26 U.S.C. § 105
Amounts received under accident and health plans
Except as otherwise provided in this section, amounts received by an employee through accident or health insurance for personal injuries or sickness shall be included in gross income to the extent such amounts (1) are attributable to contributions by the employer which were not includible in the gross income of the employee, or (2) are paid by the employer.
Except in the case of amounts attributable to (and not in excess of) deductions allowed under section 213 (relating to medical, etc., expenses) for any prior taxable year, gross income does not include amounts referred to in subsection (a) if such amounts are paid, directly or indirectly, to the taxpayer to reimburse the taxpayer for expenses incurred by him for the medical care (as defined in section 213(d)) of the taxpayer, his spouse, his dependents (as defined in section 152, determined without regard to subsections (b)(1), (b)(2), and (d)(1)(B) thereof), and any child (as defined in section 152(f)(1)) of the taxpayer who as of the end of the taxable year has not attained age 27. Any child to whom section 152(e) applies shall be treated as a dependent of both parents for purposes of this subsection.
For purposes of section 213(a) (relating to medical, dental, etc., expenses) amounts excluded from gross income under subsection (c) shall not be considered as compensation (by insurance or otherwise) for expenses paid for medical care.
For purposes of this section, the term “employee” does not include an individual who is an employee within the meaning of section 401(c)(1) (relating to self-employed individuals).
In the case of amounts paid to a highly compensated individual under a self-insured medical reimbursement plan which does not satisfy the requirements of paragraph (2) for a plan year, subsection (b) shall not apply to such amounts to the extent they constitute an excess reimbursement of such highly compensated individual.
A self-insured medical reimbursement plan does not meet the requirements of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) unless all benefits provided for participants who are highly compensated individuals are provided for all other participants.
The term “self-insured medical reimbursement plan” means a plan of an employer to reimburse employees for expenses referred to in subsection (b) for which reimbursement is not provided under a policy of accident and health insurance.
All employees who are treated as employed by a single employer under subsection (b), (c), or (m) of section 414 shall be treated as employed by a single employer for purposes of this section.
The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.
Any amount paid for a plan year that is included in income by reason of this subsection shall be treated as received or accrued in the taxable year of the participant in which the plan year ends.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, gross income includes benefits paid under section 2(a) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act for days of sickness; except to the extent such sickness (as determined in accordance with standards prescribed by the Railroad Retirement Board) is the result of on-the-job injury.
For purposes of subsection (b), amounts paid (directly or indirectly) to a qualified taxpayer from an accident or health plan described in paragraph (2) shall not fail to be excluded from gross income solely because such plan, on or before
Section 2(a) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, referred to in subsec. (i), is classified to section 352(a) of Title 45, Railroads.
2018—Subsec. (h)(7)(B). Pub. L. 115–141 substituted “subparagraph (A))” for “subparagraph (A)” in introductory provisions.
2015—Subsec. (j)(1). Pub. L. 114–113, § 305(a), substituted “a qualified taxpayer” for “the taxpayer” and “deceased employee’s beneficiary (other than an individual described in paragraph (3)(B))” for “deceased plan participant’s beneficiary”.
Subsec. (j)(2). Pub. L. 114–113, § 305(c)(1), inserted “or established by or on behalf of a State or political subdivision thereof” after “public retirement system” in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (j)(2)(B). Pub. L. 114–113, § 305(c)(2), inserted “or 501(c)(9)” after “section 115”.
Subsec. (j)(3). Pub. L. 114–113, § 305(b), added par. (3).
2014—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 113–295 struck out “or (d)” after “subsection (c)”.
2010—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 111–152 substituted “his dependents” for “and his dependents” and inserted “, and any child (as defined in section 152(f)(1)) of the taxpayer who as of the end of the taxable year has not attained age 27” after “thereof)”.
2008—Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 110–458 added subsec. (j).
2004—Subsecs. (b), (c)(1). Pub. L. 108–311 inserted “, determined without regard to subsections (b)(1), (b)(2), and (d)(1)(B) thereof” after “section 152”.
1989—Subsecs. (h), (i). Pub. L. 101–140 amended subsecs. (h) and (i) to read as if amendments by Pub. L. 99–514, § 1151(c)(2), had not been enacted, see 1986 Amendment note below.
1986—Subsec. (d)(5)(C). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1301(j)(9), which directed that subpar. (C) be amended by substituting “section 7703(a)” for “section 143(a)”, could not be executed because subsec. (d) was previously repealed by Pub. L. 98–21. See 1983 Amendment note below.
Subsecs. (h), (i). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1151(c)(2), redesignated subsec. (i) as (h) and struck out former subsec. (h) which related to amount paid to highly compensated individuals under a discriminatory self-insured medical expense reimbursement plan.
1984—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98–369 inserted “Any child to whom section 152(e) applies shall be treated as a dependent of both parents for purposes of this subsection.”
1983—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 98–21 struck out subsec. (d) which provided that no deduction or credit would be allowed with respect to any expenditure which is properly associated with any amount excluded from gross income under subsec. (a).
Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 98–76 added subsec. (i).
1982—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–248 substituted “section 213(d)” for “section 213(e)”.
