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/1391551
  • 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/1391551
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.

TOBIAS LONG

Listed Specialty: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
11100 EUCLID AVE, CLEVELAND, OH, 44106-1716

2018 Payments: At a Glance

45

payments

$3,855

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 42 $2,655
Consulting
 1 $800
Education
 2 $400

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†
AMNIOEXCEL

device

 $876
PREVENA

device

 $840
BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM

device

 $621
FLOWABLE

device

 $621
IDRT

device

 $621
INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM

device

 $621
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $494
SURGIMEND

device

 $319
TCC-EZ

device

 $274
MEDIHONEY

device

 $255
OMNIGRAFT

device

 $255
PRIMATRIX

device

 $255
EXTERNAL FIXATION SYSTEM

device

 $184
FREEDOM WRIST

device

 $184
PYRO MCP

device

 $184
TITAN-SHOULDER

device

 $184
TSSM - TOTAL SHOULDER SYSTEM METAL

device

 $184
AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR

device

 $151
AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR

device

 $151
ARTOURA BREAST TISSUE EXPANDER

device

 $143
† 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/1391551

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Nov 21, 2018 $800 PREVENA Consulting KCI USA, INC
May 2, 2018 $220 No Listed Product Education MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
May 2, 2018 $180 No Listed Product Education MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Sep 24, 2018 $141 SPY TECHNOLOGY Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
May 30, 2018 $138 BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM AMNIOEXCEL IDRT FLOWABLE Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Aug 9, 2018 $125 FLEXHD ACELLULAR HYDRATED DERMIS ARTOURA BREAST TISSUE EXPANDER MEMORYGEL BREAST IMPLANTS Food and Beverage MENTOR WORLDWIDE LLC
Jun 7, 2018 $119 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Jul 24, 2018 $115 SURGIMEND Food and Beverage TEI BIOSCIENCES INC
Jun 15, 2018 $114 AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR Food and Beverage AXOGEN
Mar 1, 2018 $108 ALLODERM Food and Beverage ALLERGAN INC.
Oct 14, 2018 $104 BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM AMNIOEXCEL IDRT FLOWABLE Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Oct 16, 2018 $103 BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM AMNIOEXCEL IDRT FLOWABLE Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Sep 13, 2018 $102 NEURAGEN TENOGLIDE Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Sep 24, 2018 $100 BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM AMNIOEXCEL IDRT FLOWABLE Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Oct 25, 2018 $96 FREEDOM WRIST PYRO MCP TSSM - TOTAL SHOULDER SYSTEM METAL TITAN-SHOULDER EXTERNAL FIXATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Mar 12, 2018 $94 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ACELL, INC.
Oct 1, 2018 $89 CUSTOM IMPLANTS Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Dec 11, 2018 $88 FREEDOM WRIST PYRO MCP TSSM - TOTAL SHOULDER SYSTEM METAL TITAN-SHOULDER EXTERNAL FIXATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Jul 24, 2018 $83 OMNIGRAFT PRIMATRIX MEDIHONEY TCC-EZ AMNIOEXCEL Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Oct 26, 2018 $76 SURGIMEND Food and Beverage TEI BIOSCIENCES 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/1391551

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.