Claiming Chiro on Tax?

[Cupcake]

Ok so i used to have a lot of back/neck pain at work so i went to see a chiro; obviously needed work; getting the work done since Nov08.

So my question is...can i claim this back on tax being that the back/neck pain was distracting me from my work? A friend had mentioned they dont think its possible being i didnt get a referal from a doc to go to the Chiro? But that seems silly to me, why would i go to a doc if i had back pain? They'd just give me pain killers or something to cover the pain not fix it?

I dont even know if thats a silly question but thought id ask. Thanks!

[Muppity]

I'm not an expert on chiro - but I will guess that it is like my accupuncture. You don't need a referal but they do have a provider number so you can claim it back from a health fund (if you have one) and you are issued with receipts each time.

If so, once you reach a threshhold for out of pocket expenses (I think it is $1500 for the financial year) then you can claim back 20% of your out of pocket expenses above that as a tax deduction.

HTH

[Cupcake]

No private health for me and am out of pocket about $2500 eeekk

Thanks for your help!!

[kawazuki]

it goes under medical expenses
so yes you can
you get a TAX reciept for it at each visit and once its over $1500 you get a good chunk back.

i would be claiming it, even if it isnt work related.

last year i claimed all my bike accident medical expenses and laparoscopy expenses etc.

[Floweryfields]

You can claim over $1500 as a tax offset - an offset is a bit different to a deduction in that a deduction just reduces your taxable income - so slightly reduces tax. A tax offset is directly reduced off the amount of tax you have to pay.

[briggsy's girl]

sorry to disappoint everyone but i think you'll find you can only claim medical expenses - chro is considered "alternative" therapy = unless it's referred by a gp it's not covered

this is from ATO website

Claimable medical expenses
You can claim expenses relating to an illness or operation paid to legally qualified doctors, nurses or chemists and public or private hospitals. However, expenses for some cosmetic operations are excluded.


To find out which operations and dental services and treatment are cosmetic and whether you can claim your payments for them, see Changes to net medical expenses tax offset - cosmetic surgery.



Medical expenses which qualify for the tax offset also include payments:

to dentists, orthodontists or registered dental mechanics
to opticians or optometrists, including for the cost of prescription spectacles or contact lenses
to a carer who looks after a person who is blind or permanently confined to a bed or wheelchair
for therapeutic treatment under the direction of a doctor
for medical aids prescribed by a doctor
for artificial limbs or eyes and hearing aids
for maintaining a properly trained dog for guiding or assisting people with a disability (but not for social therapy)
for laser eye surgery, and
for treatment under an in-vitro fertilisation program.

sorry to upset you all - i WISH i could claim chiro!

[kawazuki]

damn. that sucks

must remember to get a dr to reffer me next time. only had 2 visits this year.

[Cupcake]

Thats so silly tho, i just cut out the middle man and went straight to the chiro lol

ahh well!

Thanks for all your help ladies!!

[Yael]

You can claim CPAP machines for sleep apnoea - we claimed ours last year.

Can you claim OTC mediciation (iron supplements) for a ongoing medical condition. We end up getting a lot of stuff like that for my DD directly linked to her medical condition and was under the guidance of a doctor - is that considered theraputic?

[briggsy's girl]

would have to check with ATO Yael - but i "think" it has to be prescription medication. if it turns out that it is, ask the doc to prescribe it and make sure the pharmacy process it as a script from now on. i know i've been given scripts and been told that it's available OTC so i've pushed to get it on prescription as it counts towards PBS limits, what i can claim from PHI and what i can claim from the ATO for net medical expenses...

[Jaycee]

If it is caused by your work you probably should have gone through work cover and it wouldn't of cost you a cent

[Cupcake]

Wasnt specifically caused by work just annoying pains i had previously; back is great now, wouldnt look back but just thought i may be able to claim it on Tax ... ah well hehe