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/265163
  • 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/265163
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.

ULRIKA BIRGERSDOTTER-GREEN

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
200 WEST ARBOR DRIVE, SAN DIEGO, CA, 92103-8201

2018 Payments: At a Glance

153

payments

$52,421

payment total

10

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 13 $24,735
Travel and Lodging
 10 $10,828
Nonaccredited Training
 3 $7,500
Promotional Speaking/Other
 2 $5,250
Food and Beverage
 125 $4,108

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†
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $23,001
PACEMAKERS

device

 $17,871
CARDIOMEMS HF SYSTEM

device

 $4,032
SELECTSECURE

device

 $2,240
CLINICAL TRIAL PRODUCT

device

 $1,500
CVX-300

device

 $1,200
CLARIA MRI

device

 $783
PLASMABLADE

device

 $300
MICRA

device

 $263
WATCHMAN

device

 $240
PERCEPTA

device

 $193
ECM

device

 $180
ASSURITY PACEMAKER

device

 $140
EMBLEM

device

 $124
CARDIAC MONITORING SUITE

device

 $98
AZURE

device

 $85
REVEAL LINQ

device

 $51
HEARTWARE HVAD

device

 $41
EVERA

device

 $38
RESOLUTE

device

 $18
† 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/265163

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jul 1, 2018 $6,359 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging BIOTRONIK INC.
Mar 15, 2018 $3,864 PACEMAKERS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Mar 15, 2018 $3,864 PACEMAKERS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Mar 15, 2018 $3,864 PACEMAKERS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Feb 22, 2018 $3,000 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $2,500 No Listed Product Nonaccredited Training BIOTRONIK INC.
Jul 10, 2018 $2,500 No Listed Product Nonaccredited Training BIOTRONIK INC.
Jan 23, 2018 $2,500 No Listed Product Nonaccredited Training BIOTRONIK INC.
Mar 15, 2018 $2,415 PACEMAKERS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Mar 5, 2018 $2,250 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 1, 2018 $1,932 CARDIOMEMS HF SYSTEM Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Mar 15, 2018 $1,932 PACEMAKERS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Mar 1, 2018 $1,932 CARDIOMEMS HF SYSTEM Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 23, 2018 $1,927 SELECTSECURE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 30, 2018 $1,500 CLINICAL TRIAL PRODUCT Consulting BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CA UC SAN DIEGO
Mar 22, 2018 $1,449 PACEMAKERS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 3, 2018 $900 CVX-300 Consulting PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION UNIVERSITY OF CA, SAN DIEGO
Oct 6, 2018 $678 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging BIOTRONIK INC.
Aug 23, 2018 $632 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging BIOTRONIK INC.
Jan 25, 2018 $564 No Listed Product 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/265163

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.