Moment guide · FY 2026-27
I am claiming 80DDB for a parent's serious illness
What is the 80DDB deduction for specified diseases?
Section 80DDB gives a deduction for actual medical expenses on specified diseases listed in Rule 11DD — ₹40,000, or ₹1 lakh if the patient is a senior citizen — reduced by any insurance reimbursement. A specialist's certificate in Form DD is required, and the deduction is not available in the new regime. It is separate from the 80D health-premium deduction.
Your legitimate options
Every route the statute actually gives you — with its condition, cap and deadline.
| Route | Condition | Cap / deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Actual expenses on specified diseases | Deduction for actual medical expenses on specified diseases listed in Rule 11DD (neurological, malignant, etc.) | ₹40,000 (or ₹1 lakh if the patient is a senior citizen) |
| Insurance reimbursement reduces it | Any amount reimbursed by insurance or paid by the employer reduces the deductible expense | Only the un-reimbursed portion is deductible |
| Form DD from a specialist | A certificate in Form DD from a specialist doctor is required for the claim | NOT available in the new regime |
The #1 trap
Confusing 80DDB with 80D — 80D is for health insurance premiums, while 80DDB is a separate deduction for actual expenses on specified diseases like cancer, neurological conditions and specified blood disorders. The cap is ₹40,000, rising to ₹1 lakh when the patient is a senior citizen, and the claim needs a specialist's certificate in Form DD.
The decision path
Follow it top to bottom — the first condition that matches is your answer.
Worked example
Rahul, paying for his father's cancer treatment
Rahul's 68-year-old father is treated for cancer in FY 2025-26, and Rahul pays ₹2,40,000 of medical expenses after his father's health insurance reimburses ₹1,80,000. The actual out-of-pocket expense is ₹2,40,000 minus ₹1,80,000, which is ₹60,000. Under section 80DDB, the deduction for specified diseases listed in Rule 11DD — malignant cancers, specified neurological conditions and specified blood disorders are all on the list — is capped at ₹1,00,000 when the patient is a senior citizen, so Rahul claims the full ₹60,000. He obtains the certificate in Form DD from the treating oncologist, which is mandatory for the claim. If his father were below 60, the cap would be ₹40,000, so Rahul would claim only ₹40,000 of the ₹60,000. Rahul's own health insurance premium is claimed separately under section 80D — the two deductions are distinct, and mixing them up is a common error. If Rahul were in the new regime, neither the 80DDB deduction nor the 80D premium deduction would be available, which factors into his regime choice in the year of the treatment. He keeps the hospital bills, the insurance settlement letter, the Form DD certificate and the payment records. The 80DDB claim reduces his old-regime taxable income by ₹60,000 in this example. A quick call with us dials in the final figure. Rahul also confirms that the disease must be listed in Rule 11DD: the notified conditions include specified neurological diseases, malignant cancers, full-blown AIDS, chronic renal failure and specified haematological disorders, and a condition outside the list does not qualify even if treatment is expensive. The Form DD certificate is issued by a neurologist, oncologist, urologist or the specialist treating the condition, and it must state the disease and the patient's name. If the patient is a senior citizen, the ₹1 lakh cap applies; for a non-senior the cap is ₹40,000. If the treatment expense is partly reimbursed by insurance and partly borne by the employer, only the truly out-of-pocket amount is deductible. If Rahul's father is a super-senior citizen aged 80 or more, the cap remains ₹1 lakh for the purposes of this provision, with no separate tier. The deduction is claimed against gross total income in the old regime, and if the father has his own income, the deduction is claimed by the person who actually paid the expenses. A quick call with us dials in the final figure.
Questions people actually ask
Sections: 80DDB, Rule 11DD · Last verified 2026-08-11 · Reviewed by Harun Raaj & Associates, Chartered Accountants. Every figure cites the Income-tax Act, 1961 (with ITA 2025 mapping via our section index).