The biggest story in the plastic and cosmetic surgery world right now is the proposed cosmetic surgery tax. It is comically referred to as the “Botax” because it would put a government tax on elective cosmetic surgery procedures; but many Americans don’t think that there is anything comical about it.
According to a recent article in Medical News Today, a poll surveying 1,000 Americans found that people oppose the cosmetic tax by a 52 – 43 percent margin. The proposal recommends a 5 percent excise tax to be placed on cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures, including popular injectables like Botox® and Juvederm® as well as breast reduction surgery, facelifts, and liposuction. The tax would not apply to any reconstructive procedures and is expected to raise $5.8 billion over the next ten years to help pay for the government’s healthcare reform plan.
Critics of the plan say that the tax would disproportionately affect middle-class women, who are the most likely to opt for these types of procedures. Americans too, according to the poll, were more likely to disagree with the tax once they discovered that 60 percent of potential plastic surgery patients reported a household income of 30K to 90K a year. The poll also found that people the age of 45 or older, were more likely to oppose the tax. This is not surprising, as many people opt for plastic surgery to combat the effects of aging.
Whether you agree with the proposed cosmetic surgery tax or not is a personal decision; but we will continue to follow this story to see if it makes it into the final health care reform bill. More up to date articles are being posted onto Southern Plastic Surgery’s Facebook fan page. Click here to become a fan of Dr. Whiteman and Southern Plastic Surgery.