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/110799
  • 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/110799
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.

DAVID KESSLER

Listed Specialty: Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology
3801 N LAMAR BLVD, 300, AUSTIN, TX, 78756-4080

2018 Payments: At a Glance

134

payments

$26,291

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 10 $22,600
Food and Beverage
 119 $2,379
Travel and Lodging
 5 $1,312

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†
ELIQUIS

drug

 $12,934
XARELTO

drug

 $11,560
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $645
MULTAQ

drug

 $265
ACCENT PACEMAKER

device

 $181
LIFEVEST

device

 $176
ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM

device

 $172
DUPIXENT

drug

 $126
CHANTIX

drug

 $75
NOVAFIL

device

 $45
VASCULAR CLOSURE DEVICE

device

 $24
JARDIANCE

drug

 $22
PRADAXA

drug

 $22
AZURE

device

 $19
ZIO PATCH

device

 $18
QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR

device

 $17
VISIA AF

device

 $16
EVERA

device

 $14
CARTO 3 SYSTEM

device

 $14
SUREFIX

device

 $14
† 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/110799

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Dec 19, 2018 $3,800 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC P & E Consulting, LLC
Aug 29, 2018 $3,300 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC P & E Consulting, LLC
Sep 6, 2018 $3,300 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC P & E Consulting, LLC
Nov 7, 2018 $2,750 ELIQUIS Promotional Speaking/Other PFIZER INC. P E Consulting LLC
Oct 9, 2018 $2,250 ELIQUIS Promotional Speaking/Other PFIZER INC. P E Consulting LLC
Jul 23, 2018 $2,250 ELIQUIS Promotional Speaking/Other PFIZER INC. P E Consulting LLC
Nov 21, 2018 $2,250 ELIQUIS Promotional Speaking/Other PFIZER INC. P E Consulting LLC
Jan 2, 2018 $2,250 ELIQUIS Promotional Speaking/Other PFIZER INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $535 ELIQUIS Travel and Lodging PFIZER INC.
Jul 24, 2018 $336 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging CARDIOFOCUS, INC.
Jun 27, 2018 $300 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC P&E Consulting, Llc
Oct 2, 2018 $238 ELIQUIS Travel and Lodging PFIZER INC.
Aug 16, 2018 $170 ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Dec 26, 2018 $150 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC P&E Consulting, Llc
Nov 9, 2018 $142 ACCENT PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 17, 2018 $126 DUPIXENT Food and Beverage REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Oct 17, 2018 $125 ELIQUIS Food and Beverage PFIZER INC.
Aug 14, 2018 $120 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC P & E Consulting, LLC
Dec 12, 2018 $114 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC P & E Consulting, LLC
Aug 8, 2018 $108 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging CARDIOFOCUS, INC.

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/110799

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.