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/264250
  • 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/264250
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.

ITAMAR BIRNBAUM

Listed Specialty: Internal Medicine
1709 DRYDERN ROAD,, FACULTY CENTER, BCM 620, SUITE 5.78, HOUSTON, TX, 77030-2400

2018 Payments: At a Glance

115

payments

$6,542

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 113 $6,344
Education
 2 $198

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†
ASSURITY PACEMAKER

device

 $1,155
QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR

device

 $982
FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD

device

 $479
QUADRA ALLURE MP RF CRT PACEMKR

device

 $458
ALLURE QUADRA RF CRT PACEMAKER

device

 $417
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $328
BRILINTA

drug

 $257
XARELTO

drug

 $250
EMERGE

device

 $234
REPATHA

drug

 $211
IMPELLA

device

 $170
ACCENT PACEMAKER

device

 $157
RESONATE

device

 $132
SYNERGY

device

 $127
FIGHTER

device

 $125
PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $125
PERCLOSE PROGLIDE SUTURE MEDIATED CLOSURE SYSTEM

device

 $123
CRT-DS

device

 $117
CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $115
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

 $106
† 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/264250

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jun 13, 2018 $181 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 26, 2018 $181 ALLURE QUADRA RF CRT PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jul 16, 2018 $179 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 27, 2018 $177 FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 30, 2018 $176 ASSURITY PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 5, 2018 $175 QUADRA ALLURE MP RF CRT PACEMKR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Dec 26, 2018 $172 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 25, 2018 $168 ASSURITY PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 11, 2018 $166 FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 20, 2018 $164 ASSURITY PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 30, 2018 $156 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Aug 2, 2018 $150 ACCENT PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 28, 2018 $143 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 30, 2018 $143 QUADRA ALLURE MP RF CRT PACEMKR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 19, 2018 $140 QUADRA ALLURE MP RF CRT PACEMKR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Dec 8, 2018 $133 ALLURE QUADRA RF CRT PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 12, 2018 $130 ASSURITY PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 8, 2018 $130 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Dec 28, 2018 $128 ASSURITY PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 11, 2018 $127 SYNERGY Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION

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/264250

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.