Medcial Expense Deduction - Questions

[TAXNJ]

I would ask him to get a prescription from his doctor for the AREDS, even if it is available over the counter. I prefer a good paper trail.

In fact, he can ask his doctor to call the lab in advance, also. The doctor probably prefers to have the test results in hand when he sees your client.

Agree to get a prescription to meet requirement of:

Section 213(d) (3)Prescribed drug.—
The term “prescribed drug” means a drug or biological which requires a prescription of a physician for its use by an individual.

[Lion]

I would ask him to get a prescription from his doctor for the AREDS, even if it is available over the counter. I prefer a good paper trail.

In fact, he can ask his doctor to call the lab in advance, also. The doctor probably prefers to have the test results in hand when he sees your client.

[Kram BergGold]

Concur

I would deduct both.

[Burke]

1) Seems to be allowable as "recommended by a doctor for a specific medical condition."
2) If the test is for general medical treatment and is performed by a qualified medical professional, I don't have a problem with it.

[JohnH]

Couple of questions that recently arose.
I'd like to see if others agree on the deductibility of these two items:

1) Patient is diagnosed with Macular Degeneration - an eye condition commonly know as AMD. Among recommendations from the Opthamologist, patient is advised to take a special combination supplement/vitamin formulation known as AREDS to help forestall the effects of AMD. This is a standard recommendation for AMD patients, as a result of a study performed by the NIH many years ago. The AREDS combination can be purchased over the counter. Deductible or not?

2) Patient has an upcoming doctor visit and he goes to a walk-in lab & gets a diagnostic test which is related to the visit. His reasoning is that he knows the doctor will order the test, but then there will need to be a follow-up visit. So he gets the test ahead of time, without a prescription, and at his expense. Deductible or not?