Treatment and Taxes

The following is a reprint of an article by Diane Joswick, L.Ac., M.S.O.M. that I discovered on Acufinder. I have noticed that not many patients think to ask this question, but just in case you were curious...

                        Is Acupuncture Tax Deductible?
                                    By: Diane Joswick, L.Ac., MSOM

Yes! So keep track of your treatments.  The costs of acupuncture and prescribed herbal medicine are indeed deductible medical expenses. 

What is a medical expense?
Acupuncture falls under the definition of a medical expense which is: "the costs of diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of diseases, and the costs for treatments affecting any part or function of the body.  They include the costs of equipment, supplies, and diagnostic devices needed for these purposes."

What expenses can you include?
ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENTS:
You can include the amount you pay for acupuncture for you, your spouse, children and dependents.

PRESCRIBED HERBS AND SUPPLEMENTS:
Nutritional supplements, vitamins, Chinese herbal supplements and other natural medicines that are recommended by a medical practitioner as treatment for a specific medical condition diagnosed by a physician are tax deductible.  In many states acupuncturists are considered primary care physicians and this applies to them.

TRANSPORTATION TO ACUPUNCTURE APPOINTMENT:
The standard mileage rate allowed for out-of-pocket expenses for a car when you use it for medical reasons is 14 cents a mile for 2004.

Bus, taxi, train and plane fares primarily for and essential to medical care are also included.

How much of the expenses are included?
You can deduct only the amount of your total medical and dental expenses for the year that is more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income.

Click here to see IRS information about medical tax deductions: More medical expense information