aussie dry eye sufferers unfairly taxed

[poppy]

I've just been adding up all my medical expenses/receipts for my taxes (for the 20% tax offset) and was really annoyed to notice the following.

All of the dry eye products I buy from the pharmacy have been charged goods and services tax In Australia medicines are not subject to GST including over the counter medicines. So, if I buy cough mixture or even sunscreen over the counter at a pharmacy I don't pay GST but the artificial tears, gels and other products (eg lid wipes) that I have spent over $800 on this year are subject to 10% tax.

The only product that I didn't pay GST on was genteal gel and I found that even this is taxed at some pharmacies (but not at the pharmacy I usually buy it from). This leads me to believe that perhaps pharmacies are confused about or have different interpretations of the tax law. Perhaps it is the pharmacists who believe that artificial tears are not an essential product to treat a medical condition and therefore are subject to tax Indeed perhaps the Australian Tax Office would not allow the artificial tears to be claimed on my tax return using the 20% medical expenses tax offset, as dry eye isn't a real medical condition

I feel like complaining about this issue but don't know who to write to?

[PotatoCakes]

I would call whoever is in charge of taxes (you mention an Australian Tax Office) and ask them about it. You may be right, that pharmacies are confused (or perhaps not but figuring they've been getting away with it for this long). It seems odd that sunscreen would be considered medicine but eye drops would not be. Here in the U.S. we have the I.R.S (internal revenue service), they have a website with contact info. I would do a Google search for the tax agency and look for a phone number to call. Ask them what the policy is and then see if you can get a letter or something that states that policy in regards to eye products (one thought -- do they tax cleaners for contacts ,etc? If not, then eye drops should most certainly not be taxed). Take the letter with you to the pharmacy and when they charge you tax, show them the letter. Make a few copies so you can leave the pharmacy with a copy.

I print out the TSA information about carrying medicines, etc and carry it with me every time I fly in case I find myself face-to-face with an overzealous TSA agent that doesn't know their own rules. If pharmacies are charging tax when they shouldn't be, you may need to do something like this when you purchase your eye care products.

[Guest]

Here, we're unfairly taxed too... artificial tears cannot be deducted as medical expense on your income taxes (even if prescribed by a dr.) because they are available for purchase without an rx too... it's very annoying to me!