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/309048
  • 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/309048
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.

ALAN BOULOS

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
47 NEW SCOTLAND AVE, ALBANY, NY, 12208-3412

2018 Payments: At a Glance

49

payments

$31,620

payment total

5

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
 22 $21,173
Consulting
 1 $8,400
Food and Beverage
 26 $2,047

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†
PHIL

device

 $18,809
CASPER

device

 $14,603
SOFIA

device

 $12,512
HYDROSOFT 3D COIL

device

 $9,312
FRED

device

 $1,613
HYDROFRAME COIL

device

 $1,052
HYDROFILL COIL

device

 $1,033
HYDROSOFT COIL

device

 $1,033
LVIS

device

 $916
ERIC

device

 $698
WEB

device

 $536
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $296
SCEPTER C BALLOON CATHETER

device

 $93
GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT

device

 $28
LVIS JR.

device

 $26
SOLITAIRE

device

 $25
SYNCHROMED

device

 $20
TREVO

device

 $16
ELIQUIS

drug

 $11
COVIDIEN-ACCESS

device

 $11
† 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.

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 31, 2018 $9,203 HYDROSOFT 3D COIL Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Mar 19, 2018 $8,400 CASPER SOFIA PHIL Consulting MICROVENTION, INC.
Mar 15, 2018 $3,857 PHIL Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Mar 19, 2018 $3,239 CASPER SOFIA PHIL Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Feb 7, 2018 $1,294 CASPER FRED Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $1,033 HYDROFILL COIL HYDROFRAME COIL HYDROSOFT COIL Food and Beverage MICROVENTION, INC.
Jun 27, 2018 $889 PHIL Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Feb 10, 2018 $658 ERIC CASPER PHIL SOFIA LVIS Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Jul 18, 2018 $538 PHIL Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Jan 10, 2018 $204 WEB CASPER Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Jan 10, 2018 $204 WEB CASPER Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Jun 20, 2018 $189 PHIL Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
May 18, 2018 $135 CASPER Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Nov 16, 2018 $133 No Listed Product Food and Beverage MICROVENTION, INC.
Mar 30, 2018 $129 CASPER Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Feb 8, 2018 $126 FRED CASPER PHIL SOFIA LVIS Food and Beverage MICROVENTION, INC.
Jul 19, 2018 $96 PHIL Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Aug 13, 2018 $95 PHIL Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Mar 19, 2018 $78 PHIL Food and Beverage MICROVENTION, INC.
Jul 19, 2018 $77 PHIL Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, 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/309048

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.