Medical related deduction, Hearing Aid?

[AZ-Tax]

Anyone out then been deducting hearing aids on their client's Sch A?

[ChEAr$]

Anyone out then been deducting hearing aids on their client's Sch A?

Of course. And also replacement batteries and the special insurance policy to
cover repairing the hearing aid.

[oceanlovin'ea]

ehhh! what did you say?

You bet. I think it even mentions hearing aids on the schedule A.

Linda

[taxea]

Of course. And also replacement batteries and the special insurance policy to
cover repairing the hearing aid.

I agree and all future expenses related for repair, maintenance, etc

[PIGLEE]

I agree, yes, I take that deduction! (on my personal return). Also don't be shocked about the price, they are very expensive. Did a return this year with a pair of hearing aids that cost 8,000.00, that shocked me (by far the highest priced ones I have seen), but he told me that he did not have to buy batteries. I am not ready to rush out and buy a pair!

[ChEAr$]

I agree, yes, I take that deduction! (on my personal return). Also don't be shocked about the price, they are very expensive. Did a return this year with a pair of hearing aids that cost 8,000.00, that shocked me (by far the highest priced ones I have seen), but he told me that he did not have to buy batteries. I am not ready to rush out and buy a pair!

Hey, I remember those without batteries. They looked like an oversized cornucopia
and the hearer would place the small end in his ear and say "EH?/ What? "
No batteries back in 1870 anyway.

[JohnH]

Another twist on the question of deductibilty of hearing aids. Taxpayer has a prescription and buys a set of hearing aids for $6,500. A couple of weeks later he buys a device for $250 which connects the hearing aids to his cell phone via a bluetooth connection. Then he buys a $350 gadget for remotely changing the inputs to the hearing aids to imporove reception in various situations (meeting hall, small room, large room, music concert, etc)

No question that the $6,500 is tax deductible, but what about the $250 and $350 for the fancy accessories? Are they any different than batteries or insurance?

[MAJ]

Blue tooth hearing aids are great! Don't have one yet though!

Deductible.
Anything that can be paid for by a Medical Flex Spending account is also considered deductible as a medical expense. (yes, I know - not both). These devices are direct extensions of the hearing aid. The new tech aids (as they are called) are great.

Blue tooth connectivity for the phones and TV too! The other device is a remote to change the volume or program on the hearing aid. Different environments require different programs. If there's machinery in the background the new aids can reduce the machine sounds & increase speech.

Listen to the phone or MP3 in stereo - Block out the rest of the family while watching TV because you can have a blue tooth hookup to the TV too! Now they just need a remote microphone that's blue tooth enabled so we can leave it in the room and listen to the others!!

If you are still unsure - Call up any hearing aid store and ask if those items can be paid with using your flex spending account.

[JohnH]

Most current generation hearing aids are also equipped with a "telecoil" that can be activated by a small external magnet. Stick the magnet to the earpiece of your regular landline phone and when it comes near the ear, the hearing aids sync up with one another. The sound being heard in the ear where the phone is held is also transmitted to the other hearing aid. So even normal landline phone conversations can be heard in stereo. Makes it sound like the conversation is taking place in the middle of your head rather than on one side or the other. Pretty impressive technology.

[dtlee]

Deductible.
Anything that can be paid for by a Medical Flex Spending account is also considered deductible as a medical expense. (yes, I know - not both).

While I agree that the items being discussed can be deducted (as could telecaption adapters which allowed the hearing impaired to see text dialogues on their televisions before this was required to be included in all televisions), the guidance quoted above is not quite true.

Be careful about assuming that all spending account eligible items can be deducted. Since the "Claritin Law" was passed (I think in 2003) certain over the counter drugs were allowed to be claimed for flexible spending accounts even without a prescription. This will change in 2011 to allow reimbursement only if you can convince a physician to write a prescription for an over-the-counter remedy. However, I believe that the rules for deductibility as an itemized deduction will remain that the cost of drugs is deductible only for drugs that require a prescription, except for insulin.

[MAJ]

Change in FSA

Yes. I did hear that changes to over the counter drugs are under way and possible caps (which many employers already do) in the amount that you can claim. We'll see what shakes out...

None the less -- Hearing aids & supplies (including a moister control bottle) are deductible.

[oceanlovin'ea]

Very interesting!

This new technology is very interesting. My husband's insurance plan now will pay 90% of the cost of hearing aids from a plan provider after the deductible is met. He has met his deductible this year and is in desperate need of hearing aids.

This new technology will be very interesting....maybe he can get something really nice.

I told him I had to make some deviled eggs the other day and he said "why are you going to the bank, it's not open".

Linda

[monal]

sorry but

sometimes I think taking a class on reading lips or doing sign lanquage would give better results that a $7,000.00 pair of hearing aids....hate to burst your bubble

[JohnH]

No bubble being burst here. Sometimes what you say is true, but other times it isn't. Depends on the type & severity of hearing loss.

For example, if one has hearing loss in certain high-frequency ranges, it's amazing how hearing aids change things, especially music and conversation with people having higher-pitched voices. After getting mine, I heard certain voices in "Messiah" that I hadn't heard for years and had forgotten were there. Same thing for birds and insect sounds in the outdoors.

Hearing loss and how to deal with it is very individualistic, but it all starts with a professional evaluation by an EENT.

[MAJ]

High Frequency...... You said it..

JohnH: You said it.. The current CIC's I have annoy me sometimes. The plugged occlusion effect can be annoying! But when I heard the crickets and other sounds it was very cool... I think I listened to The Who, Pink Floyd & other great R&R bands a bit too loudly when I was younger.

Trying to hear in noisey environments & on the phone finally prompted me to get my hearing checked. Big step -- Not all that old (48)..... Looking to get the new BTE open fit w/ Blue Tooth - hopefully next year... Waiting for insurance to help!! Haha!!