Maximise Medical Expense Refunds: Expert Tips Ireland 2025

Medical expenses add up quickly—GP visits, prescriptions, dental work, physio appointments. What many Irish workers don't realise is that you can claim 20% tax relief on these costs. It's not a small amount either: families regularly claim back hundreds or even thousands of euros in medical expenses relief.

Our tax specialists have helped thousands of clients maximise their medical expense claims. Here are the expert strategies that ensure you get back every cent you're entitled to.

What Medical Expenses Can You Claim?

The range of qualifying medical expenses is broader than most people think. You can claim for:

• Doctor and consultant fees: GP visits, specialists, hospital consultants
• Prescriptions: Prescribed medications (not over-the-counter)
• Dental expenses: Most treatments including extractions, fillings, root canals
• Physiotherapy: When prescribed or referred by a doctor
• Orthodontics: Braces and orthodontic treatment
• Optical: Prescription glasses and contact lenses
• Hospital stays: Maintenance costs during treatment
• Nursing home fees: For qualifying relatives

Expert Tips to Maximise Your Claim

1. Claim for Your Whole Family

You can claim medical expenses you've paid for yourself, your spouse, your children, and other dependent relatives. A family of four typically has significantly more claimable expenses than people realise—children's doctor visits, dental check-ups, prescriptions all add up.

2. Don't Forget Dental Expenses

Dental work is often expensive and frequently overlooked for tax relief. Routine check-ups don't qualify, but most treatments do—fillings, extractions, crowns, root canals, dentures, and orthodontic work. If you've had any dental procedures, you could be owed money back.

3. Claim for Four Years

You can backdate claims for up to four years. In 2025, that means claiming for 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021. Most people only think about last year—but four years of medical expenses can represent a substantial refund.

4. Deduct Insurance Reimbursements

You can only claim for the portion you actually paid. If your health insurance covered part of a bill, you claim for the unreimbursed amount. Our specialists calculate this correctly to maximise your legitimate claim.

5. Keep All Receipts

While you don't need to submit receipts with your claim, Revenue may request them for verification. Keep prescription receipts, dental invoices, and medical bills organised—we can guide you on what documentation to maintain.

What About Health Insurance?

Tax relief on health insurance premiums is handled differently—it's applied automatically at source (Tax Relief at Source or TRS). This means your insurer has already reduced your premium by 20%. You don't need to claim separately for this.

However, your out-of-pocket medical expenses—the excesses, unreimbursed costs, and treatments insurance didn't cover—are still claimable through the normal process.

How Much Could You Claim?

Multiply by up to four years of unclaimed expenses, and the numbers become significant. Families with ongoing medical needs can recover thousands.

Combine with Other Reliefs

Medical expenses are just one piece of the puzzle. When our specialists review your tax, we also check for:

• Rent tax credit – up to €1,000 per year
• Work expenses – flat rate allowances for many professions
• Working from home relief – for remote workers
• Tuition fees relief – if you or family members are studying

The average refund our clients receive is €1,080—medical expenses combined with other reliefs often push this much higher.

Frequently Asked Questions