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Need documents to claim premiums on taxes?

By February 7, 2024January 13th, 202651 Comments

Updated as of January 2026.

Did you know that you might be able to claim some medical expenses on your income tax return in Canada—even if you have health benefits? If you meet the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) eligibility threshold for medical deductions, you may be able to claim:

  • The portion of medical expenses not covered by your benefits
  • Premiums you paid for your health plan that weren’t covered by an employer

Claiming these amounts may help lower your taxable income and reduce your tax bill.

 

A close up of a tax form with a pen, a simple calculator and a pair of black rimmed glasses on top of the form.

 

How do I know if I qualify for a medical expense tax deduction?

Whether you can claim your uncovered medical expenses depends on 3 factors:

  • If they’re considered eligible medical expenses by CRA
  • Your income
  • The total amount you spent on them over the tax year

Eligible medical expenses may include prescription drugs, dental care, vision care, medical devices or even travel for medical treatment. The CRA’s guide to claiming medical expenses outlines the qualifying expenses and can help you calculate your eligibility before you start your claim.

What you need to keep for your claim

When it comes to claiming medical expenses, the CRA wants proof. That means holding on to your original receipts for any eligible medical expenses—even if you’ve already submitted them to your benefits plan for reimbursement.

Why? Because the CRA may ask to see those receipts to confirm:

  • The expense was paid by you and not fully reimbursed
  • The type of service or product you purchased
  • The date and amount of the expense

Typically, you don’t have to send receipts with your tax return, but it’s always a good idea to keep them in a safe place for at least 6 years after filing.

How your claims totals report can help

Your claims totals report is a snapshot of all your benefits claims. It shows what was covered and what wasn’t, making it easy to see which expenses might qualify for the medical expense tax credit. Having this summary on hand can save you time when checking your eligibility and calculating your claim.

But remember: a claims total report doesn’t replace receipts when it comes to proof of payment. Think of it as a reference for filing, not a substitute for payment receipts.

How to find your Alberta Blue Cross® claims totals report

If you have an employer-sponsored group plan, a personal benefit plan or certain government-sponsored plans, you can easily check your claim totals online or on the member app.

  • Start by signing in to your member account at members.ab.bluecross.ca or on the app.
  • Find the menu, click Claims and choose Claim totals report.
  • Pick your date range
  • Choose the report type if you have multiple report types available to you (Health, dental, vision and drug claims or Health spending account claims)
  • Choose if you want to see claims for all the members on your plan or just one person.
  • Click Generate report to view or download it.

Prefer a paper copy? Just click the Request a mailed copy link under the Generate report button, and we’ll mail it to you.

Don’t forget to download your premium receipts

Receipts aren’t just for prescriptions and dental visits—you should keep a record of your benefits plan premium payments too. If you’ve paid for any portion of your plan premiums out of pocket, that cost can count as an eligible medical expense. This may help you meet the threshold needed to qualify for a medical expense tax credit claim.

How to find your premium receipts

If you are covered under an employer plan:
As a group plan member, you may be able to claim any portion of your benefits plan premium that was not paid by your employer. Because your premiums are usually taken from your payroll deductions, you may often use your last paystub of the year as proof of your portion of the premium payments. If you can’t find your record of payment on your year-end paystub, reach out to your employer for confirmation of your premium contributions.

If you have a personal benefit plan or a government-sponsored Non-Group plan (Group 1):
You can download your premium payment receipts online or through the app.

  • Start by signing in to your member account at members.ab.bluecross.ca or open the member app
  • Once you’re in, go to Account. Under Receipt of payments, you can choose the date range you need. Then just click Generate receipt—your document is ready to download or print.

Ready to make your claim easier?

Claiming medical expenses on your taxes in Canada can feel complicated. But with the right tools, it doesn’t have to be. Keep your receipts, download your claims totals report and double-check your eligibility. A few simple steps now can help you save on your taxes later.

And while you’re getting organized, remember that tax season isn’t just about squaring up with the government—it’s also a time when scams spike. Fraudsters often use tax season as an opportunity to pose as the CRA to trick people into sharing personal information or sending money. Staying scam aware is just as important as knowing what you can claim. Stay safe from fraud this tax season.

Need more information?

Check out our member site tax documents guide for more information and step-by-step instructions on finding your claims totals report and premium receipts.

 

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