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/126971
  • 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/126971
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.

AMEER HASSAN

Listed Specialty: Vascular Neurology
2121 PEASE ST, SUITE 1D, HARLINGEN, TX, 78550-8348

2018 Payments: At a Glance

121

payments

$116,141

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 23 $72,875
Consulting
 10 $26,976
Travel and Lodging
 32 $12,120
Food and Beverage
 55 $3,670
Honoraria
 1 $500

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†
ACTIVASE

drug

 $39,911
PIPELINE

device

 $19,591
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $17,840
PENUMBRA SYSTEM

device

 $12,451
WINGSPAN

device

 $7,789
HYDROFILL COIL

device

 $6,800
HYDROSOFT 3D COIL

device

 $6,800
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

device

 $4,117
TREVO

device

 $2,885
SURPASS

device

 $1,357
ONYX

device

 $800
VASCULAR CLOSURE DEVICE

device

 $548
PHIL

device

 $427
PENUMBRA RUBY COIL

device

 $240
REACT

device

 $178
SOFIA

device

 $165
EMBOTRAP II REVASCULARIZATION DEVICE

device

 $162
3D REVASCULARIZATION

device

 $162
LVIS JR.

device

 $137
COVIDIEN-ACCESS

device

 $122
† 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/126971

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 31, 2018 $7,400 PIPELINE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Asay Consulting Llc
Jan 25, 2018 $6,968 WINGSPAN Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION
Mar 26, 2018 $6,800 HYDROFILL COIL HYDROSOFT 3D COIL Consulting MICROVENTION, INC. ASAY Consulting LLC
Mar 22, 2018 $6,000 No Listed Product Consulting MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Asay Consulting Llc
May 25, 2018 $4,800 PENUMBRA SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other PENUMBRA, INC.
Sep 13, 2018 $4,600 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other GENENTECH USA, INC.
Mar 21, 2018 $4,600 ACTIVASE Promotional Speaking/Other GENENTECH USA, INC.
Nov 27, 2018 $4,600 ACTIVASE Promotional Speaking/Other GENENTECH USA, INC.
Nov 1, 2018 $4,600 ACTIVASE Promotional Speaking/Other GENENTECH USA, INC.
Jun 4, 2018 $4,600 PIPELINE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Asay Consulting Llc
Oct 24, 2018 $4,600 ACTIVASE Promotional Speaking/Other GENENTECH USA, INC.
Apr 9, 2018 $4,600 PIPELINE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Asay Consulting Llc
Jun 7, 2018 $4,600 ACTIVASE Promotional Speaking/Other GENENTECH USA, INC.
Aug 8, 2018 $4,600 ACTIVASE Promotional Speaking/Other GENENTECH USA, INC.
Sep 12, 2018 $4,600 ACTIVASE Promotional Speaking/Other GENENTECH USA, INC.
Dec 11, 2018 $4,600 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other GENENTECH USA, INC.
Jun 7, 2018 $2,875 ACTIVASE Promotional Speaking/Other GENENTECH USA, INC.
Mar 23, 2018 $2,400 PENUMBRA SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other PENUMBRA, INC.
Apr 12, 2018 $2,400 PENUMBRA SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other PENUMBRA, INC.
May 17, 2018 $2,200 TREVO Consulting STRYKER 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/126971

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.