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/212335
  • 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/212335
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 MENDENHALL

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
200 LOTHROP ST, PITTSBURGH, PA, 15213-2536

2018 Payments: At a Glance

67

payments

$11,898

payment total

12

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 4 $7,338
Food and Beverage
 58 $2,922
Travel and Lodging
 5 $1,639

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

 $6,355
SIELLO

device

 $2,938
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

 $965
REVEAL LINQ

device

 $203
ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM

device

 $183
RHYTHMVIEW WORK STATIONS

device

 $149
CARTO 3 SYSTEM RMT

device

 $135
AMPLIA MRI

device

 $132
CARTO 3 SYSTEM

device

 $121
PRALUENT

drug

 $106
QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR

device

 $94
XARELTO

drug

 $76
ENTRESTO

drug

 $67
LIFEVEST

device

 $56
MICRA

device

 $43
RHYTHMIA

device

 $43
ELIQUIS

drug

 $38
CONFIRM RX

device

 $29
EVERA

device

 $28
EPI-SENSE GUIDED COAGULATION SYSTEM WITH VISITRAX, MODELS

device

 $24
† 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/212335

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 9, 2018 $2,900 No Listed Product Consulting MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 3, 2018 $1,875 SIELLO Consulting BIOTRONIK INC.
Aug 15, 2018 $1,500 No Listed Product Consulting MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 14, 2018 $1,063 SIELLO Consulting BIOTRONIK INC.
Aug 1, 2018 $455 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 5, 2018 $333 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Aug 1, 2018 $328 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jul 20, 2018 $265 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging BIOTRONIK INC.
Oct 10, 2018 $257 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging BIOTRONIK INC.
Oct 6, 2018 $209 GENERAL THERAPIES Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Nov 29, 2018 $185 REVEAL LINQ Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 17, 2018 $183 ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 6, 2018 $150 GENERAL THERAPIES Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Oct 12, 2018 $138 RHYTHMVIEW WORK STATIONS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 9, 2018 $135 CARTO 3 SYSTEM RMT Food and Beverage BIOSENSE WEBSTER, INC.
Aug 1, 2018 $132 AMPLIA MRI Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 10, 2018 $123 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Feb 6, 2018 $121 CARTO 3 SYSTEM Food and Beverage BIOSENSE WEBSTER, INC.
Oct 6, 2018 $118 GENERAL THERAPIES Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Oct 16, 2018 $106 PRALUENT Food and Beverage SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC

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/212335

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.