The new "Bo-Tax", a tax of 5% on cosmetic procedures and surgery, is part of Senate Leader Harry Reid's 2,074 page proposed health reform bill. Dr Shah joins millions of physicians and patients who feel the tax unfairly targets the working class woman.
Here are the facts:
1. 86% of people seeking cosmetic surgery in the next 2 years are women
2. 60% of these women earn a household income of $30,000 - $90,000
3. 40% of these women earn a household income of $30,000 - $40,000
4. The tax will generate only .5% of the $849 billion needed to fund the realth reform bill
5. Administration and monitoring of the tax could become a potential nightmare, as tax regulators are will have to decide what is considered "cosmetic" and what is considered "reconstructive"
6. Many medical spas, cosmetic surgeons, and cosmetic dentists will have to close their doors, as this tax will discourage spending in a time when the economy has caused up to a 60% decline in these procedures. This will lead to more unemployment, and be another hinderence to economic growth.
Dr Shah joins the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, as well as millions or physicians and patients across the country in strong disapproval of this tax.
*data from ASPS survey
