Preventive Health Check Up cost- What are tax benefits?

Do you know the cost of Preventive Health Check Up can be claimed for the tax benefit? Many of us know that Health Insurance premium can be claimed for tax deduction under Sec.80D. But the majority of us don’t know that Preventive Health Check Up cost can also be claimed under the same Sec.80D.

Preventive Health Check Up

Earlier, only the health insurance premium was allowed for deduction under Sec.80D. However, benefits for deduction on the expenses of Preventive Health Check Up was introduced from 1st April, 2013. Let us first understand or define what you mean by the Preventive Health Check Up.

Wikipedia explains the meaning of Preventive Health Check Up perfectly “Preventive healthcare (alternately preventive medicine or prophylaxis) consists of measures taken for disease prevention, as opposed to disease treatment“.

Further, it adds ” Health, disease, and disability are dynamic processes which begin before individuals realize they are affected. Disease prevention relies on anticipatory actions that can be categorized as primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention“.

So any test you go through which we can consider as measures for disease prevention than treatment to disease is nothing but Preventive Health Check Up.

Who can claim Preventive Health Check Up  deduction under Sec.80D?

An individual or HUF can claim the deduction in the case of expenses on such health check on family members as mentioned below.

  • Self
  • In case of HUF, it is the member of such HUF.
  • Spouse
  • Dependent Children
  • Parents (Dependent or non-dependent)

How much you can claim?

The maximum amount including all family members is allowed as Rs.5, 000. Remember that there is no separation. The cost of such Preventive Health Check Up is Rs.5, 000 inclusive of all family members.

Along with that, this deduction is the overall part of deduction one can claim under Sec.80D. 

How much is the limit specified in Sec.80D?

I explain it in below image.

Preventive Health Check Up Tax Benefits

Few points to remember

  • The maximum tax benefits set for Preventive Health Check Up cost is Rs.5,000 (inclusive of all family members).
  • Even cash receipts are accepted under Preventive Health Check Up cost.

From the financial year 2015-16, one more change was done for Sec.80D. It is known fact that buying health insurance for parents, whose age is more than 80 years, is very difficult and we may say impossible. Actually, the health expenses rise during this age of your parents. Earlier there was no tax benefit if you incurred medical expenses of your parents (other than health insurance premium). 

Now, medical expenditure incurred by an individual or HUF on the health of a very senior citizen has also been part of Sec.80D deduction. However, the senior citizen must not have any health insurance. 

Definition of Very Senior Citizen

An individual resident in India, who is of the age of 80 years or more at any time during the relevant previous year.

Hope I cleared the doubt for the most. Any doubts?

114 Responses

  1. Claiming tax benefit on preventive health check up u/s 80 D upto Rs.5000 considered only if a tax payer have a medical insurance ?

  2. Dear Sir
    While processing return CPC has not allowed for the cost incurred towards preventive health checkup. Instead a demand has been raised for the same. Section 80D allows for a deduction of 5K for payment made towards preventive health checkup and is included in overall limit of 80D. A separate head is also stated for preventive health checkup in the schedule 80D in the ITR format. Am I missing something which has resulted in the deduction not being allowed. Shall I disagree or pay additional demand. Pl share your views.

      1. Sir, I have incurred an amount of Rs 5000 for the treatment of my wife and filed income tax return under preventive health check up. But the said amount has not been considered by the tax authority and sent a Intimation to pay the the tax amounting Rs 1630 within a period of 30 days. Shall I pay the tax or file only Reprocess the data under rectification request.

  3. Can i show the bills concerning spends made in order to the immunisation done for my daughter to save tax in 80D

  4. I recently got a complete blood test done as I was feeling weak post covid.
    This test included vitamins, thyroid, blood platelets etc.
    Will this be considered under tax exemption of 80D? Kindly suggest

  5. Will Liver scan alone is considered as preventive health check-up under 80D. Can I submit the bills for tax benefit?

  6. Hi Sir
    My Father has retired in july 2019 and has paid 1.2 lakhs for lifetime coverage of CHSS scheme. I(aged 30 working in pvt company) have paid/transferred a part of this amount to his account and he inturn paid through DD to the central government employer. Can we both claim 80D tax rebate for FY 2019-2020.

  7. Hi Basu,

    I had shown myself to a dentist for a simple checkup. Will this be covered under the preventive health check up ITR?

  8. Dear Sir, My mother is 75 years old and is suffering from BP & Diabetics. During her last visit to the Doctor, he had advised to do 2-D Echo and ECG Test. Does this Tests fall under Preventive Health Check-up ? Can I get exemption u/s 80D .

  9. I have incurred some amount on testing THIROID from two different diagonist centres by own accord (SELF) without doctors prescription can i claim deduction under SECTION 80 D

  10. Will My child’s immunization vaccine be covered?
    Also, can my parent’s blood tests for thyroid and cholesterol be considered?

  11. Can I claim My daughter vaccination bills for exemption for section 80 D as preventive health check up. please reply as early as possible

  12. My father had an Executive Heart Checkup and paid Rs.3130 as cash in a Private Hospital. This amount is paid mainly for various types of tests etc. (Registration Fee and Doctors consultation fee is not included in this amount). He had no previous heart problems. Can Executive Heart Checkup can be claimed as tax deduction under Sec. 80D? Please reply it.

