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/308177
  • 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/308177
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.

JEFFREY SAGER

Listed Specialty: Critical Care Medicine
2403 CASTILLO ST, SUITE 206, SANTA BARBARA, CA, 93105-5316

2018 Payments: At a Glance

132

payments

$55,343

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 25 $38,340
Consulting
 2 $9,850
Travel and Lodging
 26 $4,848
Food and Beverage
 78 $2,268
Education
 1 $38

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

 $23,755
ADEMPAS

drug

 $12,225
TYVASO

drug

 $10,187
NONE

drug

 $7,668
LETAIRIS

drug

 $275
TRELEGY ELLIPTA

drug

 $228
ORENITRAM

drug

 $169
UPTRAVI

drug

 $144
BREO

drug

 $144
OLYMPUS CAPITAL ACCESSORIES

device

 $106
OLYMPUS EBUS BRONCHOSCOPES

device

 $106
OLYMPUS RESPIRATORY ACCESSORIES

device

 $106
ANORO

drug

 $83
INCRUSE

drug

 $80
ESBRIET

drug

 $76
BROVANA

drug

 $74
OPSUMIT

drug

 $69
REMICADE

drug

 $65
NUCALA

drug

 $49
FASENRA

drug

 $48
† 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/308177

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Sep 21, 2018 $5,850 No Listed Product Consulting ACTELION PHARMACEUTICALS US, INC.
Aug 11, 2018 $5,800 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ACTELION PHARMACEUTICALS US, INC.
Apr 19, 2018 $5,300 NONE Promotional Speaking/Other UNITED THERAPEUTICS CORPORATION
May 11, 2018 $4,000 ADEMPAS Consulting BAYER HEALTHCARE PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Jun 20, 2018 $3,500 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ACTELION PHARMACEUTICALS US, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $3,300 TYVASO Promotional Speaking/Other UNITED THERAPEUTICS CORPORATION
Sep 4, 2018 $3,300 TYVASO Promotional Speaking/Other UNITED THERAPEUTICS CORPORATION
Sep 6, 2018 $3,300 TYVASO Promotional Speaking/Other UNITED THERAPEUTICS CORPORATION
Oct 22, 2018 $3,080 ADEMPAS Promotional Speaking/Other BAYER HEALTHCARE PHARMACEUTICALS INC. Jeffrey S. Sager Md
Nov 5, 2018 $3,080 ADEMPAS Promotional Speaking/Other BAYER HEALTHCARE PHARMACEUTICALS INC. Jeffrey S. Sager Md
Sep 24, 2018 $2,500 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other GILEAD SCIENCES INC Jeffrey S Sager, MD
Jun 20, 2018 $2,250 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ACTELION PHARMACEUTICALS US, INC.
Nov 19, 2018 $1,270 NONE Promotional Speaking/Other UNITED THERAPEUTICS CORPORATION
Apr 20, 2018 $720 ADEMPAS Travel and Lodging BAYER HEALTHCARE PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Sep 20, 2018 $688 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ACTELION PHARMACEUTICALS US, INC.
Aug 10, 2018 $524 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ACTELION PHARMACEUTICALS US, INC.
Oct 17, 2018 $466 ADEMPAS Travel and Lodging BAYER HEALTHCARE PHARMACEUTICALS INC. Jeffrey S. Sager Md
Apr 19, 2018 $331 NONE Promotional Speaking/Other UNITED THERAPEUTICS CORPORATION
Jun 20, 2018 $311 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ACTELION PHARMACEUTICALS US, INC.
Jun 20, 2018 $279 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ACTELION PHARMACEUTICALS US, 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/308177

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.