Health Care Reform Produces Both Heat and Light With the Indoor Tanning Tax

It is fairly safe to say that most dermatologists are on the same page about indoor tanning. More research has become available on the correlation of exposure to UV light from indoor tanning beds and the risk for melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers. One provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is a 10% excise tax on indoor tanning services involving UV light. The goal of this tax is to discourage consumers from using indoor tanning facilities as well as generate revenue to help offset the enormous price tag on health care reform. This consumer tax is a clear sig­nal from the federal government that indoor tanning is a dangerous and potentially lethal activity that Americans should avoid.