  13. Sir,
    My wife has faced some body problems. I would like a complete body checkup for her in a Private Hospital. Is this consider as Preventive Health Check Up? Can I claim under 80D?

  14. Can I claim tax exemption on my child’s immunization expenditure as a part of preventive health check up column under section 80D? Pls reply asap…thanx

  15. Sir, I pay medical insurance premium of Rs 3360.
    I have spent Rs. 3500 for Lab tests advised by the doctor as Preventive steps, Rs 3500 has been reimbursed by the medical insurance company.
    Can I claim a benefit of Rs. 3500/- under section 80D – Preventive Health Checkup?

  16. Dear Basavaraj ji
    I dont have any insurance policy.But I have done some preventive healthcheckup for 3000rs.
    So can i claim 3000rs under 80D for deduction?
    Thanks

  17. Can we consider the Periodical blood tests for Diabetes as preventive health check-up?? I am a border line diabetic and take periodical blood tests to control the glucose level..

  18. I used to do checkup for my mother who is suffering from heart value closer so can i submit the all the medical receipts and check up receipts

  19. I have one question that some test were done during pregnancy as preventive measure to check the health condition of my wife. Can we claim these test under preventive health checkup ? I am excluding Scanning and Ultrasound test, I am only asking for blood test and urine test only. Pls reply asap. Thanks.

      1. If its no, please specify whether pregnancy is considered as a disease? As per my understanding, pregnancy is not a disease but a natural phenomenon part of body. A disease is one which is unnatural to body. So if pregnancy is not considered a disease, all tests for it and during pregnancy shud be covered under preventive health check up. As one by doing a test is checking for any occurance of disease due to pregnancy.

  20. If my medical insurance premium is Rs.25000/- & preventive health check-up expenses towards my parents (below 60 years ) is Rs. 5000/- , ( the total limit available to me including my parents u/s 80 D is Rs.50000/-)

    Can i claim Rs. 30000((25000+5000) as deduction u/s 80D ???

  21. Is it mandatory to mention on the bills that this is for preventive health checkup and eligibile to claim under section 80D of income tax act 1961? I have to submit proof with my employer HR.

  22. I have spent Rs. 8500 in Annual Medical Health Checkup, out of which Rs. 6000/- has been reimbursed by my Employer.
    Can I claim a benefit of Rs. 2500/- under section 80D?

  23. Hi Basavaraj,

    I got a colonoscopy done for myself and also a ct scan as prescribed by the doctor. Can i claim the the colonoscopy/ct scan bills under preventive health checkup ?

    Thanks in Advance.

  24. Dear Sir, my mother was complaining for back pain from long time. So, I consulted with couple of doctors and got MRI & X-Ray reports for my mother on advice of those doctors, to know if surgery is required or not. Can this fall under preventive health check up? If yes, then what amount, only reports’ expenses or doctors’ consultancy too?

  25. Thyroid and lipid profile test have been placed by me only without doctor prescriptions. Can they consider as preventive health check ups

  26. I have undergone angioplasty few years back . Since then I regularly make checkups with doctor with blood test results
    for Lipid Profile, Kidney Profile, ECG etc. Are expenses towards these can be claimed under Sec.80 D?

  27. My employer deduction 1K pm for medical facility for my family (Spouse, Child, parents, My father is 65+). I also got reimbursement from my employer as per CHSS/CGHS rate. In FY16-17, I have claimed reimbursement Rs. 53K and got reimbursement of 37.5K. I dont receive any medical allowance in my paybill. Will I get any tax benefit? Plz. quote reference if any.
    Thanking you with Regards,
    J N DUTTA

      1. Medical facility-sometimes, if available, We got medicine free of cost from employer. If not available, then need to purchase and go for reimbursement.

  28. Dear Sir,
    I am paying Rs 990/pm for cordlife science india pvt. Will I get any tax benefit. (1)
    I dont have any medical insurance policy. Whether the tax benefit for preventive health check up for my baby (age2+) will I get, as I am spending approx 10K yearly for vaccine (8K), checkup and medicine (2). I am getting only consultant and medicine reimbursement from my office which is approx 2K.
    Thanks you
    Regards,
    J Dutta

  29. in 80D can’t we put preventive health check-up alone means I don’t have any health insurance, just need to put preventive health check-up of 5K is that possible

  30. How do I prove that a test is not prescribed by a doctor? If the reports state the test referred by as ‘Self’, will that suffice. I had done a master checkup and some related tests on my own as prevention in Sep 2015. The assessment for this year 2016-17 is also over and refund received. Can I revise and claim this deduction now? I may not have the bill but I have all the reports. Can I claim now and what will the procedure be? Kindly advise.

    Also this year I have done some tests on my own but they are not master health checkups. I presume they should also qualify. Please confirm.

    Thank you

      1. Thank you Sir. But if I have the bill, can I revise the AY 2016-17 for which assessment is actually over and refund received?

  31. Dear sir,
    I have a doubt regarding sales of my agrl land…i want to sell my agrl land for about 80 lakhs situated in a rural place …i am a resident of state of TN…What is the limit of tax i have to pay????

  32. That means that the expenses for routine blood tests, urine tests, etc can be claimed in 80D along with mediclaim…right??

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