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/321177
  • 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/321177
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.

SASSAN HASSASSIAN

Listed Specialty: Pain Medicine
8644 SUDLEY RD, STE 117, MANASSAS, VA, 20110-4417

2018 Payments: At a Glance

137

payments

$10,703

payment total

23

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 1 $6,199
Food and Beverage
 129 $3,822
Travel and Lodging
 7 $682

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†
INTELLIS

device

 $7,117
PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $754
SCS IPGS

device

 $411
MYSTIM

device

 $292
OCTRODE SCS LEADS

device

 $171
EON FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $163
DRG IPGS

device

 $149
LUCEMYRA

drug

 $141
BUNAVAIL

drug

 $134
AXIUM INS DRG IPG

device

 $121
MORPHABOND ER

drug

 $110
ARYMO ER

drug

 $106
SPRIX

drug

 $88
SYMPROIC

drug

 $85
AXIUM SHEATH BRAIDED DRG

device

 $82
CINCH EPIDUCER SCS

device

 $78
NEUROMODULATION DSPSBLS AND ACCS

device

 $69
XTAMPZA

drug

 $65
DRG LEADS

device

 $65
ZOHYDRO ER

drug

 $59
† 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/321177

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Nov 29, 2018 $6,199 INTELLIS Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 9, 2018 $237 INTELLIS Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 9, 2018 $200 INTELLIS Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 8, 2018 $175 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 27, 2018 $171 OCTRODE SCS LEADS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 12, 2018 $171 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 16, 2018 $146 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 15, 2018 $141 LUCEMYRA Food and Beverage US WORLDMEDS, LLC
Jan 5, 2018 $135 SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Dec 18, 2018 $133 MYSTIM Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Dec 11, 2018 $132 MYSTIM Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 2, 2018 $128 DRG IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 24, 2018 $128 SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 7, 2018 $109 AXIUM INS DRG IPG Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 9, 2018 $103 INTELLIS Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 7, 2018 $100 SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 10, 2018 $97 INTELLIS Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 9, 2018 $93 INTELLIS Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 5, 2018 $93 EON FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jul 17, 2018 $64 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES

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/321177

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.