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/39890
  • 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/39890
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.


VICTOR GONZALEZ

Listed Specialty: Ophthalmology
1309 E RIDGE ROAD, SUITE 1, MCALLEN, TX, 78503-1518

2018 Payments: At a Glance

95

payments

$47,483

payment total

16

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
12 $19,808
Promotional Speaking/Other
6 $10,400
Nonaccredited Training
1 $7,500
Honoraria
2 $5,500
Food and Beverage
72 $3,358
Ownership or Investment Interest
1 $517
Consulting
1 $400

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
PASCAL INSTRUMENT

device

$27,257
STELLARIS PC

device

$9,373
VICTUS

device

$9,278
STELLARIS

device

$9,079
VITESSE

device

$9,058
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$4,652
OZURDEX

drug

$3,732
EDWARDS INTUITY ELITE VALVE SYSTEM

device

$804
TECNIS MULTIFOCAL FAMILY OF 1-PIECE IOLS

device

$205
SPECTRALIS

device

$152
JETREA

drug

$138
TECNIS 1-PIECE IOL

device

$125
TECNIS 3-PIECE IOL

device

$125
TECNIS SYMPHONY IOL

device

$125
TECNIS SYMPHONY TORIC IOL

device

$125
RESTOR

device

$107
ONE SERIES ULTRA IOL DELIVERY SYSTEM

device

$85
PHACOFRAGMENTATION ACCESSORIES

device

$77
CIRRUS HD-OCT

device

$74
CRYSTALENS

device

$64
† 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/39890

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 4, 2018 $7,500 STELLARIS VICTUS STELLARIS PC VITESSE Nonaccredited Training BAUSCH & LOMB, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC
Mar 13, 2018 $7,474 PASCAL INSTRUMENT Travel and Lodging TOPCON CORPORATION
Nov 8, 2018 $7,113 PASCAL INSTRUMENT Travel and Lodging TOPCON CORPORATION
Oct 25, 2018 $3,500 No Listed Product Honoraria ALIMERA SCIENCES, INC.
Apr 23, 2018 $2,500 OZURDEX Promotional Speaking/Other ALLERGAN INC.
Nov 8, 2018 $2,000 PASCAL INSTRUMENT Promotional Speaking/Other TOPCON CORPORATION
Nov 13, 2018 $2,000 PASCAL INSTRUMENT Honoraria TOPCON MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
Mar 13, 2018 $2,000 PASCAL INSTRUMENT Promotional Speaking/Other TOPCON CORPORATION
Aug 21, 2018 $2,000 PASCAL INSTRUMENT Promotional Speaking/Other TOPCON CORPORATION
Nov 3, 2018 $1,500 PASCAL INSTRUMENT Promotional Speaking/Other TOPCON MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
Mar 13, 2018 $875 PASCAL INSTRUMENT Travel and Lodging TOPCON MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $855 PASCAL INSTRUMENT Travel and Lodging TOPCON MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
Oct 12, 2018 $804 EDWARDS INTUITY ELITE VALVE SYSTEM Travel and Lodging EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Mar 13, 2018 $798 PASCAL INSTRUMENT Travel and Lodging TOPCON CORPORATION
Aug 21, 2018 $642 PASCAL INSTRUMENT Travel and Lodging TOPCON CORPORATION
Aug 5, 2018 $610 STELLARIS VICTUS STELLARIS PC VITESSE Travel and Lodging BAUSCH & LOMB, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC
Mar 13, 2018 $517 No Listed Product Ownership or Investment Interest US RETINA LLC
Feb 28, 2018 $400 OZURDEX Consulting ALLERGAN INC.
Jul 12, 2018 $400 OZURDEX Promotional Speaking/Other ALLERGAN INC.
Aug 3, 2018 $221 STELLARIS VICTUS STELLARIS PC VITESSE Travel and Lodging BAUSCH & LOMB, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, 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/39890

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.