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/323234
  • 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/323234
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.

EFREN BUITRAGO

Listed Specialty: Surgery
3650 NW 82ND AVE, SUITE 208, DORAL, FL, 33166-6658

2018 Payments: At a Glance

31

payments

$4,859

payment total

15

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 1 $2,400
Food and Beverage
 24 $1,659
Travel and Lodging
 6 $800

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†
AFX

device

 $2,400
COOK MEDICAL AAA

device

 $674
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $530
COOK MEDICAL ADVANCED TECH

device

 $277
VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $239
CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE CARE

device

 $173
OVATION

device

 $134
OFIRMEV

drug

 $122
TISSEEL

drug

 $108
CROSSER

device

 $50
BIOGEL INDICATOR

device

 $45
BIOGEL M

device

 $45
BIOGEL PI INDICATOR

device

 $45
BIOGEL PI ULTRATOUCH

device

 $45
BIOGEL SURGEONS

device

 $45
ENDURANT

device

 $30
PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $24
HEARTSTRING

device

 $20
GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION

device

 $18
ANGIOJET

device

 $16
† 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
Feb 2, 2018 $2,400 AFX Consulting ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Sep 20, 2018 $260 COOK MEDICAL AAA Travel and Lodging COOK INCORPORATED SOUTH FLORIDA HEART AND LUNG INSTITUTE
Oct 5, 2018 $239 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Jul 26, 2018 $212 COOK MEDICAL AAA Travel and Lodging COOK INCORPORATED
Mar 12, 2018 $173 CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE CARE Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jul 26, 2018 $169 COOK MEDICAL ADVANCED TECH Travel and Lodging COOK MEDICAL LLC
Dec 1, 2018 $147 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
May 30, 2018 $138 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Apr 5, 2018 $134 OVATION Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Oct 12, 2018 $131 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Jul 12, 2018 $114 No Listed Product Food and Beverage EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Sep 27, 2018 $109 OFIRMEV Food and Beverage MALLINCKRODT LLC
Dec 17, 2018 $108 TISSEEL Food and Beverage BAXTER HEALTHCARE
Jul 25, 2018 $85 COOK MEDICAL ADVANCED TECH Travel and Lodging COOK MEDICAL LLC
Jul 26, 2018 $73 COOK MEDICAL AAA Food and Beverage COOK INCORPORATED
Aug 1, 2018 $54 COOK MEDICAL AAA Food and Beverage COOK INCORPORATED
Jan 23, 2018 $45 BIOGEL M BIOGEL PI ULTRATOUCH BIOGEL PI INDICATOR BIOGEL SURGEONS BIOGEL INDICATOR Food and Beverage MOLNLYCKE HEALTH CARE US, LLC
Jul 26, 2018 $41 COOK MEDICAL AAA Travel and Lodging COOK INCORPORATED
Sep 20, 2018 $34 COOK MEDICAL AAA Travel and Lodging COOK INCORPORATED SOUTH FLORIDA HEART AND LUNG INSTITUTE
Jan 26, 2018 $31 CROSSER Food and Beverage BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, 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/323234

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.