If you have developed any problem on your foot or ankle then you need to consult any experienced podiatrist to diagnose and treat the problem. However, the first thing that may come to your mind is what the expense would be.
Therefore, naturally, you will like to know whether the treatment expenses of the Blue Cross Blue Shield podiatrist will be compensated by your medical insurance or not. Therefore, in this post, we will discuss how you must choose your podiatrist so that you can get your foot issues treated and get insurance cover too.
What a Podiatrist is?
Podiatrists are certain medical professionals who have got specialization in treating problems that may have affected your feet, ankles, and also lower legs. Although podiatrists can also be called doctors, they may not go to the same traditional medical school that all other doctors attend.
Generally, podiatrists attend certain specific professional associations and schools. They have a DPM (doctor of podiatric medicine) after their names rather than an MD for a medical doctor.
Most of these podiatrists have a certain bachelor’s degree in biology or some other science before they attend podiatry school for 4 years. Their training will cover the muscles, bones, and nerves of the feet and also the lower leg to understand how they generally work together to help us move.
Also, they will study any illnesses or injuries that may affect our feet and lower legs, and how to diagnose and treat all those issues. Their training will focus on how to treat the problems with surgery if ever needed. In the USA, there are 9 American Podiatric Medical Associations that are accredited podiatry schools.
After their initial training in the podiatry school, they will work in a certain hospital for 3 years as their residency. They will work on various patients and what they have learned so far under the supervision of experienced doctors, surgeons, and other specialists.
After their residency, also they can go for further studies with advanced certification courses on ankles and feet.
How can you find the best Podiatrist?
1. Consult your family doctor
The best option is to consult your trusted family doctor who may know the best podiatrist in your area. Also, your family doctor will do a preliminary checkup so that he can rule out all other factors that causing your condition.
2. Discuss with your insurance company
All insurance companies have a list of all podiatrists that are affiliated with them. A few of them must be practicing in some other city or state, so you will have the list of all recognized foot specialists wherever you are.
3. Search online
Another alternative is that you can search online and read the review about the podiatrist and where you will also know whether the specialist is covered by your medical insurance company or not.
4. Get insights from your friends and colleagues
Many of your relatives, colleagues, and friends must have ever consulted with a certain podiatrist and hence they can also share their experiences which will be most authenticated whom you can trust.
5. Ensure that your Podiatrist makes you comfortable
Also, you must feel comfortable discussing all your issues with your prospective podiatrist so that he or she will know about your conditions fully before considering your treatment options.
6. Find one that is an expert in their field
Look for a podiatrist who is an expert in his field. You will generally find a podiatrist BCBS having more than 20 years of experience, who may also be able to treat you without any surgery.
7. Find a clinic having the best facility
Get proper feedback about the clinic where you are visiting and ensure that they have the best treatment facility as well as an experienced team of podiatrists. Also, make sure that it is covered under your insurance plan.
If you refer to any podiatrist Blue Cross Blue Shield in Irvine Orange County then most of the insurance plans that exist in California are accepted. Also, the podiatrists available here will pay the utmost attention to the needs of every patient and do their best to be supportive of your insurance plan.