A preventive health check-up is a proactive measure to identify any potential health issues before they get worse. This will help us prevent diseases in the early stages and maintain good health. Preventive health check-ups include vaccinations, regular check-ups for blood pressure and cholesterol, screening tests, physical examinations, etc. Most people in India rely on their life savings to pay their medical bills instead of buying medical health insurance policies thus exhausting their lifetime savings. To encourage people to buy health insurance plans, the government of India has introduced tax benefits under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, of 1961. There are special provisions for tax deductions for preventive health check-ups under 80D. The claim can be made for preventive health checkups done for ourselves, our parents, or our family members.
What is a Preventive Health Check-Up Under 80D?
In India, preemptive health examinations are eligible for tax benefits under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act. We can claim income tax deductions on the expenses incurred for preventive health checkups for ourselves and our family members. It reduces the burden of preemptive medical examination expenses and also encourages people to put their health and well-being first by getting preventative health checkups, not having to worry about the charges.
Taxpayers, including individuals, and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs), can claim tax deductions under Section 80D for the preventive health examination costs they have paid.
For individuals and their family members, the maximum deduction permitted for preventative health check-ups is Rs. 5,000 every financial year. This deduction is in addition to the tax deduction available for health insurance premiums under Section D of the Income Tax Act.
The procedure for claiming a tax deduction for a preventive health check-up is simple. When we get any preventive health checkup done from a reputable hospital or diagnostic centre, we will receive reports and bills for the same. We will need these documents to get a refund, so keep them secure. If we are employed, we can claim the 80D deduction by providing our employer with proof of preventive medical checkup bills or we can also claim it when filing our income tax return (ITR).
The tax deduction allowed for preventive health checkups under 80D of the Income Tax Act thus supports our financial planning and helps us manage expensive preventive health checkup bills.
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