Claiming back on medical expenses with VHI related questions

Hi all,
I am going as far back as 2019 to claim medical expenses on my revenue but the problem is I'm missing a lot of the physical receipts.
When i check my vhi account online i can see a breakdown of each claim with the ammount refunded by VHI but it doesn't show the receipt I scanned in each time .
My question is this ....Do you think this would be OK to submit each claim statement as a receipt in the receipts tracker in my revenue?

1. VHI issue letter(s) to you indicating amounts claimed and amounts refunded. A copy of this letter is sufficient for Revenue to deal with the difference in amount(s) in your tax claim.
2. If you have not kept say the run-of-mill medical receipts (GP, Prescriptions etc) your pharmacy, GP etc probably will be able to give you copies for your claim.
3. My advice to you is to summarise your Medical Claims at the end of each month (simple spreadsheet) and inform Revenue each January when filing your details.

Just to add:

You need to be careful as not all receipts eligible for VHI refunds may be eligible under Revenue's medical expenses.

For example, VHI might refund chiropractor treatment but Revenue do not typically.

There are special rules for Dental.

Leper said:

1. VHI issue letter(s) to you indicating amounts claimed and amounts refunded. A copy of this letter is sufficient for Revenue to deal with the difference in amount(s) in your tax claim.
2. If you have not kept say the run-of-mill medical receipts (GP, Prescriptions etc) your pharmacy, GP etc probably will be able to give you copies for your claim.
3. My advice to you is to summarise your Medical Claims at the end of each month (simple spreadsheet) and inform Revenue each January when filing your details.

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In essence what I'm wondering is will point 1 above be sufficient because point 2 is probabaly going to be a non runner. Even trying to get through to the doctor these days is nearly impossible let alone asking them for receipts for the last 4 years and there will be a lot because it's for a family of four

bitethebullet said:

In essence what I'm wondering is will point 1 above be sufficient because point 2 is probabaly going to be a non runner. Even trying to get through to the doctor these days is nearly impossible let alone asking them for receipts for the last 4 years and there will be a lot because it's for a family of four

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You don't need the receipts until/unless Revenue ask for them to audit the claim(s) and, almost certainly, they won't.

odyssey06 said:

You need to be careful as not all receipts eligible for VHI refunds may be eligible under Revenue's medical expenses.

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The one main difference may be cover for prescriptions which are not allowed by VHI but are allowed by Revenue. For 6 people this can sometimes mount up especially over 4 years.

bitethebullet said:

In essence what I'm wondering is will point 1 above be sufficient because point 2 is probabaly going to be a non runner. Even trying to get through to the doctor these days is nearly impossible let alone asking them for receipts for the last 4 years and there will be a lot because it's for a family of four

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Most G.P. practices have a sign up these days to say that they cannot give copies at the end of each year and you will need to keep the receipts as you go along. As the practices are so busy now asking for receipts for 6 people for 4 years back would be unfair to be honest.

If you are on the Drug Payment Scheme your pharmacy may be able to give a receipt quite easily.. Not sure if all pharmacies can provide a year end receipt for individual prescriptions but I know Pure pharmacies certainly can.

Sue Ellen said:

The one main difference may be cover for prescriptions which are not allowed by VHI but are allowed by Revenue. For 6 people this can sometimes mount up especially over 4 years.



Most G.P. practices have a sign up these days to say that they cannot give copies at the end of each year and you will need to keep the receipts as you go along. As the practices are so busy these days asking for receipts for 6 people for 4 years back would be unfair to be honest.

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hats off to them...I just received a full file from them just now. I think I owe them some flowers and a box of chocolates

1. I am not 100% sure of this, but Revenue can ask you to upload your receipts for doctors' visits, prescriptions etc.
2. An acquaintance of mine working for Revenue informed me that it's staggering the amount of people who do not claim against their medical costs. He put that down to people not really caring about the potential 20% tax refund and the paperwork involved in claiming.

My money saving hint of the day is as I have already said:- Use a simple spreadsheet to summarise the amounts of your prescriptions, doctors' fees etc and update them each time you get a receipt. Let this fall into arrears and likely you'll not bother which will cost you money.

If you haven't done so, do yourself a big favour and do that spreadsheet now. Likely, next year you'll do it too and every year after. Fail to do it now and I bet you'll never do it.

Leper said:

1. I am not 100% sure of this, but Revenue can ask you to upload your receipts for doctors' visits, prescriptions etc.

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They can but in my experience to date the rarely do - and never in my case even with very significant expenses in some years (tens of thousands of quid).
If you want to claim relief during the relevant year you do need to upload them as they arise though.
Personally, I wouldn't let the lack of receipts stop me from claiming relief on legitimate expenses actually incurred.
In the unlikely event that Revenue come looking for receipts, deal with it then.
But, if possible, keep the receipts and the records mentioned above as you go to simplify matters.

Leper said:

1. VHI issue letter(s) to you indicating amounts claimed and amounts refunded. A copy of this letter is sufficient for Revenue to deal with the difference in amount(s) in your tax claim.
2. If you have not kept say the run-of-mill medical receipts (GP, Prescriptions etc) your pharmacy, GP etc probably will be able to give you copies for your claim.
3. My advice to you is to summarise your Medical Claims at the end of each month (simple spreadsheet) and inform Revenue each January when filing your details.

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I think Revenue looks for the 'total' and 'unrefunded' amount iirc... so I keep track this way:

Item Total Refund Unrefunded
GP 50 25 25
Prescription 20 0 20

And if I have anything not eligible for Tax credit such as chiropractor etc, don't record that as I won't be claiming for it.

ClubMan said:

They can but in my experience to date the rarely do - and never in my case even with very significant expenses in some years (tens of thousands of quid).

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I have seen people being asked for receipts 2 years in succession, even when the amounts in question weren't exactly large.

ClubMan said:

Personally, I wouldn't let the lack of receipts stop me from claiming relief on legitimate expenses actually incurred.

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You really should, as it's a precondition of any claim.

ClubMan said:

In the unlikely event that Revenue come looking for receipts, deal with it then.

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Hopefully by that stage they wouldn't be treating it as possible fraud.

ClubMan said:

But, if possible, keep the receipts and the records mentioned above as you go to simplify matters.

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Agreed.

Great info here. Thanks and one last question. My wife and I are jointly assessed for tax prurposes. Can i include her on my claim or de we have to do seperately through the revenue website?

bitethebullet said:

Great info here. Thanks and one last question. My wife and I are jointly assessed for tax prurposes. Can i include her on my claim or de we have to do seperately through the revenue website?

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It will be the same claim, but might be two different boxes as you go through the 'wizard' process for claiming, can't remember 100%.

bitethebullet said:

Great info here. Thanks and one last question. My wife and I are jointly assessed for tax prurposes. Can i include her on my claim or de we have to do seperately through the revenue website?

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You can probably split the claim into his and her boxes if you want to, but there is absolutely no need. Just keep the receipts. You can actually make a claim on behalf of anyone as long as they are qualifying medical expenses and you (and/or your wife) actually paid for them.
Strangely, I make one claim for both of us but they always split the tax refund - apparently in random proportions and without any query as to whom the claim relates or sight of receipts.