Video: Plastic surgery tax will have some unintended consequences
posted at 1:36 pm on October 21, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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I find it difficult to keep up with all of the tax gimmicks being proposed in Congress to fund the cost of massive government intrusion into the health-care industry, and the plastic surgery surtax is one that has slipped through the cracks. First floated this summer, the tax would impose a 10% surcharge on all plastic surgery, an industry that has little to do with health insurance in the first place. Fox News covers this from the angle of public safety:
This is a pretty poor argument. It’s akin to the abortion defense, which is that people will get forced into back-alley abortions if abortions are outlawed. Back-alley plastic surgery already exists, with predictably horrible results, and an increase in prices will probably increase that business. However, no one’s talking about outlawing face lifts. The biggest risk will be a reduction in business as some consumers get priced out of the market.
Better to argue that plastic surgery has nothing to do with the cost crisis in health insurance coverage. Why penalize a market that has almost no contact with either private or government health coverage, and when it does, it’s only because the surgery is desperately needed? No health insurance pays for elective cosmetic surgery. Consumers pay out of their own pocket, providers advertise and compete, and the result is competitive prices and plenty of providers to meet the demand. The government’s only motive in applying this tax is to suck resources out of a functioning market like a liposuction, and give ObamaCare a few sexy curves with them.
Besides, as the LA Times reported in July, it won’t produce the revenues they predict:
Not everyone thinks the tax will make much of a dent in healthcare costs. Malcolm Roth, vice president for health policy and advocacy at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, said a similar tax in New Jersey only brought in about 25% of the funds lawmakers expected when they passed it in 2004.
That will be true of most of these excise taxes and fees.
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Backalley Botox. The risk we can’t ignore.
Wethal on October 21, 2009 at 1:38 PM
Great now I will have to raise even MORE money to pay the surgeon to get Helen Thomas looking like Megan Fox.
.
.
Another dream denied!
LincolntheHun on October 21, 2009 at 1:40 PM
Pity poor Pelosi!
Dhuka on October 21, 2009 at 1:40 PM
People will go abroad for plastic surgery. Lose-lose..
the_nile on October 21, 2009 at 1:40 PM
Hell, count me in favor of the tax.
The revenues raised from Pelosi alone would erase the deficit.
TXUS on October 21, 2009 at 1:41 PM
And some of those advertisements sure are nice to look at. ;-)
WashJeff on October 21, 2009 at 1:41 PM
I don’t know about a tax, but how about a cap on the number of procedures? I mean … seriously. Ugh.
TheUnrepentantGeek on October 21, 2009 at 1:42 PM
I’d hate to see the bill on that job. Besides, there are limits to modern medicine…
portlandon on October 21, 2009 at 1:43 PM
Going Galt on plastic surgery?
mankai on October 21, 2009 at 1:43 PM
People will go abroad for plastic surgery. Lose-lose..
the_nile on October 21, 2009 at 1:40 PM
Exactly. After cap & tax and ObamaCare is passed, lots of businesses and business will be going overseas.
txag92 on October 21, 2009 at 1:43 PM
Let’s tax other “health” sectors that are most subject to the free market:
- Lasik eye treatments.
- “gold-plated” health club memberships.
- Laser toe-nail fungal treatment.
WashJeff on October 21, 2009 at 1:44 PM
The use of Bondo might be more appropriate, and considerably cheaper.
ICBM on October 21, 2009 at 1:45 PM
Great news for soldiers who were burned by IED’s in the mideast.
Bishop on October 21, 2009 at 1:47 PM
OMG read this story
Unemployment rates are dropping because, uh, people have given up looking for anything.
But then we get to this …
But later it says that unemployment, again, only dropped because people stopped looking for work.
Ohio! Success!
If you didn’t laugh, you’d cry. Only government can add by subtraction.
lorien1973 on October 21, 2009 at 1:47 PM
I figured special interest groups securing subsidies for breast enhancement would be the one silver linning of Obamacare.
Now it’s just all grey cloud.
jhffmn on October 21, 2009 at 1:48 PM
I wonder is this tax will apply to burn or cancer patients who need plastic surgery to help them look more normal? I detest this whole gosh horrible thing this bho and team is trying to ram down us.
