Quick Poll - Sales tax on Diabetes 'stuff'
I recently realized that I'm paying sales tax to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for each box of Dexcom supplies that I purchase. The sales tax is not reimbursable, so if I order 10 boxes a year for a total of $2,400 I will support our glorious Commonwealth to the tune of $120.I'm starting to raise some issues about this with my local reps and the tax office here in Massachusetts, or Taxachusetts as some of us fortunate enough to live here will call it.
So I thought I should gather some information from my readers. If you live in the US and you've purchased either Dexcom sensors or blood glucose strips please let me know the following.
Note: This is for non-prescription items. Massachusetts has different rules for test strips if I get them on prescription, versus if I buy them over the counter. So please let me know if you're purchased these items without a prescription.
- What US state you live in
- Whether you paid taxes on these diabetes items.
- And if you did, what the tax rate was.
Labels: diabetes, supplies, taxes
posted by Bernard @ 2:07 PM
12 Comments:
Hi Bernard,
I live in Illinois, and just bought test strips from Walgreens today. I'm surprised to discover I only paid 2% sales tax. (Being in Chicago I assumed it would be 9% like everything else!) I don't know if the costs are reimbursable or not.
Great blog, and I look forward to reading your follow-up.
Kathy
I just purchased my Dexcom unit and it came with a box of 6 sensors. There was no tax on this... just shipping charges. I live in Tampa, Florida.
We're in TN. No sales tax on O's test strips.
We purchase our test strips from Medco via mail order. No sales tax, but that's probably because Medco doesn't have a facility here in Colorado. Companies aren't required to charge sales tax in states where they don't have a physical presence. (And yes, it makes no sense why test strips are taxable.)
Hi Bernard - I live in San Jose, CA, and we have 8.25% sales tax here. However, I don't pay it on test strips. I buy them at Walgreen's.
Bernard,
I too live in Mass and buy the dexcom sensors (but I'll be switching to the minimed in Feb.) I have never paid attention to the bill when it comes.
I also happen to work in government - and follow d issues closely. I would love to talk to you about this. Could you email me at escorcoran(at)mac(dot)com
And fyi - 35 state have a higher tax burden than Mass - so we're not taxachusetts any more!
e.
Hi Bernard,
I live in Indiana & get my test strips via my mail order insurance plan - which I believe is located in Ohio. But I don't pay sales tax on my test strips. I was shocked to hear that you have to. How awful!
I don't think the tax prescriptions in TN. That's weird. I'm not sure if they would tax it if it wasn't a prescription...I may have to find out.
Hey Bernard,
I live in Kansas and have a script for my test strips at Walgreens. I pay a flat $20.00 co-pay. No tax. I hope that this doesn't change when I get on the pump soon and hopefully a CGMS.
Hi Bernard,
In Wisconsin and in Maine and Minnesota I never paid taxes on anything diabetes related (except glucose tablets). I don't know specifically about the CGMS supplies, though.
Hey Benard,
I'm in AL and none of my diabetes supplies is taxed - AS LONG AS YOU HAVE A SCRIPT. I thought the sensors required a script like the monitors. If they do, you could easily argue the point. That's why pump supplies aren't taxed.
Hey, Bernard:
This sounds like a great topic to start on TuDiabetes.com. I went ahead and started a discussion topic about this there.
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