Paramus, NJ — At the beginning of 2012, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed a bill that repealed a cosmetic medical procedures tax requiring aesthetic plastic surgery practices to collect taxes on procedures such as breast implants or BOTOX in New Jersey. The 6% tax on gross receipts from cosmetic procedures will be tapered off over the next 2 years. The law calls for the tax to drop to 4 percent on July 1, 2012, then to 2 percent from July 1, 2013, to July 1, 2014, and then will be terminated after July 1, 2014. Dr. Luis Zapiach, a plastic surgeon in New Jersey, says he is relieved at the Governor’s decision to revoke the excise tax on cosmetic procedures and hopes it will encourage further economic growth in the already-booming aesthetic industry.
According to recently released statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), cosmetic procedures have increased by 5% in the past year to over 13.8 million performed in 2011 alone, the second straight year of positive growth. While the 8-year-old tax was projected to bring in $24 million a year, actual income trickled in at just $10.8 million in annual revenue. Dr. Zapiach says he feels New Jersey plastic surgery patients interested in improving their confidence and appearance, took on the bulk weight of that profit loss, having to cover the extra costs of the cosmetic tax out-of-pocket. He says the repealed tax lifts a heavy burden from the shoulders of those paying for the procedures, and he is excited to be a part of a more facilitated aesthetic experience: “The tax is a gender biased tax, as 91% of cosmetic surgery patients are women according to the ASAPS data for 2011. Further, contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of cosmetic patients are working women who are not extremely wealthy. This repeal should help them achieve their goals without considering medical tourism or seeking lesser qualified, discount ‘cosmetic practitioners.’”
As plastic surgery continues to become a more widespread means for achieving a confident, youthful appearance, Dr. Zapiach says New Jersey plastic surgeons will be able to keep New Jersey patients from travelling further to neighboring states without the additional tax in their pursuit of procedures such as body contouring or breast augmentation in New Jersey. He says by repealing the tax on cosmetic enhancements, patients will now be able to experience the benefits of improved self-esteem and self-confidence that come from using modern medicine to reveal natural beauty locally.
Despite the changes in governmental taxation of cosmetic enhancements, Dr. Zapiach says one thing that remains essential in the aesthetic surgery process is patient consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon. He stresses the importance of dedicating extensive time to research and consideration before undergoing any treatment. Through careful planning and a dedicated practice, Dr. Zapiach says patients will be able to attain the proper results for their individual needs.
About Luis A. Zapiach, MD
Dr. Luis Zapiach, a graduate of Rutgers University and New York University School of Medicine, is dual board-certified in Plastic Surgery and General Surgery. He completed his general surgery residency at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Newark, as well as a plastic surgery fellowship at Emory University and additional training in Oculoplastic Surgery at Paces Plastic Surgery. Dr. Zapiach is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Located at 1 West Ridgewood Avenue Suite 302 in Paramus, NJ, Dr. Zapiach’s practice, Art Plastic Surgery, can be reached at (201) 251-6622. He can also be contacted online via the website artplasticsurgeons.com or the Art Plastic Surgery Facebook page.
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Aaron Hurst
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