On Wednesday, the Senate revealed a new health care reform bill that includes a 5 percent tax on cosmetic procedures administered by a medical professional. Now plastic surgeons and others in the industry are publicly objecting to the proposed tax.
The strongest objection is that women, the predominant consumers in this industry, will pay the projected 5 billion dollar revenue almost entirely. Therefore, the bill is “discriminatory” and “the wrong way to raise money to pay for expanding health care.”
Jonah Shacknai, CEO of Medicis (maker of the popular wrinkle filler Restylane) suggested that lawmakers were allowing certain moral judgements about cosmetic surgery to affect their judgement. “What’s next? Are we going to tax people who color their hair?” asked Shacknai.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons rallied members late this week to call upon their local representatives and voice opposition to the bill, calling it “discriminatory, ineffective, and arbitrary.” Referencing ASPS statistics on purchasers of cosmetic services, the society cited the overwhelming female demographic – 86 percent – to argue that the bill was discriminatory.
If the tax remains in the healthcare reform bill, it will take effect in 2010.
Follow these links to read more about the elective cosmetic medical tax.
