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/276149
  • 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/276149
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.

ROBERT CARTER

Listed Specialty: Vascular Surgery
2750 CLAY EDWARDS DR, #304, KANSAS CITY, MO, 64116-3237

2018 Payments: At a Glance

47

payments

$21,546

payment total

16

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Education
 5 $15,560
Consulting
 4 $3,600
Food and Beverage
 36 $2,068
Travel and Lodging
 2 $318

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†
LUTONIX

device

 $6,411
LIFESTENT

device

 $5,628
AFX

device

 $3,827
LIFESTAR

device

 $3,800
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $524
AMNIOEXCEL

device

 $189
PRIMATRIX

device

 $189
TCC-EZ

device

 $189
OVATION

device

 $187
NON APPLICABLE

device

 $178
VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $127
APLIGRAF

drug

 $126
EXCLUDER ILIAC BRANCH ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $123
ENDURANT

device

 $120
E. LUMINEXX

device

 $119
DERMAGRAFT

device

 $112
PURAPLY/AFFINITY/NUTECH

device

 $112
CONQUEST

device

 $106
FLAIR

device

 $106
FLUENCY

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/276149

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jul 2, 2018 $5,600 LIFESTENT Education BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 26, 2018 $5,453 LUTONIX Education BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 2, 2018 $3,800 LIFESTAR Education BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
May 10, 2018 $900 AFX Consulting ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Nov 1, 2018 $900 AFX Consulting ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Jun 18, 2018 $900 AFX Consulting ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $900 AFX Consulting ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Feb 14, 2018 $452 LUTONIX Education BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 12, 2018 $262 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Feb 9, 2018 $255 LUTONIX Education BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 20, 2018 $178 PRIMATRIX NON APPLICABLE TCC-EZ AMNIOEXCEL Food and Beverage TEI MEDICAL INC.
Sep 19, 2018 $144 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Jan 30, 2018 $142 OVATION Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Aug 21, 2018 $141 LUTONIX Food and Beverage BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 29, 2018 $138 AFX Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Jun 15, 2018 $127 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Sep 5, 2018 $120 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 23, 2018 $119 E. LUMINEXX Food and Beverage BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
May 9, 2018 $113 EXCLUDER ILIAC BRANCH ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Sep 12, 2018 $112 APLIGRAF DERMAGRAFT PURAPLY/AFFINITY/NUTECH Food and Beverage ORGANOGENESIS INC. L&M Healthcare Communications

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/276149

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.