Dear Senator ________:

I am writing to urge you to take action to remove the proposed tax on cosmetic medical procedures included in Majority Leader Harry Reid’s health reform bill. As someone who has made (or may in the future make) a well-educated and informed decision to opt for cosmetic medical treatments, I am strongly opposed to this unreasonable and unfair proposal that has no place in health care reform.

This proposed tax is punitive and unfairly impacts the middle class, especially working women. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), sixty percent of Americans considering a cosmetic medical procedure are squarely in the middle class, earning between $30,000 and $90,000 annually. Adding a five percent tax to the cost of such procedures would unfairly cause them to shoulder a disproportionate share of the cost of health reform. And it may have harmful consequences as patients may seek untested and potentially dangerous treatments from unlicensed practitioners to avoid the tax, including seeking treatment across our borders and overseas.

The tax also does not serve the purpose of health care reform. Since these procedures are generally not covered by insurance, the proposed tax will not reduce the cost of health care nor will it reduce insurance premiums. And unlike cigarettes or alcohol which are taxed to try to change unhealthy behaviors, cosmetic medical procedures are healthy and a responsible form of self improvement. People should have the freedom to decide what is best for their personal health care, including their aesthetic appearance, and therefore be free to correct, alter or enhance their appearance responsibly, in consultation with a physician, without being forced to pay an extra tax.

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Further, this tax would be extremely difficult to administer and places the physician and clinician in the role of determining when a tax should be added to a procedure and as tax-collector for the government. Importantly, the tax is opposed by multiple physician organizations, including the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, the American Academy of Dermatology Association, The American Academy of Ophthalmology, The American College of Surgeons, and The American Society of Anesthesiologists, among others. These physicians recognize the importance of medical aesthetic procedures to the patients they serve and the inherent unfairness represented by this bill.

The cosmetic medical procedures tax is unreasonable, unnecessary and unfair. I urge you to take action to remove it from the health reform legislation and from the debate. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

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