Plastic Surgeons Oppose Proposed Cosmetic Surgery Tax
Respected physicians across the country, including New Jersey plastic surgeon Robert Zubowski, are making their voices heard in opposition to what would be the first ever tax levied on patients for medical procedures.
Paramus, NJ (PRWEB) December 8, 2009
Last week, democratic leaders in the Senate unveiled their proposal for overhauling the health care system, which included a new 5% tax on elective cosmetic surgery 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, many physicians, including Dr. Robert Zubowski, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) oppose this tax as discriminatory, arbitrary and ineffective.
What's at stake?
This is a discriminatory tax. According to the Aesthetic Society Annual Statistics, 91% of all cosmetic surgery procedures are requested by women.
This will not have considerable consequences on the wealthiest patients but, as usual, affects the middle class. Working women, soccer moms, and scores of others who carefully save and budget to improve their appearance and self esteem with plastic surgery procedures like tummy tuck and breast lift will be penalized for doing so.
Procedures such as breast reduction that have been cited in the literature for improving self esteem and quality of life would be taxed as well.
This provision places plastic surgeons in the role of tax collector and holds physicians liable should an individual fail or refuse to pay the tax. Is that the relationship you want with your medical provider?
"Medical care should not be used as a tool to fix broken finances," said Bergen County, New Jersey plastic surgeon, Dr. Robert Zubowski. "As doctors our first concern always needs to be patient health and safety."
Physicians in New Jersey and across the country are urging cosmetic surgery patients to let their voice be heard by contacting their State Senator at: http://www. senate. gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm. cfm (http://www. senate. gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm. cfm)
About Dr. Robert Zubowski, Real Housewives of New Jersey Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Robert Zubowski is a renowned New Jersey plastic surgeon who has been addressing the cosmetic surgery, breast augmentation, and reconstructive needs of women, men and children for more than 20 years. He completed his general surgery residency at New York Medical College and an additional residency at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic Foundation, He has served as an associate professor of Plastic Surgery at New York Medical College and as the plastic surgery specialty director of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation Alumni Association, where he is also an adjunct staff member. He is a former associate director of plastic surgery at Ridgewood's The Valley Hospital and holds a Certificate of Advanced Education in Cosmetic Surgery from the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Zubowski is also co-founder of the New Jersey chapter of Image Reborn, a non-profit support group for breast reconstruction patients and he works pro bono for Interplast, traveling to Third World countries to perform reconstructive surgeries for children born with birth defects. He also invests in his own community, formerly serving as president of his town's Board of Health and as a member of its recreation commission.
Dr. Zubowski is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society for Plastic Surgery, the American Medical Association, and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He has appeared as an expert on numerous news and talk shows including The View and Fox News, and was recently featured in a segment of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. He was also was voted Bergen County, New Jersey's number one plastic surgeon by the Bergen Record.
For more information about Dr. Zubowski's New Jersey plastic surgery practice, contact Anne Carbone at the Robert Zubowski, M. D. Center for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 201-261-7550.
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