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/113985
  • 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/113985
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.

JOHANNA CONTRERAS

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
1 GUSTAVE L LEVY PL, NEW YORK, NY, 10029-6500

2018 Payments: At a Glance

139

payments

$33,562

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 7 $15,405
Food and Beverage
 115 $8,090
Nonaccredited Training
 2 $4,000
Consulting
 2 $3,933
Travel and Lodging
 12 $2,128
Education
 1 $5

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

 $10,941
ENTRESTO

drug

 $10,433
ADEMPAS

drug

 $5,855
HEARTMATE

device

 $1,217
HEARTMATE 3 LEFT VENTRICULAR DEV

device

 $1,024
RANEXA

drug

 $960
MITRA CLIP SYSTEM

device

 $914
AQUADEX

device

 $513
CARDIOMEMS HF SYSTEM

device

 $405
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

 $276
HEARTWARE HVAD

device

 $236
RESONATE

device

 $174
CIRCULATORY SUPPORT

device

 $155
JARDIANCE

drug

 $131
CARDIAC MONITORING SUITE

device

 $98
BIOMONITOR 2

device

 $97
TRIFECTA GT TISSUE HEART VALVE

device

 $57
REPATHA

drug

 $40
BRILINTA

drug

 $37
† 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
Dec 7, 2018 $3,600 No Listed Product Consulting PFIZER INC. JOHANNA CONTRERAS
Nov 15, 2018 $3,125 ENTRESTO Promotional Speaking/Other NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Jul 26, 2018 $3,125 ENTRESTO Promotional Speaking/Other NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Mar 28, 2018 $3,125 ENTRESTO Promotional Speaking/Other NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Apr 4, 2018 $2,730 ADEMPAS Promotional Speaking/Other BAYER HEALTHCARE PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Jun 25, 2018 $2,340 ADEMPAS Promotional Speaking/Other BAYER HEALTHCARE PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Apr 24, 2018 $2,000 No Listed Product Nonaccredited Training BIOTRONIK INC.
Dec 4, 2018 $2,000 No Listed Product Nonaccredited Training BIOTRONIK INC.
Jun 21, 2018 $507 ADEMPAS Travel and Lodging BAYER HEALTHCARE PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Apr 17, 2018 $480 RANEXA Promotional Speaking/Other GILEAD SCIENCES INC
Mar 2, 2018 $480 RANEXA Promotional Speaking/Other GILEAD SCIENCES INC
Nov 16, 2018 $472 MITRA CLIP SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 7, 2018 $444 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Sep 16, 2018 $333 No Listed Product Consulting MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 21, 2018 $245 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging BIOTRONIK INC.
Feb 1, 2018 $237 CARDIOMEMS HF SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 19, 2018 $226 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging BIOTRONIK INC.
May 21, 2018 $181 HEARTMATE 3 LEFT VENTRICULAR DEV Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 16, 2018 $167 HEARTMATE 3 LEFT VENTRICULAR DEV Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 10, 2018 $164 HEARTMATE 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/113985

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.