Out Of Pocket Cost 4 Binge Eating Day Program deducible?

[djslota]

is the out of pocket cost of outpatient binge eating disorder day treatment program tax deductible?

[ColeenD3]

You can deduct it if it meets this criterion.

Weight-Loss Program

You can include in medical expenses amounts you pay to lose weight if it is a treatment for a specific disease diagnosed by a physician (such as obesity, hypertension, or heart disease). This includes fees you pay for membership in a weight reduction group as well as fees for attendance at periodic meetings.

You can't include membership dues in a gym, health club, or spa as medical expenses, but you can include separate fees charged there for weight loss activities. You can't include the cost of diet food or beverages in medical expenses because the diet food and beveragessubstitute for what is normally consumed to satisfy nutritional needs.

You can include the cost of special food in medical expenses only if:

1. The food doesn't satisfy normal nutritional needs,

2. The food alleviates or treats an illness, and

3. The need for the food is substantiated by a physician. The amount you can include in medical expenses is limited to the amount by which the cost of the special food exceeds the cost of a normal diet.

Pub 502

[djslota]

So if I understand your response (and interpretation of p528) correctly, as long as a physician diagnose the condition (binge-eating)  then it is deductible?

[NCperson]

and to get any benefit, you must be able to itemize on your taxes AND only the medical costs that exceed 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income are deductible, 

[djslota]

Make that p502 not p528 as listed in my previous reply

[JohnW222]

ColeenD3’s text above isn’t an interpretation, it’s straight out of IRS Publication 502.

If your treatment meets the criteria, which based on the limited information available seems to be the case, then it’s deductible.