Politics

Updated July 27, 2009

Tax on Plastic Surgery Floated as Way to Finance Health Care Reform

FOXNews.com

Negotiators trying to find ways to fund a $1 trillion health care overhaul on Capitol Hill have floated a tax on plastic surgery as a possible revenue raiser. 

Call it a "Botax."

Negotiators trying to find ways to fund a $1 trillion health care overhaul on Capitol Hill have floated a tax on plastic surgery as a possible revenue raiser, a senior Republican aide told FOX News. 

But what would amount to the ultimate personal luxury tax does not appear to be under serious consideration. 

Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., a lead negotiator, told reporters he knew nothing about the pitch. 

"I've never heard one word about that in any of these negotiations," he said.  

Conrad did not rule out the tax, but laughed while discussing it and said he would need to hear the arguments both for and against.

Likewise, Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, said she had not heard of it. 

The GOP aide did not know whether the idea originally came from White House budget director Peter Orszag, as reported in Congress Daily. 

Lawmakers have been trying to get creative in finding ways to fund health care reform. FOX News has learned from aides involved in the negotiations that there also has been talk of a video game tax -- to discourage inactive lifestyles. 

It is unclear how much revenue could be brought in from either tax. 

FOX News' Trish Turner contributed to this report. 

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