How does the medical expense deduction work?
You can deduct qualifying medical costs only above a floor. IRS Publication 502, written for 2025 returns, explains that the itemized deduction on Schedule A covers unreimbursed medical and dental expenses that are more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI).
Here is how the floor works. With an AGI of $80,000, 7.5% is $6,000, so only medical spending above $6,000 counts. If your qualifying costs for the year were $9,000, the deductible amount is $3,000, and only if you itemize instead of taking the standard deduction.
The IRS defines medical expenses as costs to diagnose, treat, mitigate or prevent disease, or to affect a part or function of the body. Spending that is merely good for general health does not qualify.
Which men’s health services usually count?
Treatment of a diagnosed condition usually counts, and appearance-driven care usually does not. This table maps the clinic’s service categories to the Publication 502 rules; your own situation and your tax professional have the final word.
| Service | Usually deductible? | The IRS rule behind it |
|---|---|---|
| TRT for diagnosed low testosterone | Usually yes | Medical care, and the medicine requires a clinician’s order |
| ED treatment | Usually yes | Treats a body function |
| Blood tests and lab panels | Usually yes | Laboratory fees and diagnostic tests are included |
| Medical weight loss for diagnosed obesity | Usually yes | Weight-loss programs count when they treat a specific disease a physician diagnosed |
| IV therapy for general wellness | Usually no | Costs merely beneficial to general health are excluded |
| BOTOX, fillers, peels and lasers for appearance | No | Cosmetic procedures are excluded |
| Body sculpting such as NEO Slim | Usually no | Procedures aimed at appearance, like liposuction, are excluded |
| PRP for hair loss | Usually no | Hair transplants are listed as cosmetic |
| Driving to appointments | Yes | 21 cents a mile for 2025, plus parking and tolls |
Publication 502 also excludes over-the-counter medicines other than insulin and medicines brought in from other countries unless they were imported legally. Our page on HSA and FSA eligible treatments applies similar logic to account spending.
What about money from an HSA or FSA?
You cannot count the same dollar twice. Publication 502 says you cannot include expenses paid with a tax-free distribution from a health savings account, and the same principle applies to costs reimbursed by a flexible spending arrangement. IRS Publication 969 explains how HSAs and FSAs work.
For many men, paying from an HSA or FSA is the simpler tax break, because it does not depend on clearing the 7.5% floor or itemizing. Cosmetic treatments are generally not eligible there either; our page on using an HSA for BOTOX and cosmetic treatments covers that question.
What receipts should you keep?
Keep anything that shows what you paid, when, to whom and for what. For a cash-pay clinic, that means itemized receipts listing the date, the service and the amount, plus pharmacy receipts for medicines and a simple mileage log for trips to appointments.
Payment timing matters too. The IRS counts expenses in the year you pay them, so a December payment generally belongs to that tax year, though prepaying for care you will receive the following year generally does not count. If you pay through financing, keep the clinic’s receipt showing the service and the date it was paid. Our page on out-of-network reimbursement for cash-pay care explains the same paperwork from the insurance side.
Is a cash-pay clinic treated differently?
No. The IRS cares about what the expense was for and whether it was reimbursed, not whether the clinic billed insurance. A direct-pay visit for a diagnosed condition is a medical expense like any other.
How Ultimate Male supports your records
Ultimate Male does not bill insurance and provides itemized receipts, which you can use for FSA or HSA claims, out-of-network claims or your own tax records. Financing is available through CareCredit, Prosper Healthcare Lending and Afterpay, and you pay per visit with no membership.
The clinic cannot give tax advice, so bring your receipts to a tax professional if you are close to the 7.5% floor. If you are still deciding whether treatment makes sense, start with a free 10-minute call or read about testosterone therapy and financing options.
