Access to good healthcare is a fundamental right. But rising medical costs make it difficult for many salaried employees to get proper treatment, at the right time. To help employees and their families get the best medical attention, employers provide medical reimbursement. However, you can avail of this benefit if you and your employer follow the medical reimbursement rules. Moreover, you can also claim tax exemption up to Rs. 15,000.
This article provides a detailed overview of medical reimbursement, its rules, how to claim it, tax exemption and more. Keep reading!
Medical reimbursement is an agreement between an employer and employee in which the employer pays a portion of the employee’s medical expenses. Employees’ excessive work hours, job stress, etc., have led to the development of medical reimbursement. Consequently, the likelihood of high medical costs became a part of any employee’s financial burden. On the other hand, employers assume moral responsibility for monitoring all of these variables. You can also claim tax exemptions of up to Rs 15,000 on any other income, you can do the same with these reimbursements as well.
In order to qualify for tax-exempt status under the Income Tax Act of 1961, the following conditions must be met:
Only the employee’s actual out-of-pocket medical bill expenses are eligible for the exemption. Bills from pharmacies or treatment in clinics and state or federal hospitals may be included.
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Following a few simple steps, an employee can file a medical reimbursement claim. First and foremost, be sure to provide your employer with copies of all relevant medical bills. Then, the following conditions must be considered:
For reimbursement of medical expenses up to Rs 15,000, the employer will thereafter reimburse them without tax deduction.
The following are the tax-free conditions for medical treatment abroad that an employee or a member of his or her family can receive:
Medical reimbursement is commonly mistaken for medical allowance, which is paid out as part of the regular wage. Section 10 of the Income Tax Act exempts employees from paying taxes on specific exceptional allowances. On the other hand, medical benefits are not mentioned as an exception under Section 10 and are subject to taxation as pay income.
Furthermore, the medical allowance does not necessitate submitting any medical bills or proof. In contrast, medical reimbursement requires the submission of actual medical bills.
Medical Reimbursement | Medical Allowence |
Medical reimbursement is a benefit employees get after submitting medical invoices. | Medical allowance is a benefit employees receive as part of their wage. |
A benefit that is tax-free up to a specific level is Medical Reimbursement; it’s excluded from taxation if you earn $15,000 or less.For instance, XYZ Pvt. Ltd. employs Mr. Rahul. He spent Rs.10,000 on his wife’s medical care in that financial year. His medical costs of Rs.10,000 must be sent to XYZ Pvt. Ltd. to get his tax exemption. In the current financial year, this will reduce his tax liability by Rs. 10,000.Mr. Rahul’s company reimbursed him for the entire sum of Rs. 30,000 instead of Rs. 10,000 in medical bills he filed throughout the fiscal year. Then, Mr. Rahul can claim the Rs. 15,000 Income Tax Exemption, but the rest of the Rs.15,000 will be taxed as per the income tax slab rates. | The monthly taxable amount paid by an employer as part of a worker’s taxable salary is known as the Medical Allowance. |
Medical reimbursement requires the submission of proper medical bills to receive compensation. | This allowance does not need the submission of medical bills to receive compensation. |
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While Medical Allowance is a taxable monthly payment made to employees by their employers, reimbursement for medical expenses occurs when an employee receives a specific sum from their company. Employees can also claim medical expenses incurred outside of India. It is essential that all Medical Reimbursement bills bear the name of the patient or a dependent of the patient and come from a licensed facility.
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Ans: Members of the following families can receive financial assistance with their medical bills. Children of the employee, whether they are married, unmarried, or dependent. Family members of the employer who are fully reliant on the employee.
Ans: Reimbursement covers company expenditures, insurance, taxes, and other fees. Also, travel and food are reimbursed through business expense reimbursements.
Ans: Rs.15,000 is available to employees as a tax-free bonus for their expenses. An individual can only benefit from this exemption if he or she is reimbursed for medical expenditures incurred.
Ans: An employee may claim only medical expenses incurred during the current fiscal year. Medical expenses incurred in prior fiscal years cannot be claimed.
Ans: Medical bills reimbursement claims must be made with original medical bills by the employee to the employer by the end of the fiscal year.