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/64790
  • 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/64790
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.

JOHN TESSER

Listed Specialty: Rheumatology
4550 E BELL RD, SUITE 172, PHOENIX, AZ, 85032-9306

2018 Payments: At a Glance

680

payments

$372,323

payment total

24

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 95 $168K
Consulting
 44 $148K
Travel and Lodging
 165 $42,143
Food and Beverage
 371 $13,289
Education
 5 $426

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

 $174K
KEVZARA

drug

 $90,235
TALTZ

drug

 $36,799
SIMPONI ARIA

drug

 $21,283
STELARA

drug

 $16,216
XELJANZ

drug

 $15,746
ENBREL

drug

 $13,829
HUMIRA

drug

 $7,325
ORENCIA

drug

 $6,162
ACTEMRA

drug

 $3,818
REMICADE

drug

 $750
ERELZI

drug

 $505
OTEZLA

drug

 $349
PROLIA

drug

 $232
FORTEO

drug

 $227
RITUXAN

drug

 $203
BENLYSTA

drug

 $192
COSENTYX

drug

 $175
KRYSTEXXA

drug

 $174
CIMZIA

drug

 $139
† 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/64790

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jul 16, 2018 $27,500 No Listed Product Consulting UCB, INC. John R. Tesser MD
Aug 15, 2018 $11,025 No Listed Product Consulting LILLY USA, LLC FUNDACION PARA INVESTIGACION BIOMED DEL HOSP UNIV
Mar 30, 2018 $7,830 KEVZARA Consulting REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Jun 29, 2018 $7,830 KEVZARA Consulting REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Jan 9, 2018 $7,350 No Listed Product Consulting LILLY USA, LLC FUNDACION PARA INVESTIGACION BIOMED DEL HOSP UNIV
Apr 19, 2018 $6,960 KEVZARA Consulting REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Aug 27, 2018 $6,960 KEVZARA Consulting REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC. Arizona Rheumatology Center, LTD
May 11, 2018 $6,960 KEVZARA Consulting REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC.
May 8, 2018 $6,825 No Listed Product Consulting LILLY USA, LLC FUNDACION PARA INVESTIGACION BIOMED DEL HOSP UNIV
Nov 26, 2018 $6,825 No Listed Product Consulting LILLY USA, LLC FUNDACION PARA INVESTIGACION BIOMED DEL HOSP UNIV
Apr 23, 2018 $6,531 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging UCB, INC. John R. Tesser MD
Oct 9, 2018 $6,090 KEVZARA Consulting REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC. Arizona Rheumatology Center, LTD
Sep 25, 2018 $5,000 HUMIRA Consulting ABBVIE, INC. Arizona Rheumatology Center
Feb 9, 2018 $4,988 TALTZ Consulting LILLY USA, LLC FUNDACION PARA INVESTIGACION BIOMED DEL HOSP UNIV
Mar 12, 2018 $4,500 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other UCB, INC.
Jan 10, 2018 $4,500 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other UCB, INC.
Feb 26, 2018 $4,253 KEVZARA Promotional Speaking/Other REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC. Arizona Rheumatology Center
May 10, 2018 $4,253 KEVZARA Promotional Speaking/Other REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC. Arizona Rheumatology Center
Jul 9, 2018 $4,253 KEVZARA Promotional Speaking/Other REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC. Arizona Rheumatology Center
Dec 14, 2018 $4,200 No Listed Product Consulting LILLY USA, LLC FUNDACION PARA INVESTIGACION BIOMED DEL HOSP UNIV

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/64790

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.