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/190397
  • 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/190397
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 SINGER

Listed Specialty: Colon & Rectal Surgery
1740 W TAYLOR ST, DEPT 3449, CHICAGO, IL, 60612-7232

2018 Payments: At a Glance

101

payments

$53,271

payment total

12

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
6 $19,110
Education
4 $11,500
Honoraria
9 $9,400
Travel and Lodging
38 $8,169
Consulting
2 $2,600
Food and Beverage
42 $2,492

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
ENTEREG

drug

$23,491
DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

$14,762
GELPORT

device

$8,302
GELPOINT

device

$2,000
DILUMEN

device

$1,763
STRATAFIX

device

$1,573
MONOCRYL

device

$1,400
PDS II (POLYDIOXANONE) SUTURE

device

$1,400
VICRYL

device

$1,400
GELPOINT PATH

device

$1,200
ENSEAL PRODUCT FAMILY

device

$689
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$522
ECHELON ENDOPATH STAPLER

device

$515
AIRSEAL

device

$253
STRATTICE

device

$209
ECHELON FLEX STAPLER

device

$203
OFIRMEV

drug

$120
EXPAREL

drug

$118
BRIDION

drug

$117
4-K

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/190397

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Apr 27, 2018 $3,185 ENTEREG Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
Apr 27, 2018 $3,185 ENTEREG Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
Oct 22, 2018 $3,185 ENTEREG Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
Feb 12, 2018 $3,185 ENTEREG Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
Dec 14, 2018 $3,185 ENTEREG Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
May 14, 2018 $3,185 ENTEREG Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
Nov 16, 2018 $3,000 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Education INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Nov 9, 2018 $3,000 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Education INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Jan 2, 2018 $3,000 GELPORT Honoraria APPLIED MEDICAL RESOURCES CORPORATION
Oct 29, 2018 $3,000 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Education INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Oct 9, 2018 $2,500 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Education INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
May 7, 2018 $2,000 GELPOINT GELPORT Honoraria APPLIED MEDICAL RESOURCES CORPORATION
Jul 3, 2018 $1,400 MONOCRYL PDS II (POLYDIOXANONE) SUTURE STRATAFIX VICRYL Consulting ETHICON US, LLC
Dec 17, 2018 $1,200 GELPOINT PATH Honoraria APPLIED MEDICAL RESOURCES CORPORATION
May 23, 2018 $1,200 DILUMEN Consulting LUMENDI LLC
Oct 9, 2018 $912 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Mar 22, 2018 $800 GELPORT Honoraria APPLIED MEDICAL RESOURCES CORPORATION
Mar 22, 2018 $800 GELPORT Honoraria APPLIED MEDICAL RESOURCES CORPORATION
Aug 1, 2018 $563 DILUMEN Travel and Lodging LUMENDI LLC
May 9, 2018 $523 ENTEREG Travel and Lodging 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/190397

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.