Section 80DDB of Income Tax Act
Deduction in respect of medical treatment, etc.
Section 80DDB allows a deduction in case of Assessee, who is resident in India, during the previous year, of any amount actually paid for the medical treatment of such disease or ailment as may be specified in the rules 11DD (1) for himself or a dependant. The deduction allowed is equal to the amount actually paid is in respect of the Assessee or his dependant or Rs. 40,000 whichever is less.
Now the deduction can be allowed on the basis of a prescription from an oncologist, a urologist, nephrologist, a haematologist, an immunologist or such other specialist, as mentioned in Rule 11DD. However, the amount of the claim shall be reduced by the amount if any received from the insurer or reimbursed by the employer. Further in case of the person against whom such claim is made is a senior citizen (60 age years or more) then the deduction upto Rs 60,000/- is allowed and in case of very senior citizen (80 age years or more) the deduction upto Rs 80,000/- is allowed.
For the purpose of this section, in the case of an Assessee, “dependant” means individual, the spouse, children, parents, brothers and sisters of the employee or any of them, dependant wholly or mainly on the employee for his support and maintenance.
Vide Notification SO No. 2791(E) dated 12.10.2015, Rules 11DD has been amended to do away with the requirement of furnishing a certificate in Form 10-I. A prescription from a specialist as specified in the Rules containing the name and age the patient, name of the disease/ailment along with the name, address, registration number & qualification of the specialist issuing the prescription would now be required.