“Botax”: The Proposed Tax on Cosmetic Surgery

Ahhhh, the federal government has found another unturned stone to tax a small portion of the American public, the cosmetic surgery tax.

This source of revenue is considered unfair and excessive by most individuals.  All cosmetic surgery procedures would include a 10% tax.  This sounds good for the Feds, but bad for the consumers.  Now, of course, the readers of this blog will say “of course he does not want a cosmetic surgery tax, it will affect his income”!  Well you are correct on that, but there is actually a bigger picture of unfairness.

First of all, the Federal Government (or State Governments) do not participate in any insurance with these procedures because cosmetic surgery is elective.  Patients are already paying for this with after tax dollars, so now they have to pay tax on taxed income.  Also, as seen in other states that have initiated a cosmetic surgery tax, patients simply go to another state to have their surgery.  This does nothing to support local economies and takes business away from the surgeons in that state.  An additional negative about this tax is that it discriminates against females as they are the largest consumers of cosmetic surgery. Other consumers, regardless of gender, save hard for cosmetic procedures and may be priced out of the market.

Another possibility of this type of tax is that it can encourage “back room” surgical procedures.  This is one of the arguments for legal abortion.  When it is illegal, patients have had fatal or damaging outcomes by using “back room” not qualified medical personnel for treatments.  A further tax on cosmetic surgery or any surgery for that matter can encourage non qualified medical treatment.

When the Fed decides to tax a luxury, where does it stop?  Should there be an additional tax on high quality running shoes, top shelf alcoholic beverages, the best lawnmowers, etc?

Patients pay tax on the money they use for cosmetic surgery and the surgeon pays tax on the income he or she makes from the surgery.  That would seem to be enough.

To find out more about cosmetic facial surgery by Dr. Joe Niamtu in Richmond, Virginia visit www.lovethatface.com

Joe Niamtu, III DMD, FAACS

Cosmetic Facial Surgery

Richmond, Virginia