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/176780
  • 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/176780
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.

MARC KATZ

Listed Specialty: Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery)
5875 BREMO RD, SUITE G5, RICHMOND, VA, 23226-1934

2018 Payments: At a Glance

19

payments

$2,004

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 19 $2,004

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†
ECM

device

 $358
ATRICURE SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM

device

 $300
STERNALOCK BLU

device

 $208
COREVALVE EVOLUT

device

 $203
ATRICURE CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $199
ACC2 CARDIAC CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $147
ATRICURE ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION SYSTEM

device

 $147
HEARTWARE HVAD

device

 $143
ON-Q PUMP AND ACCESSORIES

device

 $124
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $118
LEGACY

device

 $110
MITRA CLIP SYSTEM

device

 $109
ATRICURE ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION

device

 $99
DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $54
LIFEVEST

device

 $52
DERMABOND PORTFOLIO

device

 $26
ECHELON FLEX STAPLER

device

 $26
EVICEL

drug

 $26
† 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.

Payment Details

All payments are displayed, the largest appearing on top.

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jan 28, 2018 $187 ECM Food and Beverage AZIYO BIOLOGICS, INC.
Jan 28, 2018 $172 ECM Food and Beverage AZIYO BIOLOGICS, INC.
Nov 6, 2018 $153 ATRICURE SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage ATRICURE, INC.
Feb 15, 2018 $147 ATRICURE ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION SYSTEM ACC2 CARDIAC CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM ATRICURE SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage ATRICURE, INC.
Jan 11, 2018 $143 HEARTWARE HVAD Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Apr 19, 2018 $125 STERNALOCK BLU Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Jul 2, 2018 $124 ON-Q PUMP AND ACCESSORIES Food and Beverage AVANOS MEDICAL
Nov 19, 2018 $118 No Listed Product Food and Beverage EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Sep 29, 2018 $110 LEGACY Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Mar 21, 2018 $109 MITRA CLIP SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jul 10, 2018 $102 COREVALVE EVOLUT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 17, 2018 $99 ATRICURE CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage ATRICURE, INC.
May 17, 2018 $99 ATRICURE CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM ATRICURE ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION Food and Beverage ATRICURE, INC.
Apr 5, 2018 $83 STERNALOCK BLU Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 30, 2018 $73 COREVALVE EVOLUT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 10, 2018 $54 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Sep 28, 2018 $52 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Apr 29, 2018 $28 COREVALVE EVOLUT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 15, 2018 $26 ECHELON FLEX STAPLER EVICEL DERMABOND PORTFOLIO Food and Beverage ETHICON US, LLC

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.