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/15070
  • 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/15070
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.


RODNEY HORTON

Listed Specialty: Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology
3000 N IH 35, SUITE 700, AUSTIN, TX, 78705-1804

2018 Payments: At a Glance

198

payments

$118,228

payment total

10

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
48 $57,374
Promotional Speaking/Other
11 $41,300
Consulting
10 $14,050
Food and Beverage
129 $5,504

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
WATCHMAN

device

$54,273
THERAPIES

device

$27,174
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$14,945
ARTIS ZEE

device

$9,514
CARTO 3 SYSTEM

device

$5,600
ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM

device

$2,972
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

$1,194
ABLATION THERAPY HARDWARE

device

$350
ASSURITY PACEMAKER

device

$317
DURATA DEFIBRILLATION ICD LEAD

device

$310
ARTIS Q.ZEN

device

$250
ACCENT PACEMAKER

device

$181
PERCLOSE PROGLIDE SUTURE MEDIATED CLOSURE SYSTEM

device

$165
AMPLATZER VASCULAR PLUGS

device

$149
AZUR

device

$105
SMARTABLATE

device

$102
ARTIS PHENO

device

$96
CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM

device

$87
CRT-DS

device

$72
QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR

device

$65
† 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/15070

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jul 12, 2018 $14,844 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC. P&E CONSULTING LLC
Jun 22, 2018 $9,505 ARTIS ZEE Travel and Lodging SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Dec 1, 2018 $8,876 THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Oct 10, 2018 $8,675 THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
May 10, 2018 $8,000 WATCHMAN Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION P & E CONSULTING LLC
Sep 5, 2018 $4,800 WATCHMAN Consulting BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION P & E CONSULTING LLC
Oct 31, 2018 $4,000 WATCHMAN Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION P & E CONSULTING LLC
Nov 6, 2018 $4,000 WATCHMAN Consulting BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION P & E CONSULTING LLC
Jul 4, 2018 $4,000 WATCHMAN Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION P & E CONSULTING LLC
Jul 4, 2018 $4,000 WATCHMAN Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION P & E CONSULTING LLC
Mar 7, 2018 $4,000 WATCHMAN Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION P & E CONSULTING LLC
Apr 11, 2018 $4,000 WATCHMAN Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION P & E CONSULTING LLC
Apr 4, 2018 $4,000 WATCHMAN Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION P & E CONSULTING LLC
Dec 1, 2018 $3,612 THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Feb 7, 2018 $3,500 WATCHMAN Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION P & E CONSULTING LLC
Nov 20, 2018 $3,300 WATCHMAN Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION P & E CONSULTING LLC
Oct 10, 2018 $2,200 WATCHMAN Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION P & E CONSULTING LLC
Jun 7, 2018 $1,428 THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
May 31, 2018 $851 ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 3, 2018 $824 THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC 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/15070

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.