"Special shoes" is a wide phrase. The published guidance splits it into pieces, and each piece carries its own condition.
It depends on the person
The wording is conditional, not universal. The American Diabetes Association says that for some people, socks made for people with diabetes may be advised.
Inserts follow the same pattern
APMA says prescription custom orthotics and shoe inserts can be used to treat diabetic foot ulcers, painful calluses on the bottom of the foot, and other uncomfortable conditions. Look at the verbs: "may be advised" and "can be used." Neither is a requirement, and neither says who should get them.
Four reference pages explain orthotics in general: Foot Health Facts on orthotics, Cleveland Clinic's overview of orthotics, APMA's page on prescription custom orthotics and shoe inserts and OrthoInfo's page on orthotics.
Who decides, and what to ask
Ask a foot doctor which, if any, of these apply to your feet, and whether the office writes the prescription itself or sends you elsewhere. Bring the shoes you wear every day. Itasca readers can put the same questions to any nearby office.
The three words readers skip
"For some people" is the clause that matters. It means the answer for a neighbor is not automatically the answer for you. Do not buy anything on the strength of a general claim until someone has examined your feet.