What Medicare.gov and the IRS Say: Does Medicare, an HSA or an FSA Cover Diabetic Socks?

Quick answer: No. Original Medicare does not pay for diabetic socks: the foot benefit on Medicare.gov covers therapeutic shoes and inserts, not socks. Medicare.gov says Advantage plans can add extra benefits, and some plans' over-the-counter catalogs include diabetic socks. Many HSA, FSA and HRA plans reimburse them, but the IRS doesn't name socks, so check your plan and keep your receipt.

This guide covers Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medigap, Medicaid and tax-free health accounts, using rules published on Medicare.gov and IRS.gov as of October 2026. We sell Mi Socks, so every rule below links to its official source.

Does Medicare cover diabetic socks, according to Medicare.gov?

No. Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) does not cover diabetic socks: the Medicare.gov page on therapeutic shoes and inserts does not list socks, and neither does Medicare's July 2026 booklet on diabetes supplies and services.

Medicare.gov also says Part B usually doesn't cover common medical supplies you use at home, like bandages and gauze, and that you pay 100% for most of them. Socks aren't on any of these coverage lists, so you pay the full price unless another plan or account helps. Our diabetic sock price guide shows typical prices per pair.

Which diabetic supplies do Parts B and D pay for?

Here is what Medicare's 2026 diabetes booklet and Medicare.gov list, with socks added for comparison. The costs shown are for Original Medicare; Advantage plans can have different out-of-pocket costs (Medicare.gov).

Diabetes items and who pays under Original Medicare in 2026, from Medicare.gov (socks added for comparison)
Item Paid by Main condition Your cost
Diabetic socks Not Part A, B or D Not a covered item Full price
Extra-depth or custom-molded shoes, plus inserts Part B Diabetes plus a qualifying foot condition, certified by the doctor who manages your diabetes 20% after the Part B deductible
Foot exam by a podiatrist or other foot care specialist Part B Diabetes-related nerve damage with loss of feeling; once every 6 months 20% after the deductible
Glucose meter, test strips, lancets Part B A prescription; limits on how much and how often 20% after the deductible
Continuous glucose monitor (CGM) Part B You take insulin or have had problems with low blood sugar, you are trained to use it, and a provider orders it 20% after the deductible
Insulin Part D, or Part B when used with a covered pump A prescription No more than $35 for a one-month supply; no deductible
Syringes, needles, alcohol swabs Part D (Part B doesn't cover them) Used for insulin injections Your plan's copay or coinsurance
Lymphedema compression garments and wraps Part B A lymphedema diagnosis and a provider's order 20% after the deductible

The Part B deductible is $283 in 2026, according to Medicare.gov.

What Part B covers for your feet: shoes, inserts and foot exams

Part B's foot benefit is built around shoes. If you have diabetes and severe diabetes-related foot disease, Medicare.gov says Part B covers one of these each calendar year:

  • One pair of extra-depth (depth-inlay) shoes and 3 pairs of inserts, or
  • One pair of custom-molded shoes, including inserts, if a foot deformity means you can't wear depth-inlay shoes, plus 2 more pairs of inserts.

To qualify, Medicare's booklet says the doctor who manages your diabetes must certify that you have diabetes, that you follow a comprehensive diabetes care plan, and that you have at least one of these in one or both feet:

  • A foot deformity
  • Calluses that could turn into open sores
  • Nerve damage from diabetes, with callus problems
  • Open foot sores in the past
  • Poor circulation
  • The loss of all or part of a foot

A podiatrist or other qualified provider prescribes the shoes, and a podiatrist, pedorthist, orthotist, prosthetist or other qualified person fits them (Medicare booklet). The doctors and suppliers must be enrolled in Medicare, and you pay 20% of the amount Medicare allows after the deductible if the supplier accepts assignment, meaning it takes Medicare's price as full payment (Medicare.gov). Ask before you order: Medicare.gov says a supplier that doesn't accept assignment has no limit on what it can charge.

Part B also pays for a foot exam every 6 months if you have diabetes-related nerve damage that has caused loss of feeling in your feet, as long as you haven't seen a foot care professional for another reason in between (Medicare.gov). That visit is a good time to ask your podiatrist which socks suit your feet. Our guide to diabetic shoes and socks covers how to choose a pair that fits together.

Routine care such as trimming nails or removing corns and calluses usually isn't covered (Medicare.gov), though the diabetes foot exam above can include callus and toenail care.

Don't wait for a covered visit if something looks wrong. NIDDK says to call your health care provider right away if a cut, blister or bruise on your foot doesn't start to heal after a few days, or if the skin on your foot turns red, warm or painful.

Can you buy diabetic socks with an Advantage plan's OTC card?

Sometimes. Medicare.gov says Medicare Advantage plans may offer extra benefits that Original Medicare doesn't cover. A common extra is an allowance for over-the-counter (OTC) health items: in KFF's analysis of 2022 enrollment, 84% of people in individual plans of this kind had one. Plans change their extras every year.

Some plan catalogs include diabetic socks. For example, Kaiser Permanente's 2023 OTC catalog for its Georgia Senior Advantage plans listed Dr. Scholl's diabetic crew socks at $20 a pair and Jobst SensiFoot diabetic socks at $25 a pair. The same section also listed 8-15 mmHg compression socks, so ask your doctor before you order a compression pair. Allowances, items and approved stores vary by plan.

