Do vitamins & protein sups count as medical expenses??

Hi Everyone -
Does anyone know if all of the vitamins and protein supplements we need, due to our WLS (aka "medical condition"), can be deducted on your taxes - especially if you itemize (which I'll be doing this year since I get to file as married and own a house ).  I'm starting to pull all of the medical related receipts together, and I'm not sure if I should include all of the vitamin and protein stuff (which does add up over the course of a year!). thanks! Helen

Great Question...don't know the answer...can't wait to see what others think!  I sure hope that they can be used as a medical expense!

I was told that the tax man still can't make up his mind - depends what you try to claim but do not be surprised if it is rejected. Now if you get your vitamins as prescriptions I heard you can claim it back on your FSA account - and some over the counter medication too - I am not all that sure on what you can and can' t claim though... Jackie

First, keep in mind that medical expenses aren't like many other deductions - you can only deduct expenses that exceed 7.5% of your AGI.  Second, for all things tax related, I suggest that you do plenty of research and/or consult a tax professional. I AM NOT a tax professional. Third, be advised that just because something is legitimately deductible it doesn't mean you won't get audited - it just means that those expenses are pretty likely to survive an audit. Medical expenses must be primarily to alleviate or prevent a physical or mental defect or illness. They do not include expenses that are merely beneficial to general health, such as vitamins. So the first test is: are your protein and supplements necessary to alleviate or prevent physical illness - that would be generally true for most supplements for most WLS patients.  Nutritional Supplements - You can include in your medical expenses the cost of nutritional supplements and vitamins, IF they are recommended by a medical practitioner as treatment for a specific medical condition diagnosed by a physician. If they are only taken to maintain your ordinary good health they are not deductible. I would suggest getting a signed doctor's order (on doctor's stationary) describing your condition and the supplements that are necessary for you. I would have him/her include the length of time that these supplements will be necessary (e.g., the rest of your life). I asked my PA to write up such a statement and provided her with a list of the supplements I was taking (on her orders). She wrote the following: "This letter is on behalf of our patient [aka JoeBear]. He underwent Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass surgery in July 2007 for Morbid Obesity (ICD-9 278.01). The following is a list of supplements that we deem medically necessary for him: Multivitamin - 2 daily Calcium 1500 mg - daily B50 Complex daily B12 - 500 mcg sublingually daily Iron - daily Protein supplement (such as Unjury) - twice daily" I should tell you that my health care reimbursement account did not accept this statement, although I think I could have made the case if I needed to (I had enough other expenses so it didn't matter). I do think that the IRS would be satisfied, although I have not used the statement for that purpose.

I don't know about the IRS, but I used the Fed Gov Employee Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and with a letter on letterhead from my doc like the one JoeBear had written, I WAS REIMBURSED for all protein supplements, Vitamin supplements, and B-12 shots.

That is a great piece of advice. I am going to get the same letter for my FSA and see if they'll nibble. Thanks!