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/163925
  • 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/163925
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.


RICARDO GONZALEZ

Listed Specialty: Urology
6560 FANNIN ST, SUITE 2030, HOUSTON, TX, 77030-2761

2018 Payments: At a Glance

191

payments

$107,448

payment total

21

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
18 $77,855
Travel and Lodging
27 $13,375
Consulting
3 $8,075
Food and Beverage
133 $5,132
Honoraria
1 $2,800
Education
9 $211

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
GREENLIGHT

device

$74,716
THERAPIES

device

$11,041
XENFORM

device

$5,796
REZUM

device

$3,405
CAPIO

device

$3,375
BOTOX

drug

$2,747
SOLYX

device

$1,845
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

$1,087
INTERSTIM

device

$471
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$308
GENERAL FEMALE SUI

device

$298
GENERAL BPH

device

$285
PROVENGE

drug

$261
AMS

device

$248
INTRAROSA

drug

$229
AQUABEAM ROBOTIC SYSTEM

device

$219
XTANDI

drug

$151
MYRBETRIQ

drug

$129
GENERAL KIDNEY STONE DISEASE

device

$112
ALTIS

device

$106
† 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/163925

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 17, 2018 $18,450 GREENLIGHT Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION RICARDO R GONZALEZ MD PA
Apr 18, 2018 $15,525 GREENLIGHT Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION RICARDO R GONZALEZ MD PA
Sep 19, 2018 $6,750 GREENLIGHT Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION RICARDO R GONZALEZ MD PA
Apr 18, 2018 $5,175 GREENLIGHT Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION RICARDO R GONZALEZ MD PA
Sep 2, 2018 $5,011 THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Aug 29, 2018 $4,500 GREENLIGHT Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION RICARDO R GONZALEZ MD PA
Dec 12, 2018 $4,275 GREENLIGHT Consulting BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION RICARDO R GONZALEZ MD PA
May 30, 2018 $3,915 GREENLIGHT Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION RICARDO R GONZALEZ MD PA
Aug 8, 2018 $3,690 GREENLIGHT Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION RICARDO R GONZALEZ MD PA
Mar 21, 2018 $3,600 GREENLIGHT Consulting BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION RICARDO R GONZALEZ MD PA
May 30, 2018 $3,510 GREENLIGHT Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION RICARDO R GONZALEZ MD PA
Mar 27, 2018 $3,375 CAPIO Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION RICARDO R GONZALEZ MD PA
Aug 8, 2018 $3,285 XENFORM Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION RICARDO R GONZALEZ MD PA
Mar 4, 2018 $2,823 THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Apr 30, 2018 $2,800 REZUM Honoraria NXTHERA, INC.
Mar 21, 2018 $1,845 SOLYX Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION RICARDO R GONZALEZ MD PA
Dec 26, 2018 $1,800 GREENLIGHT Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION RICARDO R GONZALEZ MD PA
Oct 23, 2018 $1,500 BOTOX Promotional Speaking/Other ALLERGAN INC.
Oct 3, 2018 $1,485 XENFORM Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION RICARDO R GONZALEZ MD PA
May 2, 2018 $1,350 GREENLIGHT Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION RICARDO R GONZALEZ MD PA

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/163925

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.