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/242655
  • 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/242655
If you spot an error, please let us know at drugs@propublica.org.

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.


JAMES LEFFINGWELL

Listed Specialty: Otolaryngology
400 WEST ARBROOK B;LVD, SUITE 301, ARLINGTON, TX, 76014-3174

2018 Payments: At a Glance

63

payments

$5,402

payment total

15

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
6 $2,133
Consulting
1 $2,000
Food and Beverage
56 $1,269

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
XHANCE

drug

$2,560
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$1,200
NUVENT

device

$808
ENTELLUS - FIAGON SINUS NAVIGATION SYSTEM

device

$151
OTOVEL

drug

$132
RELIEVA SPINPLUS BALLOON SINUPLASTY SYSTEM

device

$127
CARTO 3 SYSTEM

device

$108
FUSION

device

$105
ACCLARENT ENT ULTIRRA/NAVWIRE 3-GUIDE BUNDLE

device

$93
ACCLARENT AERA EUSTACHIAN TUBE BALLOON DILATION SYSTEM

device

$76
ENTELLUS - XPRESS ENT DILATION SYSTEM

device

$32
SURGICEL FAMILY OF ABSORBABLE HEMOSTATS

device

$30
STROBO VIDERHINLARYNGOSCOPE, NTSC

device

$27
OLYMPUS TCRF DEVICES

device

$26
VIVAER AIRWAY REMODELING STYLUS

device

$21
LIGASURE

device

$20
EVICEL

drug

$19
HARMONIC PRODUCT FAMILY

device

$19
GRASTEK

drug

$19
ODACTRA

drug

$19
† 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/242655

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Nov 2, 2018 $2,000 XHANCE Consulting OPTINOSE US, INC.
Aug 18, 2018 $641 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Nov 8, 2018 $496 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Feb 8, 2018 $444 NUVENT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Oct 27, 2018 $270 XHANCE Travel and Lodging OPTINOSE US, INC.
Feb 10, 2018 $193 NUVENT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Oct 27, 2018 $139 XHANCE Food and Beverage OPTINOSE US, INC.
Aug 9, 2018 $118 ENTELLUS - FIAGON SINUS NAVIGATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Aug 17, 2018 $108 CARTO 3 SYSTEM Food and Beverage ACCLARENT, INC
Feb 10, 2018 $90 NUVENT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 29, 2018 $79 FUSION Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Oct 26, 2018 $40 XHANCE Food and Beverage OPTINOSE US, INC.
Feb 23, 2018 $40 RELIEVA SPINPLUS BALLOON SINUPLASTY SYSTEM ACCLARENT AERA EUSTACHIAN TUBE BALLOON DILATION SYSTEM ACCLARENT ENT ULTIRRA/NAVWIRE 3-GUIDE BUNDLE Food and Beverage ACCLARENT, INC
Jan 29, 2018 $36 ACCLARENT AERA EUSTACHIAN TUBE BALLOON DILATION SYSTEM ACCLARENT ENT ULTIRRA/NAVWIRE 3-GUIDE BUNDLE RELIEVA SPINPLUS BALLOON SINUPLASTY SYSTEM Food and Beverage ACCLARENT, INC
Feb 10, 2018 $36 NUVENT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 27, 2018 $34 RELIEVA SPINPLUS BALLOON SINUPLASTY SYSTEM Food and Beverage ACCLARENT, INC
Oct 26, 2018 $31 XHANCE Food and Beverage OPTINOSE US, INC.
Feb 10, 2018 $30 NUVENT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 10, 2018 $30 ENTELLUS - FIAGON SINUS NAVIGATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
May 23, 2018 $27 STROBO VIDERHINLARYNGOSCOPE, NTSC Food and Beverage KARL STORZ ENDOSCOPY-AMERICA

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/242655

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 drugs@propublica.org.

This site includes data published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on June 28, 2019.