Podiatry

Service description

Podiatrists assess, diagnose, treat and manage conditions of the lower limbs including feet and ankles. Clients can find a podiatrist on the Australian Podiatry Association website.

Eligibility

The TAC can pay the reasonable cost of podiatry services required to treat a TAC client’s transport accident injuries.

Where a pre-existing condition has become worse after a transport accident, the TAC will consider funding treatment for that condition. The level of treatment that the TAC can consider funding will depend on how much the transport accident has worsened that condition.

A medical excess may apply for accidents that occurred prior to 14 February 2018.

What the TAC will pay for

The TAC will pay the reasonable cost of podiatry treatment. This includes:

Podiatry consultations, which may involve:
- assessing and diagnosing injuries
- developing treatment plans and reviewing progress using outcome measures
- conducting psychosocial screening
- providing education, manual therapy and exercise-based treatment
- preparing Certificates of Capacity
- advising on footwear and prescribing orthoses or partial prostheses.
extended consultations for treatment that cannot be adequately addressed in a standard consultation for a client who has either:
- complex biomechanical presentations including bilateral conditions or multiple concurrent foot and ankle issues
- multiple lower-limb injuries or multi-site injuries requiring comprehensive assessment and intervention
- significant gait dysfunction requiring detailed assessment and management
- high-risk foot presentations, including active wounds, ulceration, pressure-related issues or complex off-loading requirements
- bariatric clients where mobility limitations and clinical management requirements substantially increase the complexity of assessment and treatment.
  (applicable from 1 December 2026)
provider travel when the client is medically unfit to travel or where treatment in the client’s functional environment is clinically justified (included as part of the out of rooms consultation fee).
attendance at a TAC-requested meeting, where the TAC client is present (applicable from 1 December 2026)
equipment in accordance with the Medical and rehabilitation equipment policy
completion of an Allied Health Treatment and Recovery Plan and Orthotic Device Request Form when requested by the TAC (applicable from 1 December 2026)
podiatry services provided in hospital where the cost of podiatry is not included in the hospital bed fee.
biomechanical examinations where there is clinical justification to conduct examinations outside of the scope of a podiatry consultation.
orthomechanical services and procedures, such as impressions and models, prescription orthoses and simple digital or partial prosthesis.
in-rooms podiatric surgery. For podiatric surgery occurring in hospital, see our Medical practitioner guidelines and Private hospital guidelines.

The TAC will pay for treatment and services according to the Podiatry fee schedule. If a provider charges more than the TAC rate, the client may need to pay a gap fee to cover the difference. Information about how the TAC pays for services can be found on the Paying for treatment and services page.

What the TAC won't pay for

The TAC won't pay for:

services that are not required for the treatment of transport accident-related injuries.
services provided by individuals who do not meet the provider guideline requirements or comply with the Allied Health Policy
services that are not evidence based, reasonable, safe, clinically justified and outcome focused.

This includes:

Podiatry provided by students or by practitioners who are not registered with AHPRA.
Diagnostic services billed in conjunction with a consultation fee unless the diagnostic service was beyond the scope of consultation conducted.
Repair or replacement of an orthoses that was not damaged as a result of the transport accident injury.
Maintenance, repair, modification or replacement of an orthoses under warranty.
Footwear normally issued by an employer.
Standard off the shelf footwear unless required to fit custom modifications or orthotics required as a result of transport accident injuries.
Concurrent treatment where a client is receiving podiatry at the same time as physiotherapy for the same lower limb injury, except in exceptional circumstances. See the Allied Health Policy for further information.

Further information can be found at What we cannot pay for.

Information required by the TAC

Within the first 90 days of a client’s accident, the TAC can help pay for podiatry services without prior TAC approval. The TAC may contact clients or their service providers to discuss progress and to ensure that treatment is clinically justified and outcome focused.

If a client needs podiatry beyond 90 days after their transport accident, the TAC must provide approval before TAC-funded treatment can be delivered. Prior approval is also needed if it has been more than 6 months since the client last received any TAC-funded treatment.

To request further treatment, podiatrists must complete an Allied Health Treatment and Recovery Plan. The TAC will use this information to consider if the client is receiving treatment that aligns with the Clinical Framework and continues to be reasonable, clinically justified and outcome focused. Based on this assessment, the TAC will inform the provider and client about what the TAC will help pay for and for how long.

Provider guidelines

To provide TAC-funded podiatry, a podiatrist must:

be registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (AHPRA) to practice in the podiatry profession (other than as a student)
comply with the TAC's Allied Health policy
adhere to the principles of the Clinical Framework for the Delivery of Health Services.

Promoting independence and avoiding treatment dependence

Principle 3 of the TAC Clinical Framework expects that podiatrists avoid reliance on treatment and services through early education, setting clear treatment expectations and encouraging active participation in daily activities. All stages of recovery should include strategies that empower the injured client to manage their injury independently. Further guidance on promoting injury self-management is available in the TAC Clinical Framework.

