Deductibility of Diagnostic Medical Procedures

Monday, January 14, 2008
Contributed by: Joel Griffith

A recent IRS revenue ruling, Revenue Ruling 2007-72, describes three situations when medical care expenses will be deductible, even when incurred by an individual without symptoms of illness. In each of the three situations the costs paid by the taxpayers are not compensated by insurance or otherwise, and the taxpayers are not experiencing any symptoms of illness. The situations described in the ruling include: (1) an annual physical exam; (2) a full-body electronic scan; and (3) a pregnancy test kit.

The IRS held that the amounts paid by individuals for diagnostic and certain similar procedures and devices, not compensated by insurance or otherwise, are medical care expenses deductible under Internal Revenue Code Section 213, subject to the limitations of that section.

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