A ^Retired Plastic Surgeon's Notebook

“This is great news – we’re all thrilled,” says New Jersey Society of Plastic Surgeons (NJSPS) President Chris Godek, MD. “All ASPS members should be ecstatic to learn this tax has been rescinded – not just NJSPS members, but all ABPS-certified plastic surgeons in our country. We’re happy to finally have erased a tax that was unfair on several different levels – including bias against women – and which caused major unforeseen problems, such as the flight of residents across state borders for procedures.”

Dr. Godek says ASPS, as well as Bev Lynch and A.J. Sabath of the Advocacy Management Group, were instrumental in reversing the onerous tax.

“The NJSPS should be congratulated for its tenacity in fighting to repeal the New Jersey cosmetic tax,” says ASPS President Malcolm Roth, MD. “In addition, this repeal has been a top priority for the national Stop Medical Taxes Coalition, which includes several national medical specialty groups and industry partners – they’ve committed significant time and resources to fight alongside us on this issue over the past several years. In particular, we want to acknowledge our industry partner, Allergan, for its support and leadership in seeking the repeal.”

The original law, which was enacted in 2004, imposed a gross receipts tax on procedures including cosmetic surgery, cosmetic injections and fillers, dermabrasion, laser hair removal and hair transplantation, among others.  Estimates put the actual revenue at $10 million annually – half of what the state’s Legislature anticipated – one reason behind calls that reach back to 2006 from the bill’s sponsor, Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, to eliminate the tax.

“This is great news – we’re all thrilled,” says New Jersey Society of Plastic Surgeons (NJSPS) President Chris Godek, MD. “All ASPS members should be ecstatic to learn this tax has been rescinded – not just NJSPS members, but all ABPS-certified plastic surgeons in our country. We’re happy to finally have erased a tax that was unfair on several different levels – including bias against women – and which caused major unforeseen problems, such as the flight of residents across state borders for procedures.”

Dr. Godek says ASPS, as well as Bev Lynch and A.J. Sabath of the Advocacy Management Group, were instrumental in reversing the onerous tax.

“The NJSPS should be congratulated for its tenacity in fighting to repeal the New Jersey cosmetic tax,” says ASPS President Malcolm Roth, MD. “In addition, this repeal has been a top priority for the national Stop Medical Taxes Coalition, which includes several national medical specialty groups and industry partners – they’ve committed significant time and resources to fight alongside us on this issue over the past several years. In particular, we want to acknowledge our industry partner, Allergan, for its support and leadership in seeking the repeal.”

The original law, which was enacted in 2004, imposed a gross receipts tax on procedures including cosmetic surgery, cosmetic injections and fillers, dermabrasion, laser hair removal and hair transplantation, among others.  Estimates put the actual revenue at $10 million annually – half of what the state’s Legislature anticipated – one reason behind calls that reach back to 2006 from the bill’s sponsor, Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, to eliminate the tax.