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/25861
  • 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/25861
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.

MARC BLOOMENSTEIN

Listed Specialty: Optometrist
4800 N 22ND ST, PHOENIX, AZ, 85016-4701

2018 Payments: At a Glance

199

payments

$154,816

payment total

10

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 20 $86,251
Consulting
 14 $31,688
Travel and Lodging
 75 $19,543
Food and Beverage
 82 $8,459
Nonaccredited Training
 2 $4,500
Honoraria
 6 $4,375

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†
TECNIS SYMPHONY TORIC IOL

device

 $84,858
TECNIS 1-PIECE IOL

device

 $84,507
TECNIS SYMPHONY IOL

device

 $84,507
TECNIS 3-PIECE IOL

device

 $84,442
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $23,958
RESTASIS

drug

 $23,336
VYZULTA

drug

 $7,577
TEARCARE

device

 $5,529
BROMSITE

drug

 $2,647
CEQUA (CYCLOSPORINE OPHTHALMIC SOLUTION) 0.09%

drug

 $2,588
LUMIGAN

drug

 $2,200
ACRYSOF

device

 $1,893
TEARLAB OSMOLARITY SYSTEM

device

 $1,500
PROKERA

device

 $500
AMNIOGRAFT

device

 $500
AMNIOGUARD

device

 $500
XEN

device

 $400
TECNIS MULTIFOCAL FAMILY OF 1-PIECE IOLS

device

 $173
XIIDRA

drug

 $135
CATALYS LASER SYSTEM

device

 $108
† 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/25861

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jun 12, 2018 $20,700 TECNIS 1-PIECE IOL TECNIS 3-PIECE IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY TORIC IOL Promotional Speaking/Other JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC. MRB EYE CONSULTANTS, INC.
May 1, 2018 $7,650 TECNIS 1-PIECE IOL TECNIS 3-PIECE IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY TORIC IOL Promotional Speaking/Other JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC. MRB EYE CONSULTANTS, INC.
Jul 5, 2018 $7,650 TECNIS 1-PIECE IOL TECNIS 3-PIECE IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY TORIC IOL Promotional Speaking/Other JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC. MRB EYE CONSULTANTS, INC.
Dec 27, 2018 $7,200 TECNIS 1-PIECE IOL TECNIS 3-PIECE IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY TORIC IOL Promotional Speaking/Other JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC. MRB EYE CONSULTANTS, INC.
Dec 6, 2018 $6,800 TECNIS 1-PIECE IOL TECNIS 3-PIECE IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY TORIC IOL Promotional Speaking/Other JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC. MRB EYE CONSULTANTS, INC.
Sep 4, 2018 $4,724 TECNIS 1-PIECE IOL TECNIS 3-PIECE IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY TORIC IOL Travel and Lodging JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC. MRB EYE CONSULTANTS, INC.
Sep 4, 2018 $4,724 TECNIS 1-PIECE IOL TECNIS 3-PIECE IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY TORIC IOL Food and Beverage JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC. MRB EYE CONSULTANTS, INC.
Sep 4, 2018 $4,724 TECNIS 1-PIECE IOL TECNIS 3-PIECE IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY TORIC IOL Promotional Speaking/Other JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC. MRB EYE CONSULTANTS, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $4,000 TECNIS 1-PIECE IOL TECNIS 3-PIECE IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY TORIC IOL Promotional Speaking/Other JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC. MRB EYE CONSULTANTS, INC.
Dec 6, 2018 $4,000 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC. MRB EYE CONSULTANTS, INC.
Jan 3, 2018 $4,000 No Listed Product Consulting ALLERGAN INC.
Nov 26, 2018 $3,500 TEARCARE Consulting SIGHT SCIENCES, INC.
Dec 19, 2018 $3,088 No Listed Product Consulting AKORN INC.
May 16, 2018 $2,900 VYZULTA Nonaccredited Training BAUSCH & LOMB, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC MRB Eye Consultants
Sep 12, 2018 $2,800 No Listed Product Consulting ALLERGAN INC.
Jul 24, 2018 $2,700 TECNIS 1-PIECE IOL TECNIS 3-PIECE IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY IOL TECNIS SYMPHONY TORIC IOL Promotional Speaking/Other JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC. MRB EYE CONSULTANTS, INC.
Nov 14, 2018 $2,500 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ALLERGAN INC.
Apr 6, 2018 $2,500 RESTASIS Promotional Speaking/Other ALLERGAN INC.
Mar 29, 2018 $2,500 RESTASIS Consulting ALLERGAN INC.
Sep 20, 2018 $2,500 RESTASIS Promotional Speaking/Other ALLERGAN 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/25861

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.