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/197613
  • 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/197613
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.


BENJAMIN CILENTO

Listed Specialty: Otolaryngology
9301 PINECROFT DR, SUITE 100, THE WOODLANDS, TX, 77380-3179

2018 Payments: At a Glance

66

payments

$3,691

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
64 $1,891
Travel and Lodging
2 $1,800

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
INSPIRE UPPER AIRWAY STIMULATION SYSTEM

device

$2,247
ENTELLUS - XPRESS ENT DILATION SYSTEM

device

$473
ENTELLUS - FIAGON SINUS NAVIGATION SYSTEM

device

$273
CELON SYSTEM

device

$242
SPIROX - LATERA

device

$211
ENTELLUS - MINIFESS SURGICAL INSTRUMENT SETS

device

$128
PK DIEGO

device

$81
COBLATION - TURBINATE WANDS

device

$69
NSE - NASOPORE OTOPORE

device

$65
VIVAER AIRWAY REMODELING STYLUS

device

$60
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$47
RELIEVA SPINPLUS NAV BALLOON SINUSPLASTY SYSTEM

device

$33
RAPID RHINO - NASAL DRESSINGS

device

$29
RELIEVA SCOUT MULTI-SINUS DILATION SYSTEM

device

$25
XEOMIN

drug

$18
OLYMPUS ENT INSTRUMENTS

device

$17
NUVENT

device

$17
OLYMPUS TCRF DEVICES

device

$15
ACCLARENT AERA EUSTACHIAN TUBE BALLOON DILATION SYSTEM

device

$14
ACCLARENT NAVWIRE SINUS NAVIGATION GUIDEWIRE

device

$13
† 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

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Mar 26, 2018 $939 INSPIRE UPPER AIRWAY STIMULATION SYSTEM Travel and Lodging INSPIRE MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
Dec 1, 2018 $861 INSPIRE UPPER AIRWAY STIMULATION SYSTEM Travel and Lodging INSPIRE MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
Jan 27, 2018 $446 INSPIRE UPPER AIRWAY STIMULATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage INSPIRE MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
Mar 26, 2018 $126 CELON SYSTEM Food and Beverage OLYMPUS AMERICA INC.
Oct 18, 2018 $119 ENTELLUS - MINIFESS SURGICAL INSTRUMENT SETS ENTELLUS - FIAGON SINUS NAVIGATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Feb 20, 2018 $75 CELON SYSTEM PK DIEGO Food and Beverage OLYMPUS AMERICA INC.
Sep 28, 2018 $53 ENTELLUS - XPRESS ENT DILATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 27, 2018 $51 ENTELLUS - XPRESS ENT DILATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 12, 2018 $43 ENTELLUS - FIAGON SINUS NAVIGATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Feb 13, 2018 $40 VIVAER AIRWAY REMODELING STYLUS Food and Beverage AERIN MEDICAL INC.
May 24, 2018 $40 COBLATION - TURBINATE WANDS Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Apr 30, 2018 $33 RELIEVA SPINPLUS NAV BALLOON SINUSPLASTY SYSTEM Food and Beverage ACCLARENT, INC
Aug 2, 2018 $33 SPIROX - LATERA Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Mar 28, 2018 $30 ENTELLUS - XPRESS ENT DILATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 28, 2018 $30 ENTELLUS - XPRESS ENT DILATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Jul 16, 2018 $29 COBLATION - TURBINATE WANDS RAPID RHINO - NASAL DRESSINGS Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Sep 19, 2018 $28 SPIROX - LATERA NSE - NASOPORE OTOPORE ENTELLUS - XPRESS ENT DILATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Oct 23, 2018 $26 ENTELLUS - FIAGON SINUS NAVIGATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Jan 25, 2018 $25 ENTELLUS - XPRESS ENT DILATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage ENTELLUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jun 11, 2018 $25 RELIEVA SCOUT MULTI-SINUS DILATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage ACCLARENT, INC

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/197613

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.