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/124938
  • 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/124938
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.

GEOFFREY COUSINS

Listed Specialty: Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery)
2828 1ST AVE, SUITE 200, HUNTINGTON, WV, 25702-1236

2018 Payments: At a Glance

95

payments

$5,776

payment total

24

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
 3 $3,036
Food and Beverage
 92 $2,741

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†
OCTOPUS

device

 $3,156
AFX

device

 $403
OVATION

device

 $351
STERNALOCK BLU

device

 $265
IMPELLA

device

 $232
AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - PERCEVAL

device

 $232
ACROBAT

device

 $172
CAPIOX

device

 $158
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $155
LIFEVEST

device

 $124
MOSAIC

device

 $109
PREVELEAK

device

 $109
TACHOSIL

drug

 $84
EDWARDS INTUITY ELITE VALVE SYSTEM

device

 $65
OFIRMEV

drug

 $61
EVICEL

drug

 $43
BRIDION

drug

 $41
KENGREAL

drug

 $40
SURGICEL FAMILY OF ABSORBABLE HEMOSTATS

device

 $39
ECHELON FLEX STAPLER

device

 $39
† 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/124938

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jun 27, 2018 $2,005 OCTOPUS Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 29, 2018 $625 OCTOPUS Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 29, 2018 $407 OCTOPUS Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 17, 2018 $129 OVATION AFX Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Jan 30, 2018 $122 STERNALOCK BLU Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Jan 24, 2018 $122 No Listed Product Food and Beverage SAPHENA MEDICAL, INC.
May 31, 2018 $114 CAPIOX Food and Beverage TERUMO CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS CORPORATION
Mar 28, 2018 $111 AFX OVATION Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Jan 25, 2018 $111 OVATION Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Dec 12, 2018 $109 MOSAIC Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 29, 2018 $106 AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - PERCEVAL Food and Beverage LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Jul 12, 2018 $100 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
May 8, 2018 $93 STERNALOCK BLU Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Aug 8, 2018 $91 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Oct 11, 2018 $85 AFX Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $84 TACHOSIL PREVELEAK Food and Beverage BAXTER HEALTHCARE
Nov 29, 2018 $78 AFX Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Feb 6, 2018 $67 ACROBAT Food and Beverage MAQUET CARDIOVASCULAR U.S. SALES, L.L.C.
Sep 26, 2018 $64 ACROBAT Food and Beverage MAQUET CARDIOVASCULAR U.S. SALES, L.L.C.
Aug 24, 2018 $56 AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - PERCEVAL Food and Beverage LIVANOVA USA, 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/124938

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.