• custom made MGF
• recreational MGF
• when supply is above two pairs of MGF
• repairs and modifications not listed in the Medical Grade Footwear Schedule Fees
• Veteran White Card holders. The assessing health provider should have checked with us before submitting the prescription form to you.

Complete Section B of the prescription form received from the assessing health provider and send to AMBRAPMGF [at] dva.gov.au (AMBRAPMGF[at]dva[dot]gov[dot]au) with supporting documentation.

Contact Us

To speak to us about MGF you can:

• call our Health Provider Line on 1800 550 457
• email: AMBRAPMGF [at] dva.gov.au (AMBRAPMGF[at]dva[dot]gov[dot]au)