Ohio House Passes Legislation to Make Diabetic Shoes Easier to Access, Distribute

State Representative Kristina Daley Roegner (R-Hudson) has announced that the Ohio House of Representatives today passed House Bill 326, legislation that adds diabetic shoe fitters to the list of those practicing orthotics, prosthetics or pedorthics who are exempted from licensure.

“I’m pleased that my colleagues in the House unanimously supported this bill that will have a profound, positive impact for diabetics across the state,” said Rep. Roegner.

According to House Bill 326, individuals who fit therapeutic diabetic shoes and shoe inserts would be exempt from the licensing requirement as long as the individual has undergone one of the following:
• A manufacturer’s training course, which includes instruction on the fitting of the device and has demonstrated successful completion by means of an assessment
• A study course that provides instruction on the fitting of diabetic shoes and inserts along with patient management and is either approved by the National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education or certified by an orthotic and prosthetic certification organization that is approved by the national commission

“After the bill was introduced, we heard from many pharmacies across the state that would benefit from this legislation and, more importantly, they would be able to better serve their diabetic customers,” said Rep. Roegner.

More than 10 percent of Ohio adults (885,815 adults) have been diagnosed with diabetes. To help with proper weight distribution and circulation, diabetics often require custom-fit diabetic shoes or inserts. Ohio is one of only 15 states that require a license to fit pedorthic devices such as diabetic shoes. According to the director of the Ohio State Board of Orthotics, Prosthetics, and Pedorthics, there are only 129 people licensed to fit pedorthic devices in the state of Ohio as of December 2012.

The need for House Bill 326 was brought to Rep. Roegner by a constituent who owns an independent pharmacy. He explained that the current requirement for licensure is not only unnecessary if the individual was otherwise properly trained, but also cost prohibitive for small businesses.

House Bill 326 passed with unanimous support and will now move to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.