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/151628
  • 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/151628
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.

MICHAEL FEIN

Listed Specialty: Podiatrist
8 SCHOOL ST, BETHEL, CT, 06801-1846

2018 Payments: At a Glance

38

payments

$1,713

payment total

15

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 34 $1,006
Travel and Lodging
 4 $707

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†
PREVENA

device

 $722
VAC VERAFLO

device

 $574
GRAFIX & STRAVIX

drug

 $481
KRYSTEXXA

drug

 $125
REGRANEX

drug

 $64
SANTYL

drug

 $64
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $56
MEPILEX BORDER POST OP

device

 $51
MEPILEX BORDER POST OP AG

device

 $51
SIVEXTRO

drug

 $40
GRAVITY

device

 $34
ALLDRESS

device

 $26
MEPILEX AG

device

 $26
MEPITEL AG

device

 $25
DERMAFIT

device

 $25
OASIS

device

 $23
APTUS

device

 $18
XIAFLEX

drug

 $16
HEMICAP MTP RESURFACING

device

 $14
AMNIOEXCEL

device

 $14
† 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/151628

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 4, 2018 $360 PREVENA VAC VERAFLO Travel and Lodging KCI USA, INC
Oct 4, 2018 $214 PREVENA VAC VERAFLO Travel and Lodging KCI USA, INC
Dec 5, 2018 $125 KRYSTEXXA Food and Beverage HORIZON PHARMA PLC
Feb 2, 2018 $115 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Jan 19, 2018 $110 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Sep 25, 2018 $108 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Apr 11, 2018 $69 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Oct 5, 2018 $68 PREVENA Travel and Lodging KCI USA, INC
Nov 5, 2018 $65 PREVENA Travel and Lodging KCI USA, INC
Aug 15, 2018 $56 No Listed Product Food and Beverage KERECIS LIMITED
Jan 20, 2018 $46 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
May 10, 2018 $34 GRAVITY Food and Beverage WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Jun 15, 2018 $26 ALLDRESS MEPILEX AG MEPILEX BORDER POST OP AG MEPILEX BORDER POST OP Food and Beverage MOLNLYCKE HEALTH CARE US, LLC
Jul 30, 2018 $25 MEPILEX BORDER POST OP AG MEPITEL AG DERMAFIT MEPILEX BORDER POST OP Food and Beverage MOLNLYCKE HEALTH CARE US, LLC
Sep 5, 2018 $23 SANTYL REGRANEX OASIS Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Apr 10, 2018 $21 SANTYL REGRANEX Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $21 SANTYL REGRANEX Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jun 1, 2018 $18 APTUS Food and Beverage MEDARTIS INC.
Dec 17, 2018 $17 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Dec 18, 2018 $16 SIVEXTRO Food and Beverage MERCK SHARP & DOHME 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/151628

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.