Related policies and information

This policy should be read in conjunction with the Allied Health Policy.


Podiatry Service description Podiatrists assess, diagnose, treat and manage conditions of the lower limbs including feet and ankles. Clients can find a podiatrist on the Australian Podiatry Association website. Eligibility The TAC can pay the reasonable cost of podiatry services required to treat a TAC client’s transport accident injuries. Where a pre-existing condition has become worse after a transport accident, the TAC will consider funding treatment for that condition. The level of treatment that the TAC can consider funding will depend on how much the transport accident has worsened that condition. A medical excess may apply for accidents that occurred prior to 14 February 2018. What the TAC will pay for The TAC will pay the reasonable cost of podiatry treatment. This includes: Podiatry consultations, which may involve: assessing and diagnosing injuries developing treatment plans and reviewing progress using outcome measures conducting psychosocial screening providing education, manual therapy and exercise-based treatment preparing Certificates of Capacity advising on footwear and prescribing orthoses or partial prostheses. extended consultations for treatment that cannot be adequately addressed in a standard consultation for a client who has either: complex biomechanical presentations including bilateral conditions or multiple concurrent foot and ankle issues multiple lower-limb injuries or multi-site injuries requiring comprehensive assessment and intervention significant gait dysfunction requiring detailed assessment and management high-risk foot presentations, including active wounds, ulceration, pressure-related issues or complex off-loading requirements bariatric clients where mobility limitations and clinical management requirements substantially increase the complexity of assessment and treatment. (applicable from 1 December 2026) provider travel when the client is medically unfit to travel or where treatment in the client’s functional environment is clinically justified (included as part of the out of rooms consultation fee). attendance at a TAC-requested meeting, where the TAC client is present (applicable from 1 December 2026) equipment in accordance with the Medical and rehabilitation equipment policy completion of an Allied Health Treatment and Recovery Plan and Orthotic Device Request Form when requested by the TAC (applicable from 1 December 2026) podiatry services provided in hospital where the cost of podiatry is not included in the hospital bed fee. biomechanical examinations where there is clinical justification to conduct examinations outside of the scope of a podiatry consultation. orthomechanical services and procedures, such as impressions and models, prescription orthoses and simple digital or partial prosthesis. in-rooms podiatric surgery. For podiatric surgery occurring in hospital, see our Medical practitioner guidelines and Private hospital guidelines. The TAC will pay for treatment and services according to the Podiatry fee schedule. If a provider charges more than the TAC rate, the client may need to pay a gap fee to cover the difference. Information about how the TAC pays for services can be found on the Paying for treatment and services page. What the TAC won't pay for The TAC won't pay for: services that are not required for the treatment of transport accident-related injuries. services provided by individuals who do not meet the provider guideline requirements or comply with the Allied Health Policy services that are not evidence based, reasonable, safe, clinically justified and outcome focused. This includes: Podiatry provided by students or by practitioners who are not registered with AHPRA. Diagnostic services billed in conjunction with a consultation fee unless the diagnostic service was beyond the scope of consultation conducted. Repair or replacement of an orthoses that was not damaged as a result of the transport accident injury. Maintenance, repair, modification or replacement of an orthoses under warranty. Footwear normally issued by an employer. Standard off the shelf footwear unless required to fit custom modifications or orthotics required as a result of transport accident injuries. Concurrent treatment where a client is receiving podiatry at the same time as physiotherapy for the same lower limb injury, except in exceptional circumstances. See the Allied Health Policy for further information. Further information can be found at What we cannot pay for. Information required by the TAC Within the first 90 days of a client’s accident, the TAC can help pay for podiatry services without prior TAC approval. The TAC may contact clients or their service providers to discuss progress and to ensure that treatment is clinically justified and outcome focused. If a client needs podiatry beyond 90 days after their transport accident, the TAC must provide approval before TAC-funded treatment can be delivered. Prior approval is also needed if it has been more than 6 months since the client last received any TAC-funded treatment. To request further treatment, podiatrists must complete an Allied Health Treatment and Recovery Plan. The TAC will use this information to consider if the client is receiving treatment that aligns with the Clinical Framework and continues to be reasonable, clinically justified and outcome focused. Based on this assessment, the TAC will inform the provider and client about what the TAC will help pay for and for how long. Provider guidelines To provide TAC-funded podiatry, a podiatrist must: be registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (AHPRA) to practice in the podiatry profession (other than as a student) comply with the TAC's Allied Health policy adhere to the principles of the Clinical Framework for the Delivery of Health Services. Promoting independence and avoiding treatment dependence Principle 3 of the TAC Clinical Framework expects that podiatrists avoid reliance on treatment and services through early education, setting clear treatment expectations and encouraging active participation in daily activities. All stages of recovery should include strategies that empower the injured client to manage their injury independently. Further guidance on promoting injury self-management is available in the TAC Clinical Framework. Related policies and information This policy should be read in conjunction with the Allied Health Policy.