Plastic Surgeons Protest Tax

Does placing a tax on elective cosmetic surgery violate women's civil rights? Some cosmetic surgeons and product companies think so. The new health-care bill's 5 percent tax on breast implants, Botox, and other elective surgeries will most significantly affect baby boomers—women between the ages of 35-50 who make around $55,000 a year, according to a Botox company called Allergan and the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. The tax "discriminates against women," said Allergan in a statement. "What's next? Are we going to tax people who color their hair?" added Medicis, a filler company. The tax only applies to elective procedures rather than surgeries involving unavoidable birth defects, accidents, and diseases, and the CBO says it will generate approximately $5 billion over the next 10 years.