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/54491
  • 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/54491
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.


RAED ALNAJJAR

Listed Specialty: Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery)
911 BYPASS RD, PIKEVILLE, KY, 41501-1689

2018 Payments: At a Glance

32

payments

$3,587

payment total

15

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
26 $1,822
Travel and Lodging
6 $1,765

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
EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE

device

$1,213
SUPERDIMENSION

device

$737
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$315
DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

$207
ATRICURE CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM

device

$143
BIOGLUE

device

$134
ON-X

device

$134
PHOTOFIX

device

$134
ENDURANT

device

$128
IMPELLA

device

$125
AQUAMANTYS

device

$110
PERCEVAL S

device

$97
LIFEVEST

device

$95
COREVALVE EVOLUT

device

$75
SPIN

device

$71
HERCULES

device

$63
VASCUTEK

device

$63
AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - PERCEVAL

device

$28
COSEAL

device

$24
ATRICURE ATRICLIP LAA EXCLUSION SYSTEM

device

$20
† 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/54491

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Dec 13, 2018 $697 EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE Travel and Lodging EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Sep 13, 2018 $438 SUPERDIMENSION Travel and Lodging COVIDIEN LP
Oct 4, 2018 $347 EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE Travel and Lodging EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Jun 28, 2018 $176 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Sep 13, 2018 $168 SUPERDIMENSION Travel and Lodging COVIDIEN LP
May 23, 2018 $143 ATRICURE CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage ATRICURE, INC.
Oct 4, 2018 $138 No Listed Product Food and Beverage EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Jan 25, 2018 $128 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Sep 6, 2018 $125 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Apr 18, 2018 $110 AQUAMANTYS Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Dec 10, 2018 $108 No Listed Product Food and Beverage COVIDIEN LP
Sep 20, 2018 $106 BIOGLUE ON-X PHOTOFIX Food and Beverage CRYOLIFE, INC.
Oct 14, 2018 $99 SUPERDIMENSION Food and Beverage COVIDIEN LP
Mar 14, 2018 $97 PERCEVAL S Food and Beverage LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Feb 8, 2018 $95 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Oct 4, 2018 $80 EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE Travel and Lodging EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Dec 13, 2018 $75 COREVALVE EVOLUT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 13, 2018 $71 SPIN Food and Beverage VERAN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Oct 11, 2018 $61 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
Dec 13, 2018 $50 HERCULES VASCUTEK Food and Beverage TERUMO CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS CORPORATION

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/54491

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.