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/126880
  • 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/126880
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.

FREDERICK TIESENGA

Listed Specialty: Surgery
1950 N HARLEM AVE, ELMWOOD PARK, IL, 60707

2018 Payments: At a Glance

76

payments

$6,358

payment total

23

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 71 $4,362
Travel and Lodging
 4 $1,982
Gift
 1 $14

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†
SEAMGUARD BIOABSORBABLE STAPLE LINE REINFORCEMENT

device

 $2,193
STAPLING

device

 $1,139
VOYANT

device

 $1,139
CFN CHLORAPREP

device

 $612
LAPBAND

device

 $436
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $323
ORBERA

device

 $221
OVERSTITCH

device

 $221
ENDO GIA

device

 $197
DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $179
PHASIX

device

 $130
ARISTA AH

device

 $124
GRAFIX & STRAVIX

drug

 $119
ESOPHYX

device

 $115
SURGIMEND

device

 $97
SYNECOR BIOMATERIAL

device

 $82
RUNNING DEVICE RD180

device

 $78
TI KNOT

device

 $78
BIO-A TISSUE REINFORCEMENT

device

 $76
AIRSEAL

device

 $71
† 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/126880

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 10, 2018 $1,021 VOYANT STAPLING Travel and Lodging APPLIED MEDICAL RESOURCES CORPORATION
May 29, 2018 $839 SEAMGUARD BIOABSORBABLE STAPLE LINE REINFORCEMENT Travel and Lodging W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Dec 7, 2018 $612 CFN CHLORAPREP Food and Beverage BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
Dec 7, 2018 $205 SEAMGUARD BIOABSORBABLE STAPLE LINE REINFORCEMENT Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Apr 27, 2018 $203 SEAMGUARD BIOABSORBABLE STAPLE LINE REINFORCEMENT Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
May 29, 2018 $177 SEAMGUARD BIOABSORBABLE STAPLE LINE REINFORCEMENT Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $125 LAPBAND Food and Beverage APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US INC
Apr 22, 2018 $123 OVERSTITCH ORBERA LAPBAND Food and Beverage APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US INC
Aug 29, 2018 $118 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ACELL, INC.
Aug 27, 2018 $116 SEAMGUARD BIOABSORBABLE STAPLE LINE REINFORCEMENT Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
May 29, 2018 $108 SEAMGUARD BIOABSORBABLE STAPLE LINE REINFORCEMENT Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Apr 19, 2018 $105 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ACELL, INC.
Mar 29, 2018 $103 SEAMGUARD BIOABSORBABLE STAPLE LINE REINFORCEMENT Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Jun 5, 2018 $103 ENDO GIA Food and Beverage COVIDIEN LP
Dec 7, 2018 $100 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ACELL, INC.
Dec 7, 2018 $100 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Apr 12, 2018 $100 ARISTA AH Food and Beverage DAVOL INC.
Jun 12, 2018 $97 OVERSTITCH ORBERA LAPBAND Food and Beverage APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US INC
Dec 3, 2018 $93 ESOPHYX Food and Beverage ENDOGASTRIC SOLUTIONS, INC
May 29, 2018 $90 SEAMGUARD BIOABSORBABLE STAPLE LINE REINFORCEMENT Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, 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/126880

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.