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/230228
  • 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/230228
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.

CHAFIK ASSAL

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
505 CAPITOL ST, CHARLESTON, WV, 25301-1204

2018 Payments: At a Glance

118

payments

$37,102

payment total

10

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 8 $18,850
Travel and Lodging
 22 $8,174
Food and Beverage
 85 $6,478
Consulting
 3 $3,600

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†
ARCTIC FRONT

device

 $20,048
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $6,885
LIFEVEST

device

 $4,227
CRYOCONSOLE

device

 $1,366
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

 $1,003
ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM

device

 $982
XARELTO

drug

 $395
CARTO 3 SYSTEM

device

 $285
RESONATE

device

 $240
ADVISA

device

 $203
LIVEWIRE ABLATION CATHETER

device

 $179
ELIQUIS

drug

 $170
CLARIA MRI

device

 $167
VIEWMATE INTRACARDIAC ECHO

device

 $153
ADVISOR CATHETER

device

 $114
EMBLEM SICD ELECTRODE DELIVERY SYSTEM

device

 $105
EP-WORKMATE CLARIS SYSTEM

device

 $98
VIEWFLEX XTRA ICE CATHETER

device

 $92
SELECTSECURE

device

 $76
AMPERE RF ABLATION GENERATOR

device

 $57
† 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/230228

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jun 20, 2018 $3,200 ARCTIC FRONT Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jul 27, 2018 $3,200 ARCTIC FRONT Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 5, 2018 $2,900 ARCTIC FRONT Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 9, 2018 $2,900 ARCTIC FRONT Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 26, 2018 $2,900 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jul 3, 2018 $1,600 No Listed Product Consulting BIOTRONIK INC.
Apr 5, 2018 $1,500 LIFEVEST Promotional Speaking/Other ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Oct 24, 2018 $1,500 LIFEVEST Promotional Speaking/Other ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Oct 2, 2018 $1,200 No Listed Product Consulting BIOTRONIK INC.
Jun 27, 2018 $1,089 ARCTIC FRONT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 10, 2018 $800 No Listed Product Consulting BIOTRONIK INC.
Dec 19, 2018 $750 LIFEVEST Promotional Speaking/Other ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Oct 4, 2018 $710 CRYOCONSOLE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 1, 2018 $641 ARCTIC FRONT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 18, 2018 $628 ARCTIC FRONT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 19, 2018 $566 ARCTIC FRONT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 16, 2018 $558 ARCTIC FRONT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 17, 2018 $544 ARCTIC FRONT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 25, 2018 $521 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Oct 7, 2018 $450 CRYOCONSOLE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, 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/230228

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.