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/198498
  • 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/198498
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.


CHARLES DECOOK

Listed Specialty: Family Medicine
655 JESSE JEWELL PKWY SE, STE B, GAINESVILLE, GA, 30501-3854

2018 Payments: At a Glance

280

payments

$7,458,868

payment total

16

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
14 $7.09M
Consulting
72 $330K
Travel and Lodging
91 $33,688
Food and Beverage
103 $4,686

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

$7.06M
CORAIL

device

$284K
PINNACLE

device

$211K
ACTIS

device

$99,235
ATTUNE

device

$82,589
AQUAMANTYS

device

$76,310
RECLAIM

device

$11,571
DERMABOND PORTFOLIO

device

$6,885
ALTRX

device

$2,529
TRI-LOCK

device

$700
HIP ENDURANCE

device

$271
ZILRETTA

drug

$196
PALACOS

device

$101
ORTHOVISC

device

$31
PICO

device

$30
OFIRMEV

drug

$25
DUROLANE

device

$23
SYNVISC-ONE

device

$19
DUEXIS

drug

$16
EX NAILS

device

$16
† 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/198498

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jul 12, 2018 $7,022,910 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Dec 11, 2018 $15,600 AQUAMANTYS Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Oct 16, 2018 $14,855 CORAIL ACTIS ATTUNE Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Feb 2, 2018 $14,171 CORAIL PINNACLE Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jun 26, 2018 $10,765 No Listed Product Consulting DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC
Aug 23, 2018 $10,400 AQUAMANTYS Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Dec 21, 2018 $10,125 CORAIL ACTIS ATTUNE Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Sep 13, 2018 $9,925 RECLAIM Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jan 25, 2018 $9,577 No Listed Product Consulting DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC
May 2, 2018 $8,924 CORAIL PINNACLE Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Oct 30, 2018 $8,779 CORAIL ACTIS ATTUNE Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jan 29, 2018 $8,450 AQUAMANTYS Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 19, 2018 $8,450 AQUAMANTYS Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 12, 2018 $8,401 CORAIL PINNACLE Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Feb 6, 2018 $8,400 CORAIL PINNACLE Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jun 20, 2018 $8,399 CORAIL PINNACLE Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Nov 2, 2018 $8,268 No Listed Product Consulting DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS LLC
Nov 8, 2018 $8,100 CORAIL ACTIS ATTUNE Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Nov 16, 2018 $8,100 CORAIL ACTIS ATTUNE Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jan 29, 2018 $7,879 CORAIL PINNACLE Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, 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/198498

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.