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Is Weight Loss Surgery Deductible?

Is the portion of what I had to pay out of pocket (my health insurance paid the rest) for gastric bypass surgery deductible under the "7.5% of adjusted gross income rule" on a 1040?

Public Comments

1. no, it's considered cosmetic surgery.
2. yes, and no. no - as above answered. yes, if it is required because of your work, eg. model or other entertainer
3. If you had a health condition that a doctor prescribed gastric bypass surgery is your only option to help, then the answer is Yes. Otherwise, you are on your own. Best wishes.
4. If the surgery was medically "necessary" you would be able to take the deduction subject to the 7.5% rule. You could also take the deduction as a business expense if some aspect of your profession or employment required you to do this. In that case you avoid the 7.5% rule. But You might want to schedule some time in say September to explain your reason to a IRS tax examiner as you are very likely going to be audited.
5. Weight loss surgery-like gastric bypass /lap band surgery / stomach stapling and gastrectomy have become very common and very safe now. My cousin got her Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery in India. She has lost more than 65 lbs in 5 months and is very happy with the results. The price for obesity surgery is very less in India. My cousin just paid 25% of the cost she was quoted in America. She got her surgery from a company called Forerunners Healthcare. Forerunners Healthcare is very famous in India. I read a lot about them in the Newspapers and magazines. I have read a lot of their patient stories also. They arrange financing for USA, Canadian, UK and other international patients who plan to have surgery abroad for low cost, as bariatric surgery and weight loss surgery is not covered by insurance. They also have photos pasted of their International patients. You can checkout their website. There are huge cost savings. As a doctor I personally believe that your Obesity surgery can be easily handled in India, as the quality of healthcare available In India is simply best in the world. The surgeons are USA/UK trained and facilities are 5 star. http://www.forerunnershealthcare.com Hope this helps.
6. It beats me why anyone would give Mathew a Thumbs Down on this one. If the procedure is medically necessary (which would be easy to prove) you can include it on Schedule A. As the insurance paid some of it, are you sure you will meet the 7.5% floor? If it only paid a small amount, that may be an indication that it was not medically necessary. Something for you to think about. The business expense is very specific. Acting and Modelling are the ones that spring to mind. I agree with Mathew that, if you claim it on Schedule C, you will need to have a very good case to prevail in an audit.
7. It is absolutely deductable. In fact there is a court case where a nurse sued the IRS for the deduction of WLS and won. WLS is being used as an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes plus it greatly relieves many other comorbidies that come with being severly overweight.