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/380338
  • 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/380338
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.

HEATHER BENJAMIN

Listed Specialty: Hematology & Oncology
1 NOLTE DR, KITTANNING, PA, 16201-7111

2018 Payments: At a Glance

103

payments

$35,245

payment total

25

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 7 $18,113
Travel and Lodging
 20 $7,629
Promotional Speaking/Other
 6 $7,195
Food and Beverage
 70 $2,309

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†
CABOMETYX

drug

 $8,060
ALIMTA

drug

 $7,513
TAGRISSO

drug

 $5,992
GILOTRIF

drug

 $4,982
ONIVYDE

drug

 $4,313
CYRAMZA

drug

 $4,290
PORTRAZZA

drug

 $3,150
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $2,830
ERBITUX

drug

 $1,125
ELITEK

drug

 $395
BAVENCIO

drug

 $353
AKYNZEO

drug

 $117
ALOXI

drug

 $117
ZYKADIA

drug

 $117
UNITUXIN

drug

 $100
OPDIVO

drug

 $67
XOFIGO

drug

 $64
RITUXAN HYCELA

drug

 $50
TECENTRIQ

drug

 $50
XTANDI

drug

 $50
† 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/380338

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jun 13, 2018 $4,200 TAGRISSO Consulting ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Nov 13, 2018 $3,785 GILOTRIF Consulting BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Nov 5, 2018 $3,150 ALIMTA CYRAMZA PORTRAZZA Consulting LILLY USA, LLC
Nov 13, 2018 $2,975 ALIMTA Consulting LILLY USA, LLC
Aug 17, 2018 $2,940 ONIVYDE Consulting IPSEN BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Dec 14, 2018 $2,450 CABOMETYX Promotional Speaking/Other EXELIXIS INC.
May 3, 2018 $2,125 CABOMETYX Promotional Speaking/Other EXELIXIS INC.
May 10, 2018 $2,125 CABOMETYX Promotional Speaking/Other EXELIXIS INC.
Aug 17, 2018 $1,218 ONIVYDE Travel and Lodging IPSEN BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Sep 30, 2018 $804 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ABBVIE, INC.
Jun 13, 2018 $800 TAGRISSO Consulting ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Oct 6, 2018 $708 GILOTRIF Travel and Lodging BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Nov 2, 2018 $557 ALIMTA ERBITUX CYRAMZA Travel and Lodging LILLY USA, LLC
Jun 1, 2018 $494 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ABBVIE, INC.
Jun 1, 2018 $405 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ABBVIE, INC.
Dec 14, 2018 $389 CABOMETYX Travel and Lodging EXELIXIS INC.
Dec 14, 2018 $358 CABOMETYX Travel and Lodging EXELIXIS INC.
May 18, 2018 $340 TAGRISSO Travel and Lodging ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
May 18, 2018 $316 TAGRISSO Travel and Lodging ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Aug 17, 2018 $288 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging LILLY USA, LLC

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/380338

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.