L
letget on October 21, 2009 at 1:48 PM
You may be on to something here. Look at Nanzi’s face, maybe they are injecting her with Bondo.
farright on October 21, 2009 at 1:48 PM
Yup. So environmentalists can live in some sort of hippy utopia here in America.
Meanwhile, as we are living in caves, “Earth Ships”, & all other manner of wierd habitations, China & India will rape & pillage their own environments as we continue to buy their JUNK with our SERVICE economy.
Whoopee.
Get ready for Chinese food, etc.. all across the board.
Badger40 on October 21, 2009 at 1:49 PM
Or a veterinary tax. Those dogs and cats and horses and cows, etc., aren’t necessary anyway, not to mention their carbon footprints are adding to global warming.
TXUS on October 21, 2009 at 1:51 PM
Not only will the economic growth curve take a downturn or go flat, the bust sizes of lower-paid Hollywood actresses will take a downturn and NFL cheerleaders will go flat. Not a good way to woo the male voters of any age, race or demographic.
jon1979 on October 21, 2009 at 1:51 PM
Plactic surgery is one of the few “health care” industries that are still dealt with from a FREE MARKET perspective. We can’t have that now, can we?
Look out LASIK, you’re next.
edgehead on October 21, 2009 at 1:52 PM
A high school friend of mine lives in Columbus OH-evidently it’s really bad there.
He worked in the security industry for Nationwide (think it’s the big Ins. Company) & they laid off a whole bunch of people.
He’s still out of a job at least 6 months later.
Got a cousin in IN-he’s out of work, too.
Now they don’t have college educations linked to a career, but they can’t find anything but menial work with no benefits-part time stuff.
Honestly, I thank God I don’t live in a big city.
There are jobs-but as I’ve said before, you may have to relocate.
Badger40 on October 21, 2009 at 1:52 PM
Rush talking about Ed’s price vs. cost post and analysis.
TXUS on October 21, 2009 at 1:53 PM
Looking at Nancy is taxing….
*
How about this…cut the taxes, on all businesses, and sit back and watch tax revenues increase.
right2bright on October 21, 2009 at 1:53 PM
I think this is more like it.
Badger40 on October 21, 2009 at 1:54 PM
Isn’t there a bill winding its way through congress for tax exempt for medical treatment of pets?
right2bright on October 21, 2009 at 1:55 PM
This will result in pet owner do-it-yourself surgery.
Of course, ranchers already do most of their own vet care. We just need to vet for prescriptions.
Other than that, I can castrate a calf, I sure as heck can castrate all these barn cats myself.
Badger40 on October 21, 2009 at 1:56 PM
They’re doctor’s. Not miracle workers.
MarkTheGreat on October 21, 2009 at 1:56 PM
My guess is, congress will exempt themselves, and any of their in house doctors from this tax. Thereby, securing their future botox, and hair replacement treatments.
Perhaps Michelle could sign up for a booty-ectomy. ;)
capejasmine on October 21, 2009 at 2:00 PM
Do taxpayer’s earning less than $250,000 still have to pay the tax.
rjoco1 on October 21, 2009 at 2:00 PM
I thought it was a straight tax deduction for pets.
MarkTheGreat on October 21, 2009 at 2:00 PM
You mean all those high-end plastic surgeons are going to relocate to the Bahamas and set up shop for the rich (oper-cations)? Oh come on, I’m sure they’d rather stay and work as GPs in underserved communities full of crime and violence.
Do I really need the sarc tag? You nailed it as always;)
Laura in Maryland on October 21, 2009 at 2:01 PM
…and think of how much extra the tax payers will spend flying Pelosi back and forth on her
facefact finding missions. We’ll really go broke.Laura in Maryland on October 21, 2009 at 2:03 PM
Make it retroactive and Nancy Pelosi will pay off the national debt.
Beagle on October 21, 2009 at 2:04 PM
I saw an article this morning that claimed there is a hidden SS tax increase inside the Baucus bill.
http://healthcare.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YzNhMjliMDE4NTNjZGE5MWUwODFiNzMyNzFhOWJlNjM=#
MarkTheGreat on October 21, 2009 at 2:04 PM
Frankly, this is where globalization will come into play. Don’t want the price of this surgery in the US?
