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/339147
  • 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/339147
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.


CHARLES LEE

Listed Specialty: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
2250 HAYES STREET, SUITE 508, SAN FRANCISCO, CA, 94117-1078

2018 Payments: At a Glance

77

payments

$52,750

payment total

17

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
4 $21,165
Promotional Speaking/Other
4 $18,275
Travel and Lodging
9 $8,306
Food and Beverage
59 $3,505
Honoraria
1 $1,500

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

$39,625
BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM

device

$8,912
FLOWABLE

device

$8,912
INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM

device

$8,912
IDRT

device

$7,978
T. OX OXIMETER

device

$1,574
PLUROGEL BURN & WOUND DRESSINGS

device

$469
HYALOMATRIX WOUND DEVICE

device

$387
SURGIMEND

device

$375
CORTIVA ALLOGRAFT DERMIS

device

$300
OPTICELL AG+ GELLING FIBER WITH SILVER

device

$287
SKINTE

drug

$194
TISSEEL

drug

$188
NO RELATED PRODUCT

device

$148
REVERSE SHOULDER

device

$144
TITAN-SHOULDER

device

$144
FLOSEAL

drug

$124
ALLODERM

device

$118
AMNIOEXCEL

device

$105
OMNIGRAFT

device

$105
† 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/339147

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Apr 28, 2018 $13,615 No Listed Product Consulting MEDELA AG
Jul 31, 2018 $8,100 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Aug 21, 2018 $5,175 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Mar 23, 2018 $4,500 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Nov 30, 2018 $4,000 BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM FLOWABLE INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM IDRT Consulting INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Nov 30, 2018 $3,250 BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM FLOWABLE INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM IDRT Consulting INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Jun 28, 2018 $2,789 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Mar 23, 2018 $2,117 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Jun 6, 2018 $1,836 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Jan 20, 2018 $1,500 T. OX OXIMETER Honoraria VIOPTIX INC
Sep 10, 2018 $520 BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM FLOWABLE INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM Travel and Lodging INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Jun 15, 2018 $500 BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM FLOWABLE INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM IDRT Promotional Speaking/Other INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Oct 17, 2018 $481 BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM FLOWABLE INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM Travel and Lodging INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Jun 21, 2018 $300 CORTIVA ALLOGRAFT DERMIS Consulting RTI SURGICAL, INC.
Aug 21, 2018 $236 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Aug 22, 2018 $194 SKINTE Food and Beverage POLARITYTE, INC.
Jun 29, 2018 $185 OPTICELL AG+ GELLING FIBER WITH SILVER Food and Beverage MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Jul 31, 2018 $176 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Sep 30, 2018 $163 No Listed Product Food and Beverage MEDELA LLC
Sep 12, 2018 $161 No Listed Product Food and Beverage SCANLAN INTERNATIONAL 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/339147

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.