Dollars for Docs: Talk With Your Doctor

https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/
You can print this page and show it to your doctor.

This database was last updated in October 2019 and should only be used as a historical snapshot. Newer data is available at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payments site.

ProPublica's Dollars for Docs database lets you search for payments to U.S.-based doctors made by pharmaceutical and medical device companies between August 2013 and December 2018. The disclosure of these payments is required under the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, a provision of the 2010 Affordable Care Act.

About This Information

  • The information that appears here comes directly from the federal government. Companies must attest to its accuracy, and doctors have the ability to contest information they believe is in error.
  • This site includes payments for such activities as speaking, consulting, meals, travel and royalties. It does not include payments for clinical research.
  • It is legal for companies to make payments to doctors as long as the payments are not a kickback or inducement to use their products.
  • Some doctors say collaborative relationships, particularly those involving research, are necessary to develop new treatments and cures. But many ethicists have raised questions about the payments, and studies show that they may influence doctors' prescribing decisions.
  • Only you can decide if this matters to you and if so, whether you want to talk with your doctor about it. If you plan to talk with your doctor (or if you already have), please help us by filling out this short survey: propub.li/participate-d4d

Preparing for Your Conversation

If you decide you'd like to talk to your doctor about this, please keep in mind:

  • Many health care professionals in our database have similar names, so you should start by asking your doctor if the person mentioned in this payment record is really him/her.
  • Your doctor may not know he or she is listed as receiving payments, especially if the payments are small. You can direct your doctor to this site (the URL will be printed at the top of the payment record) or directly to the government's site here: https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov/physician/10379
  • Some doctors are happy to discuss this information with you. Others might not be. The best approach is to ask questions and to not be accusatory.

Questions You Might Want to Ask

  • Is this you?
  • What type of work do you do with these companies?
  • Have you prescribed me any drugs that are manufactured by companies you've taken payments from?
  • Are there non-drug alternatives that I may want to consider first?
  • Are there less expensive generic alternatives to the drugs you have prescribed?
  • What devices have you used in my care that are manufactured by companies you've taken payments from?

Dollars for Docs: Talk With Your Doctor

https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/doctors/pid/10379
If you spot an error, please let us know at [email protected].

This database was last updated in October 2019 and should only be used as a historical snapshot. Newer data is available at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payments site.

HOWARD KURZ

Listed Specialty: Interventional Cardiology
4921 PARKVIEW PL, STE 8A, SAINT LOUIS, MO, 63110-1032

2018 Payments: At a Glance

76

payments

$2,451

payment total

9

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 76 $2,451

Drugs & Devices in 2018

Totals listed below account for all payments from that mention this product. Beginning in 2016, the government began classifying products as drugs, devices, biologics or medical supplies. Below, you will see drugs (drugs and biologics) and devices (devices and medical supplies). If a payment record mentions more than one product, the entire value will be included in each of those products. When no products are listed, they are not included in the list below.

Product Name Product Type Payments†
IGT_D CORONARY

device

 $500
SYNERGY

device

 $305
ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE

device

 $285
NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS

device

 $285
XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM

device

 $285
HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE

device

 $285
XIENCE ALPINE CORNARY STENT SYSTEM

device

 $202
CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $133
ARTIS Q

device

 $122
INDIGO

device

 $121
ANGIOSEAL

device

 $121
GLIDESHEATH

device

 $121
METACROSS

device

 $121
OPTITORQUE

device

 $121
TR BAND

device

 $121
IMAGE GUIDED THERAPY DEVICES _ CORONARY

device

 $114
VASCULAR CLOSURE DEVICE

device

 $101
IGT_D SYSTEMS

device

 $101
PERCLOSE PROGLIDE SUTURE MEDIATED CLOSURE SYSTEM

device

 $97
PROSTAR XL SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $97
† May not add up to dollar total at top of page, since a payment record may not be associated with any product or can be associated with several products.

For ease of printing, only the 20 drugs and devices with the highest payments are displayed. For a complete list, please visit: https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/doctors/pid/10379

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Mar 31, 2018 $189 ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 7, 2018 $136 XIENCE ALPINE CORNARY STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 8, 2018 $125 SYNERGY Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Sep 27, 2018 $124 IGT_D CORONARY Food and Beverage PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Apr 13, 2018 $122 ARTIS Q Food and Beverage SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Jul 19, 2018 $121 OPTITORQUE TR BAND ANGIOSEAL GLIDESHEATH METACROSS Food and Beverage TERUMO MEDICAL CORPORATION
Jun 21, 2018 $120 CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Food and Beverage CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $111 INDIGO Food and Beverage PENUMBRA, INC.
Aug 23, 2018 $101 VASCULAR CLOSURE DEVICE Food and Beverage CARDIVA MEDICAL, INC.
Jun 7, 2018 $97 PERCLOSE PROGLIDE SUTURE MEDIATED CLOSURE SYSTEM PROSTAR XL SURGICAL SYSTEM STARCLOSE SE VASCULAR CLOSURE SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 6, 2018 $88 IGT_D SYSTEMS Food and Beverage PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
May 22, 2018 $87 IGT_D CORONARY Food and Beverage PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Jul 12, 2018 $87 IGT_D CORONARY Food and Beverage PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Feb 26, 2018 $78 SYNERGY Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Mar 28, 2018 $50 IGT_D CORONARY Food and Beverage PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Nov 27, 2018 $44 IMAGE GUIDED THERAPY DEVICES _ CORONARY Food and Beverage PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Feb 14, 2018 $33 SYNERGY Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Dec 12, 2018 $31 IMAGE GUIDED THERAPY DEVICES _ CORONARY Food and Beverage PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Dec 11, 2018 $23 IMAGE GUIDED THERAPY DEVICES _ CORONARY Food and Beverage PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Nov 9, 2018 $20 OPTIS CORONARY IMAGING SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES

For ease of printing, 20 payments are displayed, the largest appearing on top. For a full list of payments, please visit: https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/doctors/pid/10379

Note: We have made some effort to normalize the data and eliminate duplicates, but the data is primarily as it has been reported by the companies to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. To purchase the normalized data, please visit the ProPublica Data Store. If you spot an error, please let us know at [email protected].

This site includes data published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on June 28, 2019.