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/352270
  • 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/352270
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.


VIVEK KUMBHARI

Listed Specialty: Gastroenterology
1800 ORLEANS ST, SUITE 2058, BALTIMORE, MD, 21287-0010

2018 Payments: At a Glance

97

payments

$50,631

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
15 $35,959
Travel and Lodging
22 $9,932
Food and Beverage
59 $2,790
Promotional Speaking/Other
1 $1,950

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
OVERSTITCH

device

$35,349
ERBE

device

$4,793
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$4,311
BARRX

device

$2,777
DREAMTOME

device

$1,950
ORBERA

device

$339
THERAPIES

device

$291
BEACON

device

$276
SMALL BOWEL

device

$250
OLYMPUS EMR & ESD DEVICES

device

$153
ASPIREASSIST

device

$128
SPYSCOPE

device

$90
COOK MEDICAL BILIARY

device

$76
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

$58
AXIOS

device

$55
LAPBAND

device

$45
ESOPHYX

device

$44
ACQUIRE

device

$19
OLYMPUS ENDOTHERAPY ACCESSORIES

device

$15
OLYMPUS EUS DEVICES

device

$15
† 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/352270

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Dec 5, 2018 $6,600 OVERSTITCH Consulting APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US INC
Jun 22, 2018 $5,850 OVERSTITCH Consulting APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US INC
Jul 6, 2018 $3,900 OVERSTITCH Consulting APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US INC
Apr 6, 2018 $3,900 OVERSTITCH Consulting APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US INC
May 4, 2018 $3,600 OVERSTITCH Consulting APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US INC
Nov 8, 2018 $3,195 No Listed Product Consulting PENTAX OF AMERICA, INC.
Sep 24, 2018 $3,190 ERBE Travel and Lodging ERBE USA INC
May 9, 2018 $1,950 DREAMTOME Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Oct 19, 2018 $1,500 OVERSTITCH Consulting APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US INC
Sep 7, 2018 $1,500 OVERSTITCH Consulting APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US INC
Nov 9, 2018 $1,500 OVERSTITCH Consulting APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US INC
Oct 17, 2018 $1,332 BARRX Consulting COVIDIEN LP
Oct 10, 2018 $1,332 BARRX Consulting COVIDIEN LP
Aug 12, 2018 $987 ERBE Travel and Lodging ERBE USA INC
Aug 24, 2018 $900 OVERSTITCH Consulting APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US INC
May 4, 2018 $759 OVERSTITCH Travel and Lodging APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US INC
Apr 6, 2018 $668 OVERSTITCH Travel and Lodging APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US INC
Mar 17, 2018 $536 ERBE Travel and Lodging ERBE USA INC
Jun 22, 2018 $535 OVERSTITCH Travel and Lodging APOLLO ENDOSURGERY US INC
Oct 30, 2018 $504 OVERSTITCH Travel and Lodging APOLLO ENDOSURGERY 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/352270

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.