1981—Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 97–34, § 103(c)(2), substituted “this subsection and section 221” for “this subsection” in parenthetical provision.
Subsec. (h)(3)(B)(v). Pub. L. 97–34, § 111(b)(4), substituted “section 911(d)(2)” for “section 911(b)”.
1980—Subsec. (h)(3)(A). Pub. L. 96–222, § 103(a)(13)(B), substituted “highly compensated individuals” for “highly compensated participants”.
Subsec. (h)(7)(A). Pub. L. 96–222, § 103(a)(13)(C), substituted “highly compensated individuals but not to all other participants (or which otherwise fails to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (2)(B))” for “a highly compensated individual but not to a broad cross-section of employees”.
Subsec. (h)(8). Pub. L. 96–613 and Pub. L. 96–605 made identical amendments by substituting in heading “controlled groups, etc.” for “controlled groups”, and by substituting in text “subsection (b), (c), or (m) of section 414” for “subsection (b) or (c) of section 414”.
1978—Subsec. (d)(4). Pub. L. 95–600, § 701 (c)(1), redesignated par. (5) as (4). Former par. (4) redesignated (5)(A) and (C).
Subsec. (d)(5). Pub. L. 95–600, § 701(c)(1), added heading and subpar. (B), redesignated former par. (4) as subpars. (A) and (C), adding subpar. (C) heading and substituting “section 143(a)” for “section 143”; and redesignated former par. (6) as subpar. (D), inserting “defined” in heading.
Subsec. (d)(6), (7). Pub. L. 95–600, § 701(c)(1), redesignated par. (7) as (6). Former par. (6) redesignated (5)(D).
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 95–600, § 366(a), added subsec. (h).
1976—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 94–455, § 505(a), substituted provisions relating to an exclusion of up to $5,200 a year for taxpayers retiring on disability prior to age 65; dollar-for-dollar phase out of exclusion for adjusted annual gross income (including disability income) in excess of $15,000; requirement that married couple must file joint return; defined “permanent and total disability” and “joint return”; and inserted special rule for coordination with section 72 of this title for provisions relating to wage continuation plans.
Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 94–455, § 1901(c)(2), struck out “a territory” after “of a State”.
1964—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 88–272 substituted provisions stating that “The preceding sentence shall not apply to amounts attributable to the first 30” days if the amounts exceed 75 percent of regular weekly wages, and if they do not exceed said 75 percent, the first sentence of this subsection shall not apply to the extent the amounts exceed $75 weekly and shall not apply to amounts attributable to the first 7 calendar days unless the employee is hospitalized for injury or sickness for at least 1 day in such period, for provisions stating that said “preceding sentence” did not apply in cases of sickness, to amounts attributable to the first 7 days unless the employee was hospitalized for sickness for at least 1 day during such period.
1962—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 87–792 added subsec. (g).
Pub. L. 114–113, div. Q, title III, § 305(d),
Amendment by Pub. L. 113–295 effective
Pub. L. 110–458, title I, § 124(b),
Amendment by Pub. L. 108–311 applicable to taxable years beginning after
Amendment by Pub. L. 101–140 effective as if included in section 1151 of Pub. L. 99–514, see section 203(c) of Pub. L. 101–140, set out as a note under section 79 of this title.
Amendment by section 1151(c)(2) of Pub. L. 99–514 applicable, with certain qualifications and exceptions, to years beginning after
Amendment by section 1301(j)(9) of Pub. L. 99–514 applicable to bonds issued after
Amendment by Pub. L. 98–369 applicable to taxable years beginning after
Pub. L. 98–76, title II, § 241(b),
Amendment by Pub. L. 98–21 applicable to taxable years beginning after
Amendment by Pub. L. 97–248 applicable to taxable years beginning after
Amendment by Pub. L. 97–34 applicable to taxable years beginning after
Amendments by Pub. L. 96–605 and 96–613 applicable to years ending after
Amendment by Pub. L. 96–222 effective, except as otherwise provided, as if it had been included in the provisions of the Revenue Act of 1978, Pub. L. 95–600, to which such amendment relates, see section 201 of Pub. L. 96–222, set out as a note under section 32 of this title.
Pub. L. 95–600, title III, § 366(b),
Pub. L. 95–600, title VII, § 701(c)(3),
Pub. L. 94–455, title V, § 505(f), as added by Pub. L. 95–30, title III, § 301(a),
Amendment by section 1901(c)(2) of Pub. L. 94–455 applicable with respect to taxable years beginning after
Pub. L. 88–272, title II, § 205(b),
Amendment by Pub. L. 87–792 applicable to taxable years beginning after
No monies appropriated by Pub. L. 101–136 to be used to implement or enforce section 1151 of Pub. L. 99–514 or the amendments made by such section, see section 528 of Pub. L. 101–136, set out as a note under section 89 of this title.
Pub. L. 95–30, title III, § 301(c),
Pub. L. 95–30, title III, § 301(d),
Pub. L. 95–30, title III, § 301(e),
Pub. L. 94–455, title V, § 505(c),
Pub. L. 94–455, title V, § 505(d),