To check your plan:

  1. Find your plan's OTC catalog or member website. The phone number is on the back of your member card.
  2. Search the catalog for "diabetic socks" or "diabetes socks."
  3. If a description lists an mmHg number, it is a compression sock, so ask your doctor before you wear one.
  4. Check your balance and when it resets. Kaiser's Georgia allowance, for example, was quarterly and didn't carry over.
  5. Order through the plan's catalog, website or partner store.

Mi Socks is not sold through any plan's OTC catalog, so an OTC allowance can't be spent at misocks.co.

Are diabetic socks HSA or FSA eligible under IRS rules?

Often yes, but it depends on your account and plan. IRS Publication 502 doesn't mention socks, and the IRS says medical expenses must be primarily for a physical or mental illness or disability, not merely good for your general health (IRS FAQ).

Because the IRS doesn't name every item, benefits administrators keep their own lists, and they differ: Lively, for example, lists diabetic socks as eligible for FSA, HSA and HRA accounts, but not for a limited-purpose FSA or a dependent care FSA. That matches the IRS rules on those two accounts: a limited-purpose FSA is generally limited to dental, vision and preventive care (IRS Publication 969), and a dependent care FSA pays for the care of a child or dependent adult while you work (IRS Publication 503).

Who checks the claim depends on the account. An FSA or HRA reviews each claim before it pays you, but with an HSA you usually pay or repay yourself (IRS Publication 969). The IRS says an HSA withdrawal that isn't for a qualified medical expense is taxable and may owe an extra 20% tax.

Some plans ask for a letter of medical necessity, a short note from your doctor saying why you need the item. For some sock types, such as anti-embolism stockings, Lively notes that a plan may repay only the extra cost over a regular pair.

Be careful with websites that sell instant doctor's notes. The IRS has warned that a note based merely on self-reported health information doesn't turn non-medical food, wellness or exercise costs into medical expenses (IR-2024-65). If your plan wants a letter, ask your own doctor.

How to get reimbursed for diabetic socks, step by step

  1. Check your plan's list first. Search your benefits website for "diabetic socks," or call the number on your benefits card.
  2. Ask if you need a letter. If your plan wants one, get it from your own doctor before you file.
  3. Buy the socks and save the receipt. It should show the seller, the date, the item and the price. For an FSA, IRS Publication 969 says you need a written statement from an independent third party showing the expense and the amount, plus your statement that no other plan paid it.
  4. File the claim. Use your plan's website or app, or pay with your benefits card where the store accepts it.
  5. Keep your records. IRS Publication 969 says HSA owners must keep records showing each withdrawal paid for qualified medical expenses that weren't paid from another source.

One order of several pairs means one receipt to file. A Mi Socks 6-pack ($6 a pair) puts six pairs on one receipt, and our diabetic sock value packs come in 3, 6 and 12 pairs, all shipping free in the US (free shipping starts at $19). Mi Socks are non-compression comfort socks with a non-binding top, a smooth flat toe seam and a cushioned sole. Only your plan can say whether it will repay them.

What IRS Publication 969 says about HSAs after you join Medicare

You can keep spending money already in your HSA, but IRS Publication 969 says your contribution limit drops to zero starting with the first month you're enrolled in Medicare.

Withdrawals for qualified medical expenses stay tax-free, and once you're 65 the IRS lets you use HSA money for Medicare premiums such as Part B, though not for Medigap premiums (Publication 969). If your Medicare enrollment is backdated, the IRS counts contributions made during the backdated months as excess contributions.

Frequently asked questions

Does a Medigap plan pay for diabetic socks?

Generally no. Medigap helps pay your share of costs in Original Medicare, like copayments, coinsurance and deductibles (Medicare.gov), and socks aren't a covered item.

Will a prescription make diabetic socks covered?

No. None of the diabetes benefits in Medicare's 2026 booklet include socks, and Part B pays only for items that fit one of its benefits. If your doctor orders shoes or inserts and you qualify, that is the benefit to use (Medicare.gov).

Does Part B ever pay for compression socks?

Only in specific cases. Part B covers gradient compression garments, wraps and bandaging supplies for people with lymphedema when a doctor or other provider orders them (Medicare.gov). Certain compression stockings can also be covered as a dressing for an open leg wound caused by vein problems (CMS surgical dressings policy), so ask your doctor if either applies to you. Diabetic socks are a different product with a loose, non-binding top, and Mi Socks are non-compression. See diabetic socks vs compression socks.

Do I need a doctor's note to get reimbursed for diabetic socks?

It depends on your plan. Some accept a receipt alone, and others want a letter of medical necessity. If you need one, get it from your own doctor, not a website that sells notes (IRS).

Will my benefits card work at Mi Socks?

We can't promise it. Mi Socks doesn't run a special health-account checkout, so some benefits cards may be declined. If that happens, pay with another card, save your order confirmation as your receipt, and file a claim with your plan. Questions about an order? Contact us.

Is there any other program that helps pay for diabetic socks?

If you have Medicaid, ask your doctor's office or your state Medicaid office, because each state sets its own Medicaid benefits within federal rules (Medicaid.gov).

This guide explains published rules. It is not tax, legal or insurance advice, and your plan has the final say. To confirm Medicare details for your situation, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or visit Medicare.gov.

Sources

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