Nan, EA in LA wrote:

- quote -

And further to my reply above, it should be noted that
although my medical doctor recommends said libations,
unfortunately my medicine is not tax deductible. there,
still on topic. (grin)

ChEAr$,
Harlan

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Nan, EA in LA wrote:

- quote -


aspirin? for heart health?

I like my daily medicine better; amber coloured and in a
bottle, imported from Scotland.

"A wee dram a day, keeps the doctor at bay."

(I made it up.)

ChEAr$,
Harlan

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"Nan, EA in LA" <naneklund[at]aol.com> wrote in

- quote -

I could at length pontificate on this subject, since I have
done research on the subject.

<start rantThe low dose (if taken daily) will in the majority of people
inhibit (partially block) some reactions of platelets.
These cell fragments, circulating in the blood, are thought
of as causing at times an inappropriate thrombus, and
possibly heart attack or stroke. Of course, you would want
platelets to be able to help stop bleeding, as in surgery,
and then aspirin is inappropriate. Because of the ~10 day
life of platelets, and their inability to overcome aspirin
inhibition, you need to stop taking ASA 2 weeks before, and
stay off a while after.

There is a lot more, such as the question why only 25-30% of
people benefit from regular low-dose aspirin.

Medicine these days is acting rather schizophrenically. On
the one hand nothing gets approved until it is really proved
to be safe and effective in a particular application.
However, once approved for one thing, doctors may prescribe
the medication for almost anything they think is good, and
the thinking may be influenced by big pharma.
<end rant
--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

Moderator:
All of this is well and good, but it is not tax-related.
I take 12 different prescription drugs and three OTC drugs
daily and that does not include the pain killers. If it
does not require a prescription, it is not deductible.
Don't continue this thread unless you want to discuss
taxes.


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A.G. Kalman wrote:
- quote -

While agreeing with what you say, I can't agree that
"always" is true. Years ago, a client had a prescription
from the doctor for so much beer a day (kidney problem) and
this was deductible. But then somewhere along the line IRS
clarified it as you describe above. And for the better I
think.

ChEAr$,
Harlan Lunsford, EA n LA

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Harlan Lunsford <hnslunsf...[at]bellsouth.net> wrote:
- quote -

THAT I know! However, even IRS is occasionally logical, and
some of their older employees must have the same problem.
Another example is the 81 mg aspirin. NO one takes that low
a dose for pain. Doctors routinely tell heart patients to
take one a day for heart health. And the minute surgery is
scheduled, they ask whether or not one is taking it and to
stop for a period before and after the surgery. So the 81
mg is potent for one use (purely medical) and not another
(relieve pain).

I don't read all the Rev Rules as they drift past. Should,
but can't. Some clarification might have existed that I
missed - hopefully.

Nan, EA in LA

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Benjamin Yazersky CPA wrote:
- quote -

I believe that Sec. 213(a) requires a prescribed drug as
defined in S. 213(d)(3):

(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.

While I don't have any citations at hand, the legal position
has always been that the deduction is only allowed for those
drugs that can only be acquired via a doctor's prescription.

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rlsusenet[at]NOSPAMPUHLEEZschnapp.org wrote:
- quote -

Your assumption is incorrect. The change to Sec. 125 plans
that allowed for reimbursement of OTC drugs with pre-tax
dollars was announced in 9/03. See IR 2003-108 and RR
2003-102. The IRS notices made it clear that this only
related to flexible spending accounts and not to medical
deductions on Schedule A.
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/...112623,00.html

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<NoSuchPer...[at]bigfoot.com> wrote:

- quote -

While the rules for 125 reimbursement changed, the rules for
medical deductions on Schedule A did not.

- quote -

Once certain OTC drugs became reimburseable that became no
longer true.

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"rlsusenet[at]NOSPAMPUHLEEZschnapp.org" writes:

- quote -

They aren't. The 125 rules are more liberal.

--
Rich Carreiro rlcarr[at]animato.arlington.ma.us

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rlsusenet[at]NOSPAMPUHLEEZschnapp.org wrote:
- quote -

The real problem with what you say is that is is logical.
And that is not necessarily the case with tax law.

ChEAr$,
Harlan Lunsford, EA n LA

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"rlsusenet[at]NOSPAMPUHLEEZschnapp.org" <NoSuchPerson[at]bigfoot.com> wrote in
- quote -

OTC medications other than insulin are not deductible. The
rules for 125 plan reimbursements are not the same as the
Schedule A deductibility rules. That's one of the advantages
of 125 plans.

Ira Smilovitz

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Nan, EA in LA wrote:

- quote -

Are you *SURE* that OTC medications are not deductible? For
the purposes of 125 ("cafeteria") plans, they are
reimbursable -- whether they are prescribed by a doctor or
not.

I have always assumed that the rules for Rx reimbursement
from a 125 plan were the same as deductibility on Schedule
A.

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"Nan, EA in LA" <naneklund[at]aol.com> wrote:

- quote -

Is your otc medication prescribed by a Dr on a Rx ?

I think that if the Dr writes you a Rx to take a particular
medication, it should be deductible.

___________________________________
<<< Benjamin Yazersky, CPA [NJ & NY] > > -----> real address on hobokeni or hobokenx <-----

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I have a lot of elderly clients (including me) who are told
to take OTC drugs by their doctor. Last I heard IRS won't
allow deduction of OTC medicines. Case in point: I was
prescribed Actonol for bone loss (common in elderly) but it
must be taken with calcium plus D which is over the counter,
i.e., not a prescription. Diuretics (prescribed) often
require potassium or other "vitamins" which are OTC. And
the list is long, from skin medications to 81 mg aspirin for
heart patients.

Has IRS ever addressed this combination of
prescription-plus-OTC medication?

Nan, EA in LA

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