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/72476
  • 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/72476
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.

YOUSSEF JOSEPHSON

Listed Specialty: Interventional Pain Medicine
2271 ROUTE 33, SUITE 103, HAMILTON, NJ, 08690-1749

2018 Payments: At a Glance

497

payments

$155,123

payment total

34

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 21 $114K
Travel and Lodging
 66 $18,966
Consulting
 6 $12,072
Food and Beverage
 387 $7,583
Nonaccredited Training
 3 $2,300
Education
 13 $33
Entertainment
 1 $22

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†
SUPERION ISS

device

 $74,375
INTELLIS

device

 $19,571
RESTORE

device

 $10,611
ACTIVOS

device

 $9,073
LYRICA

drug

 $8,822
OPTIMIZER

device

 $8,139
SYNCHROMED

device

 $6,885
STIMROUTER FOR PAIN

device

 $5,408
ADAPTIVESTIM

device

 $2,500
LUCEMYRA

drug

 $2,303
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $1,700
SPECTRA WAVEWRITER

device

 $1,596
RELISTOR

drug

 $1,310
MORPHABOND ER

drug

 $511
MYSTIM

device

 $280
SPRIX

drug

 $259
SCS IPGS

device

 $239
BUNAVAIL

drug

 $202
PROMETRA II

device

 $195
HORIZANT

drug

 $169
† 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/72476

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 25, 2018 $9,821 SUPERION ISS Promotional Speaking/Other VERTIFLEX, INC.
Apr 22, 2018 $9,458 SUPERION ISS Promotional Speaking/Other VERTIFLEX, INC.
May 13, 2018 $8,245 SUPERION ISS Promotional Speaking/Other VERTIFLEX, INC.
Jul 15, 2018 $8,245 SUPERION ISS Promotional Speaking/Other VERTIFLEX, INC.
Jun 13, 2018 $8,215 SUPERION ISS Promotional Speaking/Other VERTIFLEX, INC.
Jun 28, 2018 $8,015 ACTIVOS Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 21, 2018 $7,328 OPTIMIZER Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 17, 2018 $7,275 SUPERION ISS Promotional Speaking/Other VERTIFLEX, INC.
Sep 19, 2018 $6,870 INTELLIS Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Oct 19, 2018 $6,870 SYNCHROMED Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Dec 3, 2018 $6,000 INTELLIS Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 2, 2018 $5,954 RESTORE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 24, 2018 $5,387 STIMROUTER FOR PAIN Consulting BIONESS INC
Oct 14, 2018 $5,335 SUPERION ISS Promotional Speaking/Other VERTIFLEX, INC.
Jan 24, 2018 $3,435 INTELLIS Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 17, 2018 $3,395 SUPERION ISS Consulting VERTIFLEX, INC.
May 16, 2018 $2,500 ADAPTIVESTIM Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 29, 2018 $1,832 INTELLIS Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Oct 18, 2018 $1,750 LYRICA Promotional Speaking/Other PFIZER INC.
Apr 12, 2018 $1,750 LYRICA Promotional Speaking/Other PFIZER 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/72476

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.