Now that the holidays are over, the media is once again concentrating on the proposed congressional healthcare bill. One of the components of that bill is a federal surtax on cosmetic procedures—surgical and non-surgical. This is considered a “vanity tax” which allegedly will help to pay for insuring the uninsured. The perception is that only wealthy people go to plastic or cosmetic surgeons and thus it is their responsibility somehow to partially bear the burden of insuring the uninsured millions. However, information gathered by the American Society of Plastic Surgery has revealed that not only are 91% of cosmetic patients women, but that 60% of these women earn between $30,000-$90,000 yearly. The desire to look good and feel good about oneself is hardly limited to the wealthy upper classes. New procedures, especially non-surgical procedures such as Botox and fillers, fit the budgets of many individuals and cosmetic surgery patients no longer reflect only the rich and privileged in our country.

The Society is protesting this tax primarily on the basis that it singles out one demographic in our society and places an unfair tax burden on them. With much debate going on in Washington at the moment, we will not have to wait long to learn whether this “vanity tax” on cosmetic procedures will be included in the bill or not.

Many patients prefer a safe and and private facility in which to have their cosmetic surgery procedure performed. It is for this reason that many cosmetic surgery procedures are done at outpatient surgicenters or other private facilities. It is, however, important to research the facility and insist that it is certified by a national organization such as the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF). Such an organization (sometimes referred to as a “quad A” facility), establishes stringent guidelines and ensures that specific procedures and protocols are in place. This ensures that all cosmetic surgical procedures done in this setting are carried out in a safe and effective manner. In fact, plastic surgeons who are members of the American Society of Plastic Surgery will only perform surgery in an accredited hospital or an approved outpatient surgicenter. Patients should insist on these standards and be very cautious about having a surgical procedure done in a facility that does not meet these qualifications or criteria.