I found out today that Medicare and Tricare won't pay for a Podiatrist to make inserts for a heel spur. Who do I start with to get it funded?

The VA. If you are registered with the VA it starts with a consult from your primary care doc to podiatry. They then dubmitca consult to a provider to make a cast then your inserts.

That's part of the conundrum. Nearest military hospital is a 5 hour drive. And yes if I could get an appointment I could make the drive and get them. I can also go to VA and in about 18 months or so also get them. The point is that as a retiree they should be funded through my normal doctors. That is my family doctor and podiatrist. I chose years ago to have a family doctor and not use the VA clinic.

I understand your problem, I'm on Medicare & Tricare For Life. I needed a right knee replacement, BUT, I ran into some hard cases @ UC Health Aurora & CU Sports Medicine in Denver. Neither Agency would do the surgery. So now I'm getting it done through The Joint Replacement Initiative run out the USAF Academy Orthopedics Dept, Colorado Springs. The program is congressionally funded. The procedure being done @ Ft Carson's Evans Army Hospital. It's an 2 hours trip each time for me to visit the doctors, but the cost to me; Zero. Good luck Sir.

SSG Mark Metzler Finding resources such as you did requires some real digging and insights into how the system works or should work. Hard to believe SM retirees have to jump through such hoops or make such extraordinary efforts to get medical treatment for themselves or families.