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/208072
  • 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/208072
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.

GEORGE COMAS

Listed Specialty: Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery)
9981 S HEALTHPARK DR, SUITE 120, FORT MYERS, FL, 33908-3618

2018 Payments: At a Glance

133

payments

$17,618

payment total

7

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
 44 $12,424
Food and Beverage
 89 $5,194

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†
MOSAIC

device

 $5,631
ATRICURE SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM

device

 $3,221
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $1,558
ATRICURE ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION SYSTEM

device

 $1,235
CG FUTURE

device

 $1,218
CARPENTIER-EDWARDS PERIMOUNT MAGNA MITRAL EASE PERICARDIAL VALVE

device

 $978
EPI-SENSE GUIDED COAGULATION SYSTEM WITH VISITRAX, MODELS

device

 $857
ATRICURE ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION

device

 $816
FREESTYLE

device

 $770
EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE

device

 $503
ATRICURE CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $487
ACC2 CARDIAC CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $457
COREVALVE EVOLUT

device

 $401
CARPENTIER-EDWARDS PERIMOUNT MAGNA EASE PERICARDIAL AORTIC BIOPROSTHESIS

device

 $278
3F

device

 $274
AORTIC AND MITRAL TISSUE STENTED VALVES

device

 $242
EDWARDS INTUITY ELITE VALVE SYSTEM

device

 $227
EPIC STENTED TISSUE VALVE

device

 $226
TRIFECTA GT TISSUE HEART VALVE

device

 $209
TAILOR FLEXIBLE RING AND BAND

device

 $154
† 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/208072

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 2, 2018 $1,817 MOSAIC Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 1, 2018 $1,001 MOSAIC Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 12, 2018 $647 FREESTYLE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $587 MOSAIC Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 9, 2018 $475 ATRICURE SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM ATRICURE ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION Travel and Lodging ATRICURE, INC.
Feb 12, 2018 $471 CARPENTIER-EDWARDS PERIMOUNT MAGNA MITRAL EASE PERICARDIAL VALVE Travel and Lodging EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Mar 3, 2018 $423 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ATRICURE, INC.
Oct 11, 2018 $419 CG FUTURE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 11, 2018 $404 CG FUTURE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Apr 13, 2018 $395 ATRICURE SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM ATRICURE ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ATRICURE, INC.
Jun 19, 2018 $347 ATRICURE SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ATRICURE, INC.
Mar 2, 2018 $341 ATRICURE SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM ACC2 CARDIAC CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM ATRICURE ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION Travel and Lodging ATRICURE, INC.
Mar 12, 2018 $324 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ATRICURE, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $309 MOSAIC Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 10, 2018 $304 ATRICURE SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ATRICURE, INC.
Mar 1, 2018 $293 ATRICURE ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION SYSTEM ATRICURE CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ATRICURE, INC.
Aug 6, 2018 $273 MOSAIC Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 2, 2018 $243 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ATRICURE, INC.
Apr 13, 2018 $237 ATRICURE SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM ATRICURE ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ATRICURE, INC.
Mar 14, 2018 $234 ATRICURE SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ATRICURE, 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/208072

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.