The VA provides therapeutic footwear and custom orthotics/inserts as a prosthetic and sensory aid benefit, not as part of a disability rating. This benefit is most commonly associated with VHA Directive 1173.9, which governs podiatry and therapeutic footwear services, and it is typically available to veterans enrolled in VA health care who have a qualifying foot, ankle, or lower-limb condition documented by a VA provider, such as diabetic foot complications, structural deformities, chronic pain conditions, or post-injury/post-surgical needs. It is separate from VA disability compensation, so you do not need a service-connected rating to qualify; you need a clinical need identified by a VA clinician.
The general process starts with a conversation with your VA primary care provider or podiatry team. You describe your symptoms or foot-related limitations, and if the provider agrees it is medically indicated, they enter a referral or consult to the Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service (PSAS). PSAS reviews the request and, if approved, sends an order to a contracted vendor, which is often an outside orthotics and prosthetics company under a nationwide VA contract, or occasionally handled by an in-house VA prosthetics lab depending on your facility. The vendor then fits you for shoes and, if prescribed separately, custom insoles or inserts, which may involve a follow-up appointment weeks later once the molds or measurements are processed into a finished product.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
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Analyze my claim free →Processing times vary significantly by facility, referral backlog, and vendor availability, so no single timeframe applies to everyone. Some veterans receive shoes within a few weeks, others experience longer waits depending on regional contracts and clinic scheduling. This benefit generally is not something you can request directly through a disability claim (VA Form 21-526EZ) since it is a health care benefit administered through the VHA side of the VA rather than the VBA compensation side.
If you believe you have a qualifying foot or lower-limb condition, the concrete next step is to send a secure message to your VA primary care team (through the VA app, MyHealtheVet, or by calling your clinic) asking specifically to be evaluated for therapeutic footwear under the podiatry/prosthetics program, since naming the correct referral pathway often speeds up the process compared to a general mention of foot pain.
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