Nationwide Survey Shows Americans Oppose Cosmetic Tax To Pay For Health Care Reform

IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- A majority of Americans oppose the inclusion of a five percent tax on cosmetic medical procedures, according to a survey released today.  Survey respondents oppose the so-called "bo-tax" by a 52% - 43% margin.  

The survey was conducted by Opinion Research Corp., December 3 - December 6, 2009.  The survey was commissioned by www.stopcosmetictax.org, a project of Allergan, Inc.

According to the survey, a large majority of respondents, by a 64% - 34% margin, agree that the cosmetic medical procedures tax has no place in health care reform, since these procedures and treatments are not covered by health insurance and the tax will disproportionately impact middle class women.

"These results demonstrate that Americans oppose a new tax on cosmetic medical procedures," said David Pyott, Chairman and CEO, Allergan, Inc.  "Taxing medical procedures – any medical procedure – is a dangerous precedent.  Americans agree that people should be free to make medical decisions, in consultation with their physician, without being forced to pay an extra tax."

The survey further demonstrates that, by a 49% - 30% margin, respondents are more likely to oppose the tax once informed that sixty percent of all people planning to have cosmetic medical procedures report a household income of between $30,000 and $90,000.  

"The Senate leadership must have mistakenly believed that this would be an easy way to 'soak the rich' and meet their budget targets for health reform," Pyott said.  "But the tax would impact middle class Americans.  President Obama promised not to raise taxes on the middle class.  Yet that is exactly what the cosmetic tax would do."

The tax on cosmetic medical procedures was not included in any of the five health reform bills developed and debated in Senate and House Committees.  According to the Congressional Budget Office, it is projected to raise approximately $5.6 billion over ten years toward the $856 billion price tag for the proposed senate health reform bill. However, a similar tax in New Jersey has realized less than one-third of the anticipated revenue, making a cosmetic tax not only a bad idea but an unreliable way to fund health reform.