Taxes on Cosmetic Surgery Patients

Notes from a recent plastic surgery press release:

PLASTIC SURGEONS RESPOND TO PROPOSED COSMETIC SURGERY TAX
SURPRISE ADDITION TO HEALTHCARE BILL IS ARBITRARY, DIFFICULT TO ADMINISTER
Arlington Heights, IL and New York, NY: – Late yesterday, democratic leaders in the Senate unveiled their proposal for overhauling the health care system, which included a new 5% tax on elective cosmetic procedures. Senate Democrats argue that the tax, which was a surprise addition to the sweeping 2,074-page bill, will generate $5.8 billion over the next 10 years to be put towards the bill’s estimated $849 billion price tag. However, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) oppose this tax as discriminatory, arbitrary and ineffective.
“Elective surgery taxes discriminate against women, given that 86 percent of cosmetic surgery patients are female, of which 91 percent are between the working ages of 19-64,” said Dr. Michael McGuire, ASPS President. “Moreover, contrary to popular belief, cosmetic surgery is no longer an exclusive luxury afforded by the very wealthy, but rather a mainstream and reasonable option most common amongst the working middle-class.”
"This tax is effectively a “Soccer Mom” tax that will adversely impact mainstream American wives and mothers, who are the majority of plastic surgery patients," said Renato Saltz, MD, President of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). “As doctors, we understand and appreciate the need for health care reform, but taxing physicians and cosmetic surgery procedures to pay for the reform is not realistic or beneficial,"
In a 2005 ASPS survey of people planning to have cosmetic surgery within the next two years, 60% of respondents reported an annual household income of $30,000-$90,000 a year. Most importantly, 40% of those reported a household income of only $30,000-$60,000. Only 10% of respondents reported a household income of over $90,000, which clearly refutes the suggestion that elective surgery taxes are “luxury” or “sin” taxes affecting a privileged few.
The ASAPS and ASPS also contend that such taxes have been proven arbitrary and difficult to administer as evidence by the experience in New Jersey, the only state to have imposed a cosmetic tax. Since it passed a 6% tax on elective medical procedures in 2004, the NJ Department of Taxation has experienced a 59% shortfall based on projected revenue estimates. Eight other states have considered similar tax legislation– and they all wisely rejected them.
Finally, though the bill claims that the only procedures that would be taxed are those that are “not necessary to ameliorate a deformity arising from, or directly related to, a congenital abnormality, a personal injury resulting from an accident or trauma, or a disfiguring disease,” The Plastic Surgery Societies contend that such distinctions aren’t always obvious. Because the line between ‘cosmetic’ and ‘reconstructive’ surgery is not always clear, such a tax would leave the determination of medical necessity up to state tax auditors – a completely inappropriate proposition.
“As doctors our first concern always needs to be patient safety,” said Dr. Saltz, “for those patients here in this country, as well as those patients who may now be encouraged by this tax to obtain their procedures abroad.”
“The ASPS has, and continues to oppose all taxes on physicians, in any and all forms, due to their deleterious effects of health care costs and access to patient care,” said Dr. McGuire. “Medical care should not be used as a tool to fix broken finances.”
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons represents more than 7,000 physician members and is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
The 2400-member American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) is the only plastic surgery organization devoted entirely to the advancement of cosmetic surgery. ASAPS is recognized throughout the world as the authoritative source for cosmetic surgery education. U.S. members are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Canadian members are certified in plastic surgery by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
# # #A link to an article from yesterday’s New York Times regarding the proposed Senate Health Care bill is pasted below:http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/health/policy/19health.html?scp=1&sq=health%20care%2031%20million&st=cse

Tighter, slimmer, toned tummy: Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)

Dr. Sutton Graham is frequently asked to improve the size, look, tone, and contour of women's abdominal area. We offer a detailed in-person consultation that shows you what you need to know. We will send you preliminary information, discuss your health and medical history, evaluate your areas of concern, show you numbers of photographs (before & after), discuss the procedure options / benefits and risks / recovery / return to work & activities. And you'll leave the consultation with an individualized quote and detailed booklet of information. This process allows you to make a well informed decision.

