What Expenses Are Not Deductible?

Following is a list of some items that you cannot include in figuring your medical expense deduction. The items are listed in alphabetical order.

Baby Sitting, Child Care, and Nursing Services for a Normal, Healthy Baby

You cannot include in medical expenses amounts you pay for the care of your children even if the expenses enable you to get medical or dental treatment. Also, any expense allowed as a child care credit cannot be treated as an expense paid for medical care. See also Healthy baby under Nursing Services, earlier.

Controlled Substances

You cannot include in medical expenses amounts you pay for controlled substances (such as marijuana, laetrile, etc.), in violation of federal law.

Cosmetic Surgery

Generally, you cannot include in medical expenses the amount you pay for unnecessary cosmetic surgery. This applies to any procedure that is directed at improving the patient's appearance and does not meaningfully promote the proper function of the body or prevent or treat illness or disease. Procedures such as face lifts, hair transplants, hair removal (electrolysis), and liposuction generally are not deductible.

You can include in medical expenses the amount you pay for cosmetic surgery if it is necessary to improve a deformity arising from, or directly related to, a congenital abnormality, a personal injury resulting from an accident or trauma, or a disfiguring disease.

Dancing Lessons

You cannot include the cost of dancing lessons, swimming lessons, etc., even if they are recommended by a doctor, if they are only for the improvement of general health.

Diaper Service

You cannot include in medical expenses the amount you pay for diapers or diaper services, unless they are needed to relieve the effects of a particular disease.

Electrolysis or Hair Removal

See Cosmetic Surgery, earlier.

Funeral Expenses

You cannot include in medical expenses amounts you pay for funerals. However, funeral expenses may be deductible on the decedent's federal estate tax return.

Hair Transplant

See Cosmetic Surgery, earlier.

Health Club Dues

You cannot include in medical expenses health club dues, YMCA dues, or amounts paid for steam baths for your general health or to relieve physical or mental discomfort not related to a particular medical condition.

You cannot include in medical expenses the cost of membership in any club organized for business, pleasure, recreation, or other social purpose.

Household Help

You cannot include in medical expenses the cost of household help, even if such help is recommended by a doctor. This is a personal expense that is not deductible. However, you may be able to include certain expenses paid to a person providing nursing-type services. Also, certain maintenance or personal care services provided for qualified long-term care can be included in medical expenses.

Illegal Operations and Treatments

You cannot include in medical expenses amounts you pay for illegal operations, treatments, or controlled substances whether rendered or prescribed by licensed or unlicensed practitioners.

Insurance Premiums for Certain Types of Policies

See Insurance Premiums under What Medical Expenses Are Deductible, earlier.

Maternity Clothes

You cannot include in medical expenses amounts you pay for maternity clothes.

Medical Savings Accounts

You cannot deduct as a qualified medical expense amounts you contribute to a medical savings account (MSA). You cannot deduct qualified medical expenses as an itemized deduction if you pay for them with a tax-free distribution from your MSA. You also cannot use other funds equal to the amount of the distribution and claim a deduction. For more information on MSAs, see Publication 969, Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs).

Nonprescription Drugs and Medicines

Except for insulin, you cannot include in medical expenses amounts you pay for a drug that is not prescribed.

Nutritional Supplements

You cannot include in medical expenses the cost of nutritional supplements, vitamins, herbal supplements, "natural medicines", etc., unless you can only obtain them legally with a physician's prescription.

Personal Use Items

You cannot include in medical expenses an item ordinarily used for personal, living, or family purposes unless it is used primarily to prevent or alleviate a physical or mental defect or illness. For example, the cost of a wig purchased upon the advice of a physician for the mental health of a patient who has lost all of his or her hair from disease can be included with medical expenses.

Where an item purchased in a special form primarily to alleviate a physical defect is one that in normal form is ordinarily used for personal, living, or family purposes, the excess of the cost of the special form over the cost of the normal form is a medical expense (see Braille Books and Magazines under What Medical Expenses Are Deductible, earlier).

Swimming Lessons

See Dancing Lessons, earlier.

Weight-Loss Program

You cannot include the cost of a weight-loss program in medical expenses if the purpose of the weight control is to maintain your general good health. But you can include the cost of a weight-loss program undertaken at a physician's direction to treat an existing disease (such as heart disease).

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