Section 80D: Tax saving investment options in healthcare

Eligibility for deduction under section 80D

The individuals who regularly pay taxes are eligible for deductions under 80D. Below are the people who are eligible for the same:

• Self
• Spouse
• Parents
• Dependent children

Payments eligible under section 80D

Individuals can claim the deductions under section 80 D for the below-mentioned payments:

• An insurance premium paid in any mode other than cash for self, spouse, dependent children and parents
• Payments made for a preventive annual health check-up
• Payments made as medical expenses for senior citizens not covered under any prior health insurance plan
• Payments made towards any health schemes made by the central government

Deductions allowed under section 80D

The deduction allowed under Section 80D is Rs. 25,000 in a financial year. In the case of senior citizens, the deduction limit allowed is Rs. 50,000. The below detail captures the amount of deduction currently available FY 2020-21 and FY 2019-20 to an individual taxpayer under various scenarios:

• A maximum of Rs. 25,000 for self, spouse and dependent children
• A maximum of Rs. 50,000 for self/parents/senior citizens above the age of 60.
• A maximum of Rs. 25,000 for non-residential individual

Cash payment restricted

Individuals can enjoy the tax benefits only when they make health insurance premium payments through non-cash modes like online banking, cheque, demand draft, debit or credit cards, etc. This rule does not apply to the preventive health check-ups, you can still avail of tax deduction in this scenario.

Prevention is better than cure

Apart from healthcare plans, regular health check-ups are vital to understanding how your body functions and diagnosing any health issues early on. Section 80D also offers tax-saving options for preventive health check-ups. If you or a family member has undergone a preventive health check-up, you can get an extra rebate of Rs. 5,000.
This scheme was introduced to encourage people to get themselves checked from time to time. Early diagnosis and prevention can save you a lot of money in treatment costs, along with saving your life.

Bigger savings for senior citizens insurance providers rarely want to sell policies to senior citizens due to the high risk involved, and the plans they sell are expensive. Keeping this in mind, Section 80D has additional provisions for senior citizens. You get a higher upper limit on your tax deduction while covering senior citizen parents.

Moreover, if you are a senior citizen who has dependent senior citizen parents, your tax deductions will be even higher. Thus, you can enjoy many tax benefits by protecting your health.

Additional Read: Health Insurance Plans Available In India