Gluten-free breads, pasta, and baked goods often cost more than twice as much as "regular" wheat-based products. Furthermore, gluten-free specialty items must sometimes be ordered by mail, with extra costs for shipping adding to the expense of staying gluten-free. The following suggestions (and the ones on the previous page) will help you curb some of the extra expenses.
Take tax deductions for the extra expense of gluten-free foods.
For Canadians with celiac disease, the Canada Revenue Agency clearly states that taxpayers may deduct “…the incremental cost associated with the purchase of gluten-free products, as compared to the cost of comparable non-gluten-free products. A medical practitioner must certify in writing that the person requires gluten-free food due to celiac disease.” In the United States, the IRS makes no specific reference to celiac disease. Several rulings by the IRS seem to suggest that if your total medical expenses for the year exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income, you may be able to deduct the difference in cost between “regular” food products and gluten-free alternatives, as well as the total cost of items that would not be purchased at all if not for the gluten-free diet (such as xantham gum, for example), and shipping costs. Only food used by a celiac patient would be deductible. Every receipt must be saved, along with receipts for gluten-containing foods to prove the difference in price. You’ll also need a doctor’s letter to confirm the diagnosis and the need for the gluten-free diet.
Consider a Flexible Spending Account.
If your out-of-pocket medical expenses won’t total more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income, you may be still be able to use a Flexible Spending Account to pay for the difference in cost between “regular” and gluten-free foods (and related shipping expenses) with before-tax dollars. Talk to the administrator of your Flexible Spending Account.
Apply for assistance.
If your family’s income is low and you can’t afford gluten-free foods, call or go to your local Food Stamp Office to find out whether you might be eligible for Food Stamps. Look in the blue pages of your phone book under “Social Services” or “Human Services,” or call 1-800-221-5689.
Write to your legislators.
In some countries (but not the United States), the extra costs of gluten-free food are covered by health insurance or government subsidies. Some states require insurance carriers to reimburse the extra expense of special diets for certain diseases (such as phenylketonuria, branched-chain ketonuria, galactosemia and homocystinuria), but not celiac disease. Do you think the extra costs of the gluten-free diet should be at least partly covered by insurance subsidies? If yes, write to your state and federal legislators and tell them.
Sources:
Cureton P. The Gluten-Free Diet: Can Your Patient Afford It? Practical Gastroenterology 2007 (April), pp. 75-84
Lowell JP. Against the Grain. Henry Holt and Company, New York, 1995.
Adams S. Tax Deduction for Gluten-Free Foods as a Medical Expense for Diagnosed Celiacs Only. Celiac.com.
