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/250336
  • 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/250336
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.

EDWARD APICELLA

Listed Specialty: Interventional Pain Medicine
12 CORPORATE WOODS BLVD, ALBANY, NY, 12211-2524

2018 Payments: At a Glance

87

payments

$3,255

payment total

13

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 87 $3,255

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†
SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM

device

 $523
SPECTRA WAVEWRITER

device

 $519
AXIUM INS DRG IPG

device

 $438
MILD DEVICE KIT

device

 $366
GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT

device

 $229
PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $209
SCS IPGS

device

 $195
LYRICA

drug

 $148
ALGOVITA

device

 $82
MULTI-LEAD TRIALING CABLE

device

 $71
LAMITRODE SCS LEADS

device

 $60
AXIUM SHEATH BRAIDED DRG

device

 $54
INTELLIS

device

 $52
ADAPTIVESTIM

device

 $40
AUTOFILL

device

 $40
OCTRODE SCS LEADS

device

 $38
XEOMIN

drug

 $34
EMBEDA

drug

 $30
HORIZANT

drug

 $26
HYALGAN

device

 $21
† 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/250336

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 24, 2018 $184 AXIUM INS DRG IPG Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Feb 27, 2018 $157 SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 12, 2018 $136 SPECTRA WAVEWRITER Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Jan 12, 2018 $134 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage NEVRO CORP.
Aug 28, 2018 $133 AXIUM INS DRG IPG Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 21, 2018 $132 MILD DEVICE KIT Food and Beverage VERTOS MEDICAL, INC.
Jun 14, 2018 $130 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 4, 2018 $128 SPECTRA WAVEWRITER Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Feb 15, 2018 $120 SPECTRA WAVEWRITER Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Mar 8, 2018 $117 LYRICA Food and Beverage PFIZER INC.
Oct 9, 2018 $116 MILD DEVICE KIT Food and Beverage VERTOS MEDICAL, INC.
Apr 12, 2018 $115 GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Mar 26, 2018 $114 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage NEVRO CORP.
Jan 18, 2018 $84 GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
May 22, 2018 $83 AXIUM INS DRG IPG Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 17, 2018 $75 MILD DEVICE KIT Food and Beverage VERTOS MEDICAL, INC.
Jul 17, 2018 $62 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage NEVRO CORP.
May 17, 2018 $60 LAMITRODE SCS LEADS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 18, 2018 $58 ALGOVITA Food and Beverage NUVECTRA CORPORATION
Jan 12, 2018 $47 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage NEVRO CORP.

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/250336

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.