Say No to Bo-Tax

The heated health care reform debate has received constant media attention recently. Most have discussed government control and the cost, but it’s important to know what taxes are in the bill to help pay for reform.

One of them is the aptly nicknamed “Bo-tax”, a 10% cosmetic surgery tax on procedures that improve appearance and don’t treat an illness. This tax would include teeth whitening, Botox injections and lipo among many others. $10.3 million was spent last year on cosmetic surgery and 86% of those who went under the knife or needle were women. Intended as a rich tax, the bill ignores the fact that many people in the middle class save for certain procedures, so that when signs of aging pop up in their 40s and 50s, they will have enough money to do something about it.

Most people agree that there’s something wrong with our health care system. But this bill contains a lot that should be questioned and clarified. The debate will continue, so any interested in cosmetic procedures should keep up with the latest news on pricing and taxes. We’ll keep you updated, and if you’ve saved for non-invasive services, consider coming in sooner than later to avoid taxes and red tape. You can always ask us about pricing and specials through chat, e-mail or by phone.

There’s also an online petition to stop the tax at www.stopbotax.org.