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/1364998
  • 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/1364998
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.

MATTHEW COMSTOCK

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
4444 E 41ST ST, TULSA, OK, 74135-2527

2018 Payments: At a Glance

178

payments

$6,784

payment total

30

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 171 $4,156
Travel and Lodging
 7 $2,628

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

 $2,581
VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS WITH HEPARIN BIOACTIVE SURFACE

device

 $1,006
VASCULAR GRAFT

device

 $376
XARELTO

drug

 $298
ELIQUIS

drug

 $296
ASSURITY PACEMAKER

device

 $185
CORLANOR

drug

 $167
REPATHA

drug

 $167
PRALUENT

drug

 $149
IGT_D PERIPHERAL

device

 $149
IMAGE GUIDED THERAPY DEVICES _ PERIPHERAL

device

 $141
VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $135
ENTRESTO

drug

 $117
EKOSONIC

device

 $107
JETSTREAM

device

 $98
BRILINTA

drug

 $94
SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM

device

 $93
PRADAXA

drug

 $81
CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE CARE

device

 $74
LIFEVEST

device

 $57
† 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/1364998

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Sep 14, 2018 $914 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging BIOTRONIK INC.
Dec 18, 2018 $614 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging BIOTRONIK INC.
May 11, 2018 $376 VASCULAR GRAFT Travel and Lodging W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Feb 24, 2018 $263 VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS WITH HEPARIN BIOACTIVE SURFACE Travel and Lodging W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Feb 14, 2018 $242 VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS WITH HEPARIN BIOACTIVE SURFACE Travel and Lodging W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Feb 14, 2018 $200 VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS WITH HEPARIN BIOACTIVE SURFACE Travel and Lodging W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Feb 23, 2018 $181 VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS WITH HEPARIN BIOACTIVE SURFACE Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Dec 28, 2018 $149 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Oct 22, 2018 $141 IMAGE GUIDED THERAPY DEVICES _ PERIPHERAL Food and Beverage PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Aug 16, 2018 $136 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Jul 11, 2018 $135 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Dec 5, 2018 $126 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Nov 29, 2018 $118 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Dec 8, 2018 $117 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Dec 8, 2018 $114 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
May 8, 2018 $113 ASSURITY PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 7, 2018 $101 IGT_D PERIPHERAL Food and Beverage PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Mar 14, 2018 $96 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Jun 15, 2018 $93 SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 28, 2018 $90 ELIQUIS Food and Beverage PFIZER 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/1364998

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.