Plenty of other countries are offering great deals.
AnninCA on October 21, 2009 at 2:05 PM
Me, too, and it’s getting near that time of year where we do quite a few of ‘em.
Mostly my hands take care of it, but this year I’m gonna do one in particular, on a quite unruly calf I chose, atypically, to give a name to…
Obama.
TXUS on October 21, 2009 at 2:07 PM
Hey, how about an abortion tax. Abortions are all the rage, 1.37 million are performed each year in the US. At 100 bucks a pop and lets make it retroactive to 1973, the money will just pour in.
Tommy_G on October 21, 2009 at 2:08 PM
Normally, I hate these remarks. It’s sexism.
But this one was funny.
AnninCA on October 21, 2009 at 2:08 PM
Nooooo! Time book that breast reduction. Stay out of my bra Obama!
Monica on October 21, 2009 at 2:09 PM
Heh
Shy Guy on October 21, 2009 at 2:10 PM
Need to use Pelosi as the poster-child for this thread.
Doodad Pro on October 21, 2009 at 2:10 PM
I don’t like taxes in general, but they are a necessary evil. I’ve advocated taxing plastic surgery for years.
Your state’s sales tax system may not be exactly the same as in mine, but here are some examples of what a customer is taxable:
any meal at a restaurant
textbooks
clothing
not taxable:
amusement park admission
live theater tickets
plastic surgery
Need I go on?
corona on October 21, 2009 at 2:11 PM
I think the gist of the matter here is not the tax itself, but the fact that this is the first in a truely long list of taxes to come on anything related to health care.
Johnnyreb on October 21, 2009 at 2:15 PM
Actually, I think breast implants should be a tax credit.
brak on October 21, 2009 at 2:16 PM
Castrating him might be kinda hard.
I don’t think his jewels have ever dropped yet.
Might have to tear him up pretty bad to get them out.
I hate those kind of calves. I feel so bad for them.
But for Obama-no.
Badger40 on October 21, 2009 at 2:17 PM
Well we don’t really have any calves that could be named Obama-we just have black & a few baldies- no Charlaise crosses or nothin’.
LOL!
Badger40 on October 21, 2009 at 2:18 PM
Just in case nobody reads our prior posts, let me be clear…
We’re talking about castrating a CALF I named Obama, not BHO himself.
The First Lady may have taken care of her husband already, after his hot dance the other night with that hot Mexicana singer at the White House.
TXUS on October 21, 2009 at 2:24 PM
Does anyone have a response from Pam Anderson? Just curious.
Jed_Eckert on October 21, 2009 at 2:26 PM
CA has been using this tactic for years. No, they leave the basic taxes alone.
Then they tax everything that moves.
Want to know how this story ends?
Look at CA.
AnninCA on October 21, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Oh, I see a lot of revenue coming from non surgical procedures. Fillers are bread and butter for plastic surgeons.
nor on October 21, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Doctor drain??? I have no idea.
__________________________________
In my, albeit limited, experience this provision could sink the misnamed “reform.” That is once the women in the better half’s family hear of this.
Branch Rickey on October 21, 2009 at 2:33 PM
Well, Obama’s not a cross either, a pure Santa G.
Then again, I judge a calf not by the color of his skin but by the content of his character.
TXUS on October 21, 2009 at 2:34 PM
Much of “reputable” plastic surgery has predictably horrible result, too.
I present to you:
http://www.awfulplasticsurgery.com/2008/11/04/the-many-faces-of-jocelyn-wildenstein/
Click if you dare.
bloggless on October 21, 2009 at 2:35 PM
I don’t think the abortion argument is at all ridiculous. It’s real.
I do NOT and will not support ANY policy that sends women back to that era.
That’s a firm principle here.
I do think that people will just skip over to Brazil, etc., for this type of surgery.
Who needs the US taxes?
AnninCA on October 21, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Back-alley plastic surgery already exists, with predictably horrible results
nor on October 21, 2009 at 2:38 PM
There missing the best argument.
This will also tax reconstructive surgery. Do these dorks not understand that these are the people that help victims of burns, slashings, extreme beatings, horrific car crashes . . . ?