Basically, tummy tuck deals with three layers; skin, fat and muscle. There are a variety of ways to accomplish your improvements, and we'll discuss them with you. (1) Excess skin is removed and the incision is hidden low on the tummy. Stretch marks are removed. Swimwear options increase. (2) Excess fat is removed and discarded. Liposuction may be combined with direct removal of fat, depending on the area of your torso. The tummy looks smaller and trimmer. The waistline improves. Clothes fit better. (3) If lax muscle wall tone is a problem, we cinch up the slack to permanently tighten the entire abdominal wall, or only an involved portion. This reduces the pregnancy-related lower tummy roundness, improves definition, and can effect posture. This achieves results exercise alone cannot.

Our website features more information: http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/tummy-tuck.html

Our photo gallery features several patient's results: http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/photogallery/tummy-tuck-abdominoplasty-4814/case-1-10867-16331/32069

If you would like more information, call 874-676-1707 or E-mail info@expertplasticsurgeon.com (or use the link on our website).

Sutton Graham, MD, FACS is an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon, specializing in aesthetic (cosmetic) procedures for your body, breast and face. He has an excellent reputation in our region.

If you are considering cosmetic surgery and live in the following areas, you should see him before your make your final decision. Greenville, Spartanburg, Asheville, Anderson, Columbia, and surrounding communities, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia.

"My eyes make me look so tired." Eyelid blepharoplasty can fix that.

Some times patients notice it themselves. Sometimes it's because someone asks, "Why do always look so tired? Are you getting enough sleep?"

People judge our emotions and health by how we look to them. Hanging, loose upper eyelid skin or lower eyelid bags cause others to assume we are not our best.

Eyelid tuck, eye lift, or its medical name "blepharoplasty" is the procedure that is done to correct those characteristics. Under light anesthesia, or occasionally local, extra skin is removed, fat pockets are smoothed, crinkly skin is tightened with laser, etc. These procedures may be done only to the upper or the lower lids, or both. They may be combined with other procedures a patient desires like browlift, facelift, necklift, lip enhancement, facial fat grafting, etc.

Our goal is to give you a natural improvement in your appearance. We avoid techniques that distort, pull tightly, or unfavorably alter the shape of your eye area. We want everyone to notice how great you look, not notice that you look odd or different. Our photo gallery can be found at http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/photogallery/eyelid-surgery-blepharoplasty-4802

Our cosmetic surgery is most often done in our nationally accredited out-patient surgical facility (in-office), complimented by a physician anesthesiologist (MD). Detail about our facility and a photo tour are available on our web site http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/about.html

Sutton Graham, MD, FACS is board certified in plastic surgery, and has almost 20 years experience performing cosmetic eyelid surgery (and other aesthetic / cosmetic surgery of the face, breast & body). Our office is located in Greenville, South Carolina. We serve a wide area of Georgia, North & South Carolina, including Hartwell, Athens, Clayton, Seneca, Keowee, Anderson, Greenwood, Clemson, Abbeville, Jocassee, Sunset Lake Communities (Cliffs, Reserve, etc.), Easley, Greenville, Greer, Simpsonville, Mauldin, Taylors, Cleveland, Spartanburg, Highlands, Cashiers, Franklin, Brevard, Flat Rock, Tryon, Landrum, Hendersonville, Asheville, Lake Lure, Chimney Rock

Photo Gallery Updates: Breast, arms, face, eyes, tummy

Dr. Graham has recently updated the photographic gallery; our before & after pictures. These help patients, or people considering procedures, have a better understanding of procedures. We are always very grateful to those individuals who give their permission. This helps many others education and their decision process.

