Are you having difficulty with your doctor over a request for forms and letters for disability or infirmity?

This isn't a new challenge and you aren't alone.

http://njnnetwork.com/2011/01/wife-of-canadian-with-disability-wins-historic-tax-case-against-cra/
I don't know if this is a solution, but here's Lembi Buchanan's plea, over 10 years after winning her case at the Supreme Court www.disabilitytaxcredit.com

The way our tax credit system is set up at the moment, doctors are being required to document claims for tax credits so you can get a reduction in your tax bill. Let's talk about this. What's the reason for this tax credit? Is it about giving you a break? Or is it about getting information about the health of families in our nation? One does have to wonder.

There's a serious flaw in this process.  First of all, doctors aren't tax experts. They don't know what the rules are. They are expected to not do harm. Is it really fair that we ask them to document the effects of disability or infirmity when patient's don't even live with the doctor?

The doctor may only see the patient every few weeks or months. Disabilities are often invisible. The only evidence may be anecdotal. The doctors aren't the caregivers, available 24/7, so how much do they really know about the effects of the impairment? Are we asking them to do something they don't have enough information to do? Why should this additional responsibility be put on those who care for our health. Not our financial health, our physical and mental health.

Doctors don't have time to care about your financial situation, nor should they have to. FYI, your doctor may be quite envious that you're entitled to these tax credits. Why? Doctors pay GST/HST on business expenses, and because they are exempt from charging tax, they don't get back input tax credits for some large business expenses like rent, and common area costs associated with their business.  They also pay tax on their top dollars earned at a much higher rate for every dollar earned than you do if you aren't in the higher income tax brackets. Doctors know that for a child with a disability, for a claim going back 10 years, there's possibly a refund for the family of over $30,000. Imagine how they feel. All they charged is $50 or $150 for form completion, and then they had to defend their request by completing additional extremely invasive questionnaires that you didn't even see. And they have patients who need them, patients who may die if they aren't getting enough sleep and make a mistake.

Now, in 2012, to add insult to injury, the federal gov't adds another requirement for documentation of the state of taxpayers health, this time in the form of another refundable tax credit, the 'Family Caregiver Amount' which is a federal credit of $2,000 added to five different types of dependants, providing the supportive family with $300 federal refund per dependant.  Spouse, child, parent or any relative over 18 with an infirmity, who lives with you, or doesn't live with you...all for a $300 tax reduction but that's per person. If you have several people in your family with an infirmity, you can claim that amount in addition to the usual dependant credit for each one you can get a doctor to write a letter for.

I don't blame doctors for being furious at tax preparers who suggest their clients ask the doctor if it's appropriate to complete a T2201 or a letter of infirmity. But hey, we are caught in the middle. Tax preparers don't know enough, all we know is what our clients tell us. We have an obligation to suggest they at least try to get the doctor to consider whether the claim is viable. I've heard stories of how doctors are furious with tax preparers for even suggesting or informing their clients these credits exist.

There has to be a better way than requiring our over-worked medical professionals from becoming advocates for taxpayers finances. I for one, was very frightened and am still coming to terms with the raw rage exhibited by one doctor at being asked about completing the disability form and/or a letter of infirmity. I have no idea where the rage came from, and can only assume something horrible happened and this request sent that doctor over the edge. How close to the same rage is your doctor? Do you dare ask for documentation of disability or infirmity?

Ask your Member of Parliament to have a discussion with their own doctor to see how far they get with requesting disability or infirmity documentation.. Let's get the discussion going on how this isn't a tenable situation and something has to be done to relieve the pressure.

Per Statistics Canada, a few years ago now, there were already 2.7 Million Canadians with a disability. How many doctors are there? What on earth are we thinking asking them to do all this paperwork on our behalf?