Are all my medications I purchased for my medical conditions deductable?

Prescription drugs are deductible, however over-the-counter medications (those you do not need a prescription to purchase) are almost never considered a deductible medical expense. The “almost” is because there is an exception for insulin.

Medical expense deductions checklist

To help you prepare your tax return, we've compiled the following list of qualified medical expenses. All you need to do is print out this page and put a check mark and the amount next to each medical expense you had during the year.

Note that this isn't a complete list of every available expense — just some of the more common ones. For the complete list, see IRS Publication 502.

• Acupuncture
• Addiction treatment, including meals and lodging at a drug or alcohol addiction treatment center.
• Birth control pills prescribed by a doctor
• Braille books and periodicals used by a person who is visually impaired
• Breast pumps and pumping supplies
• Breast reconstruction surgery following a mastectomy for cancer
• Chiropractic services for medical care
• Contact lenses
• Cosmetic surgery, if necessary to improve a deformity related to a congenital abnormality, accident or disease
• Dental treatment for the prevention and alleviation of dental disease
• Diagnostic devices, such as blood sugar test kits
• Diet food, when prescribed by a doctor to alleviate a specific medical condition
• Doctor or physician expenses
• Exercise programs, when recommended by a doctor to treat a specific medical condition
• Eye exams
• Eye surgery, such as LASIK or a similar procedure
• Eyeglasses
• False teeth
• Fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization, surgery and temporary storage of eggs or sperm
• Gender-affirming care such as hormone therapy and surgery for transgender individuals
• Guide dog or another service animal for a person with low vision or hearing
• Health, dental and vision insurance premiums
• Hearing aids
• Home improvements if their main purpose is medical care
• Hospital services while receiving medical care
• Household help for nursing care services
• Laboratory fees
• Lead-based paint removal when a child is diagnosed with lead poisoning
• Legal fees paid to authorize treatment for mental illness
• Lodging expenses while away from home to receive medical care in a hospital or medical facility
• Long-term care insurance and long-term care expenses
• Mattresses and boards bought specifically to alleviate an arthritic condition
• Medical conference admission costs and travel expenses for a person with a chronic illness to learn about new medical treatments
• Nursing care and nursing home expenses
• Operations (excluding cosmetic surgery)
• Organ transplants
• Oxygen and oxygen equipment to relieve breathing problems
• Physical exams and diagnostic tests
• Pregnancy test kits
• Prescription drugs
• Prosthetic limbs
• Psychiatric care
• Smoking cessation programs
• Special education
• Sterilization or vasectomy
• Telephone and special equipment for a person who is hearing impaired
• Travel and transportation costs for obtaining medical care
• Weight loss programs to treat a specific disease diagnosed by a physician
• Wheelchairs
• X-rays for medical reasons