The photo gallery link is http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/photogallery/breast-augmentation-4793

Dr. Graham provides aesthetic / cosmetic surgery and non-surgical services, laser and injectables, minimally invasive techniques, and professional skin care. We serve patients from throughout North & South Carolina, and Georgia, occasionally from far away. Greenville, Spartanburg, Columbia, Asheville, Anderson, Hartwell, Western North Carolina, Upstate Lake Communities (Hartwell, Keowee, Jocassee)

Facelift in South Carolina: Natural, beautiful results

There are plenty of jokes about poorly done, overly tight, unnatural appearing facelift patients. The reality is that well done facelifts are so natural that most people never know you had it done, they only see how great you look. Our photo gallery can be viewed at http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/photogallery/facelift-necklift-4805/case-6-07394-16775

Dr. Sutton Graham has an excellent reputation for achieving beautiful, natural-looking results with face lift cosmetic surgery. A variety of techniques are classified under the simple title “face lift”, and the procedure can be adapted to suit each individual patient’s desires and problem areas. Standard procedures combine correction of looseness and sagging involving your cheeks, jowls, jawline, chin and neck. If the forehead and brow area is a problem, then minimal-incision browlift can be done. If eyelid area loose skin, hooding, bags, etc. are a problem, then eyelid blepharoplasty is the solution. Short-scar (limited-incision) facelift is appropriate for those with looseness limited to the cheeks and jawline areas - without much neck looseness. This latter procedure is known by a variety of names; mini-lift, lite-lift, lifestyle-lift, MACS lift, S-lift. These alternatives are considered for all patients. Additional information is on our website http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/facelift.html

Sometimes we simply hear our patients say, “I’m just looking so old and tired,” or “I look so much older than I feel.” A facelift at our Greenville practice can address these concerns, helping to restore youthful-looking beauty for both our male and female patients.

Dr. Graham is board certified in plastic surgery, respected in the community, has almost 20 years experience, cares for thousands of cosmetic patients, is a member of several regional and national professional societies, including the American College of Surgeons. We serve Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Columbia, Greenwood, Seneca, Clemson, Easley, Greer, Simpsonville, Mauldin, Taylors, Sunset, Lake communities of Hartwell, Keowee, Jocassee, Reserve, Cliffs, Landrum & Tryon, Hendersonville, Brevard, Asheville, Waynesville, Franklin, Highlands, Cashiers, Clayton, Hartsville, etc.

Public education success in Upstate South Carolina

We were very pleased with the response to our public education efforts last night.

Dr. Graham, our patient coordinator Betty Babb, and our nurse practitioner Janice Sasser hosted a well attended presentation at a beautiful restaurant meeting room in Seneca, South Carolina (Rudy's on Ram Cat). They had some great appetizers and refreshments for our guests.

We presented information on cosmetic surgery, cosmetic medical procedures, and professional skin care. We covered breast & body, and facial procedures in two, back-to-back sessions. We offered Dr. Graham's presentation, interesting statistics, before & after photographs, periods for audience questions, and time for individual questions. We were pleased with the numbers of people in attendance and their interesting questions. Thanks to all of you that came and shared the evening with us. We hope you'll want to do it again sometime.

Breast Augmentation in South Carolina by Sutton Graham MD, FACS

Breast augmentation remains the most popular cosmetic surgery procedure in our practice and across the nation. Dr. Sutton Graham is one of the area's most experienced breast and cosmetic surgeons. He concentrates on providing natural, beautiful results that compliment a woman's figure and lifestyle.

Our website gives more information on our philosophy about cosmetic surgery and the procedures we provide on a regular basis. There are details about breast augmentation - evaluation, preparation, procedure, recovery and results.

There are numerous Before & After photographs of patients results. (The title above links you to our online web gallery.) Even more are available when you come for your consultation with Dr. Graham and our helpful, understanding staff.

If you reside in Northeastern Georgia, Western North Carolina or South Carolina, you should meet and talk with Dr. Graham before making your final decision about breast augmentation surgery. We think you'll be glad you did.

Website: http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/augmentation.html

Photos: http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/photogallery/breast-augmentation-4793

Call us now at 864-676-1707 or

Email us through our website or info@expertplasticsurgeon.com