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/296458
  • 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/296458
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.

MEYER ABITTAN

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
100 PORT WASHINGTON BLVD, SUITE G03, ROSLYN, NY, 11576-1353

2018 Payments: At a Glance

101

payments

$26,886

payment total

18

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 10 $22,777
Food and Beverage
 87 $2,933
Travel and Lodging
 4 $1,176

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†
PRALUENT

drug

 $16,108
RANEXA

drug

 $5,417
LIVALO

drug

 $2,947
ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE

device

 $1,028
NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS

device

 $1,028
XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM

device

 $1,028
HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE

device

 $1,028
REPATHA

drug

 $263
ELIQUIS

drug

 $168
XARELTO

drug

 $143
EPCLUSA

drug

 $125
CORLANOR

drug

 $108
KENGREAL

drug

 $104
BRILINTA

drug

 $86
VASCEPA

drug

 $81
YOSPRALA

drug

 $65
ZONTIVITY

drug

 $65
HEARTMATE

device

 $61
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $59
BYSTOLIC

drug

 $55
† 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/296458

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Dec 13, 2018 $3,171 PRALUENT Promotional Speaking/Other SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
Jan 11, 2018 $2,903 PRALUENT Promotional Speaking/Other REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC. Meyer M Abittan
Jul 30, 2018 $2,869 PRALUENT Promotional Speaking/Other SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC Meyer Abittan [MEYER ABITTAN, MD PC]
Aug 22, 2018 $2,869 PRALUENT Promotional Speaking/Other SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC Meyer Abittan [MEYER ABITTAN, MD PC]
Nov 7, 2018 $2,869 PRALUENT Promotional Speaking/Other SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
Jan 30, 2018 $2,750 LIVALO Promotional Speaking/Other KOWA PHARMACEUTICALS AMERICA, INC.
Jul 24, 2018 $1,980 RANEXA Promotional Speaking/Other GILEAD SCIENCES INC Meyer H. Abittan MD PC
May 1, 2018 $1,980 RANEXA Promotional Speaking/Other GILEAD SCIENCES INC Meyer H. Abittan MD PC
Nov 1, 2018 $906 PRALUENT Promotional Speaking/Other SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC Meyer Abittan [MEYER ABITTAN, MD PC]
Jul 18, 2018 $669 RANEXA Travel and Lodging GILEAD SCIENCES INC
Mar 2, 2018 $480 RANEXA Promotional Speaking/Other GILEAD SCIENCES INC
Sep 27, 2018 $347 ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 27, 2018 $188 ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 8, 2018 $153 ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 27, 2018 $127 ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 25, 2018 $125 RANEXA Food and Beverage GILEAD SCIENCES INC
Nov 7, 2018 $125 PRALUENT Food and Beverage SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
Mar 14, 2018 $125 REPATHA Food and Beverage AMGEN INC.
Jul 18, 2018 $125 RANEXA Food and Beverage GILEAD SCIENCES INC
Oct 24, 2018 $125 EPCLUSA Food and Beverage GILEAD SCIENCES 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/296458

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.