7 Medical Expenses Canadian Families Forget to Claim

With the April 30 filing deadline just weeks away, now is the time to take a second look at your medical receipts. Every year, Canadian families leave hundreds — sometimes thousands — of dollars in CRA medical expense deductions unclaimed, simply because they did not realize certain costs were eligible.

The Medical Expense Tax Credit (METC) on line 33099 of your tax return covers far more than hospital bills and prescriptions. Below are seven commonly overlooked CRA medical expense categories, followed by two optimization strategies that can significantly increase the value of your claim.

1. Paramedical practitioners

Visits to physiotherapists, chiropractors, registered massage therapists, psychologists, naturopaths, and acupuncturists all qualify as a CRA medical expense — and you generally do not need a doctor's referral. The key requirement is that the practitioner is licensed in your province. If you or your children attended regular therapy sessions throughout the year, those fees can add up quickly. Keep every receipt, even the small ones.

2. Travel to medical appointments

This is one of the most underused CRA medical expense deductions, particularly for families in rural or northern communities. If you travelled at least 40 kilometres one way to reach a medical facility that was not available near your home, you can claim the transportation cost. Drive more than 80 kilometres one way and meals and accommodation become eligible too. Keep a simple log of the date, destination, kilometres driven, and the appointment purpose. The CRA accepts a simplified mileage method or actual fuel costs — whichever works in your favour.

3. Dental work beyond insurance

Most families remember to claim large dental procedures, but the out-of-pocket portion of routine cleanings, fillings, orthodontic adjustments, and dentures is equally eligible. If your employer insurance covered 80 percent of a crown, the remaining 20 percent is a valid CRA medical expense. Request an annual statement from your dental office — it will list every visit and the exact amount your plan did not cover.

4. Prescription glasses and contacts

The cost of prescription eyeglasses, contact lenses, and laser eye surgery co-pays all count toward your medical expense claim. Again, only the portion not reimbursed by insurance matters. If you bought two pairs of glasses in one year or your teenager needed new lenses, those costs stack up. This CRA medical expense category is straightforward — just keep the itemized receipt from your optician.

5. Medical devices

The CRA maintains a lengthy list of eligible devices and equipment. CPAP machines, hearing aids, blood glucose monitors, orthopaedic shoes, canes, walkers, and wheelchairs are all common examples. Some devices require a prescription from a medical practitioner, so check the CRA list (IT519R2) before purchasing. If you already own an eligible device and have the receipt, make sure it is included in your claim.

6. Gluten-free food for celiac disease

If you or a family member has a diagnosed celiac condition, the incremental cost of gluten-free products over their conventional equivalents is a CRA medical expense. You will need a letter from a medical practitioner confirming the diagnosis. The math involves comparing the price of a gluten-free item to its regular counterpart and claiming the difference. It sounds tedious, but for families who buy specialty products weekly, the annual total can be substantial.

7. Home accessibility renovations

If anyone in the household qualifies for the Disability Tax Credit or is 65 years of age or older, renovation costs that improve accessibility are eligible. This includes items like grab bars, walk-in bathtubs, ramps, widened doorways, and stairlifts. There is a separate Home Accessibility Tax Credit (HATC) that covers up to $20,000 in eligible expenses, and in some cases you can claim under both the HATC and the METC. This CRA medical expense category is often missed because families do not connect renovation costs with medical claims.

The 12-month rolling period trick

Here is a detail that changes the math for many families: you do not have to use January through December as your claim period. The CRA allows any 12-month period ending in the tax year you are filing. For your 2025 return, that means any window ending between January 1 and December 31, 2025.

Consider Sarah, who had these medical expenses:

• October 2024 — $1,500 for prescription glasses and an eye surgery co-pay
• February 2025 — $4,200 for a dental implant
• June 2025 — $800 for physiotherapy sessions

If Sarah uses the standard calendar year (January to December 2025), she can only claim $5,000. But by shifting her window to October 2024 through September 2025, she captures all three expenses for a total of $6,500 — an extra $1,500 in eligible CRA medical expenses.

With a net income of $65,000, Sarah's threshold is 3% of that amount, or $1,950. Under the calendar year, her federal credit comes to roughly $458. With the optimized window, it jumps to about $683. That is an extra $225 in federal savings alone, before provincial credits are factored in — all from choosing a smarter 12-month period.

Family pooling: which spouse should claim

Either spouse (or common-law partner) can claim the family's combined medical expenses on their return. The credit applies to expenses above the lesser of 3% of the claimant's net income or $2,834 (the 2025 cap). The key insight: the lower-income spouse almost always gets a larger credit because their 3% threshold is lower, which means more of the family's expenses fall above the line and convert into tax savings.

The one exception is when the lower-income spouse does not owe enough tax to absorb the full credit, since the METC is non-refundable. In that case, run the numbers both ways. A CRA medical expense calculator can do this comparison for you in seconds.