Budget 2026-27: Tax cuts on heart stents, dialysis equipment to lower treatment costs

Patients suffering from heart and kidney diseases could see a significant reduction in treatment costs under the proposed FY2026-27 national budget, which includes major tax and VAT exemptions on several essential medical devices.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury announced the measures while presenting the budget in Parliament on Thursday, describing them as part of efforts to make critical healthcare services more affordable.

Under the proposal, the government plans to remove the existing 10 percent VAT on the supply of cardiac stents. The move is expected to lower the price of each stent by around Tk 20,000, reducing the overall cost of heart procedures for patients.

Kidney patients are also set to benefit from the proposed tax relief. The budget recommends withdrawing both the 15 percent VAT and 5 percent Advance Tax on the import of dialysis filters, a key component used in dialysis treatment.

As a result, the cost of dialysis filters is expected to fall, potentially reducing the average expense of a single dialysis session by approximately Tk 800.

In addition, the government has proposed eliminating the 7.5 percent Advance Tax currently imposed on the import of hemodialysis blood tubing sets, another essential item used in the treatment of kidney failure patients.

The proposed tax measures are aimed at easing healthcare costs for thousands of patients who require regular cardiac and renal treatments, while improving access to life-saving medical care across the country.

If approved, the exemptions will take effect in the upcoming fiscal year as part of the government‍‍`s broader healthcare support initiatives.