# Claiming Tax back on GP Visits



## tinal (23 Jul 2008)

Hi

Im in the process of submitting a claim on line for tax refund (hopefully) for the last 3 years and can you let me know if it is possible to ring up the doctors surgery and ask them for the number of visits we made during that period?  I have some receipts but not as many as I should have..is it also possible to do same for chemist?

Thanks in advance

Tina


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## truthseeker (23 Jul 2008)

tinal said:


> Hi
> 
> Im in the process of submitting a claim on line for tax refund (hopefully) for the last 3 years and can you let me know if it is possible to ring up the doctors surgery and ask them for the number of visits we made during that period? I have some receipts but not as many as I should have..is it also possible to do same for chemist?
> 
> ...


 
I doubt anyone here will be able to speak for your GP and their particular policy but Id suggest you just ring them up and ask them. Its the receipts you need though - so the number of visits is irrelevant if you dont have the physical receipts, but they may be able to give you reprints or something (mine doesnt, but I dont know how widespread that is).


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## ClubMan (23 Jul 2008)

Just ask. Some (many?) _GPs _will issue duplicate receipts. Some don't. Ditto for pharmacists but with them you would probably need to be on their records and dealing with them on a regular basis - e.g. if you vary where you get prescriptions filled then chances are the various pharmacists will not be able to facilitate your request.

You don't need to submit receipts with a _MED1 _claim but you do need to have them and keep them for several (6?) years in case the claim is queried.


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## sandrat (23 Jul 2008)

got a letter from revenue looking for proof of med1 claim yesterday, do i just need receipts or do i need p60s etc? I completed claim online aand they want me to fill in a med1 form now and send proof.


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## ClubMan (23 Jul 2008)

You need to send in the _MED1 _form and receipts (originals if they explicitly ask for them - otherwise copies). May be no harm in sending in a copy of your _P60 _too but they should already have those details. 

Anecdotal evidence seems to be that they are auditing a lot more _MED1 _claims these days than in the past - especially since the €125/€250 "excess" was abolished, maybe targeting large claims and/or maybe driven by profiling of cases with specific characteristics which might imply certain anomalies.


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## sandrat (23 Jul 2008)

1300 euro isn't all that large and its just one receipt for consultant. Wonder should i fill in the bank details part even though we already got the moola?


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## ClubMan (23 Jul 2008)

No harm. At least they'll then have the details for future refunds.


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## Black Sheep (23 Jul 2008)

I don't ever fill in Bank details for tax refunds 'cos I love that cheque especially if it is even €1 more than expected


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## HighFlier (23 Jul 2008)

Clubman is right. I got audited for a Med 1 which was three years old( even though I had submitted two more since)

So for sure you need reciepts and the whole thing needs to add up.

I had to find and send the original reciepts. In the case of Med 2 dentistry they didnt even accept the signed and stamped form from the dentist I had to get the actual reciepts.

So just because you dont need to send reciepts dont be tempted to go ahead without them being available.


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## allthedoyles (30 Jul 2008)

Claiming back tax for GP visits , forget about the online stuff . Firstly, send a note with a stamped addressed envelope to both your GP and Pharmacy , requesting statement for monies paid in relevant tax year . Then fill in MED1 and send to tax office ( keeping receipts at home ) . If you are unsure that you may have paid money to pharmacy/GP and cannot get receipt , then add on some money for this . remember the tax office only ask for receipts in a small number of cases . I have personally claimed up to 2500 euro on med1 and never had to send receipts to tax office


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## ClubMan (30 Jul 2008)

allthedoyles said:


> If you are unsure that you may have paid money to pharmacy/GP and cannot get receipt , then add on some money for this .


If you don't have receipts then *don't *just add in a fudge factor!


> I have personally claimed up to 2500 euro on med1 and never had to send receipts to tax office


... yet?


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## Graham_07 (31 Jul 2008)

allthedoyles said:


> If you are unsure that you may have paid money to pharmacy/GP and cannot get receipt , then add on some money for this . remember the tax office only ask for receipts in a small number of cases . I have personally claimed up to 2500 euro on med1 and never had to send receipts to tax office


 
While it is true that only a percentage of claims are audited, all claims submitted must be supported by appropriate receipts for actual expenditure. I assume that you do have all of the actual receipts for all the claims made and have also retained them all for the statutory period in the event of audit.

There have been other recent threads on medical expenses on AAM recently and some posters may have given the impression that the MED1 is "money for jam" as it were. As someone with over 20 years experience of dealing with Revenue I can only reiterate what has been said already on this and those other threads. Do not submit claims unless you have documentary evidence in backup of the claim.


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## Jethro (31 Jul 2008)

This is something I have been meaning to do for a long time. I have piles of receipts at home going back years. How far back can you submit claims for medical expenses?

I have not submitted a tax return for many years as I know for sure I have no taxable income that has not already been taxed, so I have not made any new claims for allowances either. Will I have to send complete tax returns for any year I am making a Med1 claim?

Thanks in advance.


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## WaterSprite (31 Jul 2008)

Jethro said:


> This is something I have been meaning to do for a long time. I have piles of receipts at home going back years. How far back can you submit claims for medical expenses?
> 
> I have not submitted a tax return for many years as I know for sure I have no taxable income that has not already been taxed, so I have not made any new claims for allowances either. Will I have to send complete tax returns for any year I am making a Med1 claim?
> 
> Thanks in advance.



No, you don't have to send in a full tax return to get your Med1 expenses.  You can do it all online if you like - if you are PAYE, you can register with the Revenue (through reachservices) and do it all online.  You can also submit paper returns.  You can claim back to (and including) 2005 at this stage (going by the drop down menus on the Revenue site).

Sprite


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## Jethro (31 Jul 2008)

Cheers Sprite.

Better get to work on it.


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## csirl (31 Jul 2008)

Revenue audit approx. 10% of Med1 claims.


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## Black Sheep (31 Jul 2008)

To Watersprite:- 
You can claim back 4 years plus the current year. That includes *2004* or am I loosing it?????????


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## Graham_07 (31 Jul 2008)

The 4 year rule presently means you can claim for 2004,2005,2006,2007.


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## WaterSprite (31 Jul 2008)

Black Sheep said:


> To Watersprite:-
> You can claim back 4 years plus the current year. That includes *2004* or am I loosing it?????????




Could well be but when I logged on (yesterday as it happens) I could only choose from 2005 onwards to claim online.  You may indeed be able to claim back to 2004 by paper.

Sprite


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## advisor (31 Jul 2008)

Claims for 2004 are made directly through Revenue, cannot be made online.


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