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/152980
  • 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/152980
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.

ANAND KUMAR

Listed Specialty: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
1 CHILDRENS HOSPITAL DR, 4401 PENN AVENUE FACULTY PAVILION, 7TH FLOOR, SUITE 710, PITTSBURGH, PA, 15224-1529

2018 Payments: At a Glance

46

payments

$48,440

payment total

8

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 2 $44,047
Food and Beverage
 38 $2,241
Travel and Lodging
 6 $2,152

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

 $33,625
CRANIOFACIAL MODULAR FIXATION SYSTEM

device

 $11,445
EXTERNAL FIXATION

device

 $1,592
AMNIOEXCEL

device

 $626
BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM

device

 $519
FLOWABLE

device

 $519
IDRT

device

 $519
INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM

device

 $519
VSP RECONSTRUCTION

device

 $254
PED MANDIBLE DISTRACTION

device

 $168
NSE - CUTTING ACCESSORIES

device

 $159
SPY TECHNOLOGY

device

 $141
AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR

device

 $114
AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR

device

 $114
CUSTOMIZED MANDIBLE RECON

device

 $107
DIRECT INJECT

device

 $107
HYBRID MMF

device

 $107
HYALOMATRIX WOUND DEVICE

device

 $107
PLUROGEL BURN & WOUND DRESSINGS

device

 $107
MEDIHONEY

device

 $107
† 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/152980

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Dec 31, 2018 $32,602 No Listed Product Consulting POLARITYTE, INC.
Jun 1, 2018 $11,445 CRANIOFACIAL MODULAR FIXATION SYSTEM Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jun 3, 2018 $687 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging KLS-MARTIN L.P. Elite Travel
May 18, 2018 $635 EXTERNAL FIXATION Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
May 18, 2018 $405 EXTERNAL FIXATION Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
May 18, 2018 $366 EXTERNAL FIXATION Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Feb 13, 2018 $150 No Listed Product Food and Beverage KLS-MARTIN L.P.
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
Dec 11, 2018 $126 No Listed Product Food and Beverage KLS-MARTIN L.P.
Jun 15, 2018 $114 AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR Food and Beverage AXOGEN
Apr 12, 2018 $107 CUSTOMIZED MANDIBLE RECON VSP RECONSTRUCTION PED MANDIBLE DISTRACTION DIRECT INJECT HYBRID MMF Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 19, 2018 $107 HYALOMATRIX WOUND DEVICE PLUROGEL BURN & WOUND DRESSINGS Food and Beverage MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, 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
May 19, 2018 $101 EXTERNAL FIXATION Food and Beverage MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Aug 18, 2018 $100 MANDIBULAR RECON Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 24, 2018 $100 BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM AMNIOEXCEL IDRT FLOWABLE Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Apr 4, 2018 $95 VSP RECONSTRUCTION Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Oct 1, 2018 $89 CUSTOM IMPLANTS Food and Beverage 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/152980

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.