- The Cat
MirCat on October 21, 2009 at 2:39 PM
I hope this doesn’t go into effect immediately. I was planning my lower face/neck lift for early next spring. I may have to move things up.
bopbottle on October 21, 2009 at 2:40 PM
“Why penalize a market that has almost no contact with either private or government health coverage” Indeed. Why do they tax beer, take out food, or my income for that matter? Money-grubbing redistributionist scum who have the force to do so.
hogfat on October 21, 2009 at 2:41 PM
Blame on the use of Tax codes to try and manipulate behavior. Proof positive that income taxes are not the only ones manipulated to try and change behavior.
chemman on October 21, 2009 at 2:42 PM
The outcome is another US industry destroyed by stupid tax policies.
chemman on October 21, 2009 at 2:47 PM
Puhleeze … if you want to get tucked/nipped/sucked/shaped/lifted, you are already free to fly to any country to do so.
Surgery will always be less costly overseas. A tax is not going to send hordes of insecure people to face the knife in foreign lands.
corona on October 21, 2009 at 3:11 PM
One word Benjamin…..
faol on October 21, 2009 at 3:12 PM
Obama care will create an opportunity for some to set up a huge clinic just across the Mexican boarder. The brothers Mayo may move from Minnesota so they can practice medicine in freedom.
The Rock on October 21, 2009 at 3:22 PM
VERY TRUE.
Buyer beware. You’re screwed if you have complications. Any savings will go out the window, and your insurance may not cover anything related to cosmetic surgery.
nor on October 21, 2009 at 3:37 PM
Seriously? Here’s an industry that could stand being decimated.
AnninCA on October 21, 2009 at 3:52 PM
Mexico is going to love this…
That’s a strange comment, why do you think this industy should be destroyed? Would you include cosmetic dentists in that belief? How about orthodontists?
JusDreamin on October 21, 2009 at 4:10 PM
So all those kids born with a cleft palate – who do you think fixes those?
Or helps repair burn victims?
Or women go see after mastomectomy or even lumpectomy?
Or people bitten by a dog or suffer scarring due to accident injury or illness?
.
.
You live in a ugly world
others should not have to suffer due to your demons
LincolntheHun on October 21, 2009 at 4:19 PM
First of all, you should have used Nancy “Botox” Pelosi and John “Botox” Kerry for the photo.
Secondly, where are all of the “My Body, My Choice” folk when it comes to forced health care insurance? Is there no end to the hypocrisy on the Left?
PoodleSkirt on October 21, 2009 at 4:19 PM
How will these fools collect their taxes when NOBODY HAS A FREAKING JOB?
jimmy2shoes on October 21, 2009 at 4:49 PM
Obrama
pain train on October 21, 2009 at 6:18 PM
You must not have been paying attention. They are going to collect it from the rich.
s/
Aviator on October 21, 2009 at 6:29 PM
I can go to Colombia and get the lasik done for 1/2 the cost now, that’s including travel.
Taxing the Bally’s scam is perfect because you’ll need the laser toe-nail fungal treatment after using their facilities.
jdkchem on October 21, 2009 at 6:36 PM
That would be Charlie Rangel and he doesn’t pay taxes!
jdkchem on October 21, 2009 at 6:37 PM
I vote for an abortion surtax, since that’s elective too.
unclesmrgol on October 21, 2009 at 9:48 PM
But how will this go over to the super-liberal Hollywood elite. My guess would be that the “beautiful people” frequent these establishments more than us little people…Put your money where your mouth is!
search4truth on October 22, 2009 at 9:13 AM
And just why should the industry be destroyed?
Do you believe that every industry you don’t like should be destroyed?
Do you like putting people out of work?
MarkTheGreat on October 22, 2009 at 9:49 AM
*rolling eyes*
I’m done with all these stories about what someone said at some academic gathering.
I saw an article about how McCain quoted Mao, too. LOL*
Good grief. Great people are often quoted, regardless of their politics.
AnninCA on October 19, 2009 at 2:58 PM
She wants all who disagree with her destroyed, just like mao did, and ann thinks he was a great person….sick twisted pathetic fool.
runawayyyy on October 22, 2009 at 1:00 PM
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