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/166248
  • 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/166248
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.


JEFFRY GERSON

Listed Specialty: Optometrist
21020 W 151ST ST, OLATHE, KS, 66061-7200

2018 Payments: At a Glance

102

payments

$64,833

payment total

19

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
8 $29,040
Nonaccredited Training
2 $10,000
Honoraria
3 $7,850
Promotional Speaking/Other
5 $7,247
Travel and Lodging
19 $6,547
Food and Beverage
64 $4,111
Gift
1 $39

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

$29,303
ULTRA

device

$12,679
BIOTRUE ONE DAY

device

$12,646
PUREVISION

device

$12,545
SOFLENS

device

$12,545
LUCENTIS

drug

$10,736
BIOTRUE

device

$6,708
EYLEA

drug

$5,196
P200T

device

$2,905
VYZULTA

drug

$2,266
ALPHAGAN P

drug

$961
COMBIGAN

drug

$961
LUMIGAN

drug

$961
ADAPTDX

device

$314
FORESEEHOME

device

$186
NON-COVERED PRODUCT

drug

$180
CONTACT LENS

device

$100
CIRRUS HD-OCT

device

$44
LOTEMAX

drug

$41
BTOD

device

$33
† 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/166248

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jan 1, 2018 $13,715 No Listed Product Consulting MACULOGIX, INC.
Aug 23, 2018 $6,250 No Listed Product Honoraria MACULOGIX, INC.
Oct 4, 2018 $5,000 ULTRA BIOTRUE ONE DAY PUREVISION SOFLENS Nonaccredited Training BAUSCH & LOMB, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC
May 23, 2018 $5,000 ULTRA BIOTRUE ONE DAY SOFLENS BIOTRUE PUREVISION Nonaccredited Training BAUSCH & LOMB, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC
Oct 25, 2018 $4,200 EYLEA Consulting REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Nov 27, 2018 $3,400 No Listed Product Consulting VALEANT PHARMACEUTICALS NORTH AMERICA LLC
Nov 14, 2018 $2,600 LUCENTIS Promotional Speaking/Other GENENTECH USA, INC.
Nov 2, 2018 $2,600 LUCENTIS Promotional Speaking/Other GENENTECH USA, INC.
Apr 17, 2018 $2,000 VYZULTA Consulting BAUSCH & LOMB, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC
Jul 26, 2018 $2,000 No Listed Product Consulting VALEANT PHARMACEUTICALS NORTH AMERICA LLC
May 31, 2018 $2,000 No Listed Product Consulting VALEANT PHARMACEUTICALS NORTH AMERICA LLC
Aug 11, 2018 $1,900 LUCENTIS Promotional Speaking/Other GENENTECH USA, INC.
Nov 14, 2018 $1,311 LUCENTIS Travel and Lodging GENENTECH USA, INC.
Feb 17, 2018 $1,237 P200T Food and Beverage OPTOS, INC.
Mar 27, 2018 $1,000 P200T Honoraria OPTOS, INC.
Apr 15, 2018 $911 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MACULOGIX, INC.
Jun 22, 2018 $875 LUMIGAN COMBIGAN ALPHAGAN P Consulting ALLERGAN INC.
Sep 30, 2018 $850 LUCENTIS Consulting F. HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE AG
Dec 18, 2018 $829 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging VALEANT PHARMACEUTICALS NORTH AMERICA LLC
May 23, 2018 $723 ULTRA BIOTRUE ONE DAY SOFLENS BIOTRUE PUREVISION Travel and Lodging BAUSCH & LOMB, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC

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/166248

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.