To help pay for the health care reform bill that is being debated over the next few weeks by the U.S. Senate, users of cosmetic medical treatments have been unfairly targeted with a 5% federal tax on such procedures.

Please join us in opposing the tax for the following reasons:

1. The tax is punitive and places an additional burden on the middle class – According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, sixty percent of patients considering a cosmetic medical procedure are squarely in the middle class, earning between $30,000 and $90,000 per year. This tax would come on top of increased payroll and income taxes sure to result from health reform’s $849 billion cost, and would penalize those who have made a well-educated and informed decision in consultation with a specialized physician to opt for cosmetic medical treatments because they allow them to express their best self and have been scientifically tested.

2. The tax discriminates predominantly against women – Medical society data shows that 91 percent of patients seeking cosmetic medical procedures are women. And many of these women are seeking treatment to improve their appearance to enhance their self-image and self-confidence which helps them succeed at work and in other areas of their lives.

3. The tax does not serve the goals of health reform – President Obama has stated that the goal of health reform is “to enact legislation that offers stability and security to those who have insurance and affordable coverage to those who don’t, and that lowers costs for families, businesses and governments across the country.” Since these procedures are generally not covered by insurance, the proposed tax will not reduce the cost of health care nor will it reduce insurance premiums. Further, it will increase administrative costs for physician offices.

4. The tax puts cosmetic procedures in the same category as cigarettes and alcohol – So called “sin taxes” on cigarettes and alcohol were imposed to try to change unhealthy behavior and cover the significant costs that these products placed on the health care system. This is logical. But a tax on cosmetic procedures is illogical because they are healthy and merely a responsible form of self-improvement. Furthermore, these procedures do not impact the heath care system since patients pay for these procedures themselves and they are not covered by insurance. People should have the freedom to decide what is best for their personal health care, including our own aesthetic appearance and therefore be free to spend our own, hard-earned money to correct, alter or enhance our appearance responsibly, in consultation with a physician, without being forced to pay an extra tax.

5. The tax will be impossible to effectively and equitably administer – It is not clear which procedures will be subject to the tax and which will not. Further, the same procedure performed on two different patients could lead to different conclusions concerning application of the tax.

6. The tax discourages innovation and promotes dangerous and unregulated alternatives – Because only drugs and procedures regulated and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be subject to the tax, manufacturers may choose to circumvent FDA regulation to avoid the tax. Further, patients may seek untested and potentially dangerous treatments from unlicensed practitioners to avoid the tax, including seeking treatment across our borders and overseas.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
• Visit stopcosmetictax.org where you can write to your local Senators or Representatives and sign a petition against the tax.

• The U.S. Capitol switchboard is 202-225-3121 where your patients can be connected to their Senators and Representatives. NOTE: The patient must know the name of their Senator prior to calling the switchboard; this information can be found at www.senate.gov (scroll by state). They can determine the name of their representative by going to www.house.gov where they can enter their zip code.