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Pocono News Section
Cosmetic Surgery Tax Proposal
Cosmetic Surgery Tax Proposal - Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 4:55PM EST
Reported by: Mike Trim
Tuesday, Nov 24, 2009 @ 04:55pm EST
Cosmetic surgery could soon be taxed under new federal health care reform. Senate Democrats added a proposed 5% tax on elective cosmetic procedures.
Dr. Francis Collini performs up to 900 cosmetic surgeries a year here at the Renaissance Center for Plastic Surgery in Kingston Township. He says a proposed cosmetic tax isn't the answer for health care reform and points to a similar state cosmetic tax in New Jersey as proof.
Dr. Collini said, "It did not bring in the income it was supposed to, it targeted the wrong people. We were told the taxes would be raised on higher income people but it actually taxes women almost exclusively and middle class, almost exclusively."
The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery agrees with Dr. Collini. It says 86% of patients are women ages 35 to 50, earning an average of $55,000 a year.
Doctors like Collini would be responsible for collecting the tax. Dr. Collini said that might be difficult to account for. He thinks patients will travel outside the country, where cosmetic surgery isn't taxed.
Our own Doug Currin has had cosmetic surgery, but he thinks the tax is fair. Currin said, "If you're in a car accident, that's one thing and you need surgery to put your life back together. For people who are getting tummy tucks, implants and facelifts and things like that, you know they're going for something that they've researched, paid for, why not?"
Right now this tax is just a proposal, included in the Senate DemocratÕs health care reform bill. The next step for the bill is a debate on the Senate floor and then a possible vote for approval. | | |
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