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/113499
  • 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/113499
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.


KENNETH ELLENBOGEN

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
1250 E MARSHALL ST, INTERNAL MEDICINE/CARDIOLOGY, RICHMOND, VA, 23298-5051

2018 Payments: At a Glance

89

payments

$72,243

payment total

8

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
9 $35,195
Promotional Speaking/Other
8 $18,188
Travel and Lodging
30 $8,644
Nonaccredited Training
1 $6,250
Food and Beverage
40 $3,716
Grant
1 $250

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
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$18,784
CARTO 3 SYSTEM

device

$11,575
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

$10,007
GENERAL EP

device

$8,036
PACING LEADS

device

$6,244
WATCHMAN

device

$5,850
THERAPIES

device

$5,773
OSTIAL PRO STENT POSITIONING SYSTEM

device

$3,000
ARCTIC FRONT

device

$1,500
CRM-RESEARCH ONLY

device

$433
GENERAL TACHY

device

$300
ATRICURE SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM

device

$281
ISOLATOR TRANSPOLAR PEN

device

$281
MULTIFUNCTIONAL LINEAR PEN

device

$281
ABLATION THERAPY HARDWARE

device

$133
ACUNAV

device

$130
CIRCULATORY SUPPORT

device

$104
SELECTSECURE

device

$61
NAVISTAR

device

$31
† 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.

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Apr 16, 2018 $11,550 CARTO 3 SYSTEM Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Aug 8, 2018 $8,000 GENERAL EP Consulting BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
May 22, 2018 $6,250 No Listed Product Nonaccredited Training BIOTRONIK INC.
Jun 20, 2018 $5,850 WATCHMAN Consulting BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Mar 15, 2018 $3,464 PACING LEADS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 21, 2018 $3,375 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 29, 2018 $3,375 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 16, 2018 $3,000 OSTIAL PRO STENT POSITIONING SYSTEM Consulting MERIT MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC
Jun 6, 2018 $2,500 GENERAL THERAPIES Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Feb 7, 2018 $2,500 GENERAL THERAPIES Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
May 23, 2018 $2,000 GENERAL THERAPIES Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
May 30, 2018 $2,000 GENERAL THERAPIES Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Mar 15, 2018 $1,732 PACING LEADS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Mar 13, 2018 $1,500 ARCTIC FRONT Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 25, 2018 $1,430 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Nov 2, 2018 $938 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 7, 2018 $891 THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Mar 15, 2018 $866 PACING LEADS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jul 20, 2018 $728 THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Jan 26, 2018 $494 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION

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/113499

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.