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/78066
  • 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/78066
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.

JOSEPH ACOSTA

Listed Specialty: Neurology
5247 DIDESSE DR, BATON ROUGE, LA, 70808-9153

2018 Payments: At a Glance

358

payments

$5,605

payment total

38

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 350 $5,411
Education
 8 $194

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†
APTIOM

drug

 $607
AIMOVIG

drug

 $401
NUPLAZID

drug

 $341
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $313
BOTOX

drug

 $295
OXTELLAR XR

drug

 $270
GAMMAKED

drug

 $252
VIMPAT

drug

 $205
NUEDEXTA

drug

 $198
AUBAGIO

drug

 $188
VNS THERAPY

device

 $175
QUDEXY XR TOPIRAMATE EXTENDED RELEASE CAPSULES

drug

 $167
TECFIDERA

drug

 $164
TYSABRI

drug

 $164
GAMUNEX-C

drug

 $158
LEMTRADA

drug

 $152
FYCOMPA

drug

 $145
ONFI

drug

 $141
SPINRAZA

drug

 $139
SOLIRIS

drug

 $133
† 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/78066

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 17, 2018 $123 AIMOVIG Food and Beverage AMGEN INC.
Nov 28, 2018 $116 SPINRAZA Food and Beverage BIOGEN, INC.
Jun 7, 2018 $94 AIMOVIG Food and Beverage AMGEN INC.
Jan 25, 2018 $92 No Listed Product Food and Beverage AMGEN INC.
Sep 19, 2018 $63 ACTIVA Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 29, 2018 $54 BOTOX Education ALLERGAN INC.
May 29, 2018 $54 BOTOX Education ALLERGAN INC.
Jun 25, 2018 $43 VNS THERAPY Food and Beverage LIVANOVA USA, INC.
May 29, 2018 $40 BOTOX Education ALLERGAN INC.
Jul 24, 2018 $40 SOLIRIS Food and Beverage ALEXION PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Mar 12, 2018 $38 VNS THERAPY Food and Beverage LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Feb 10, 2018 $38 VNS THERAPY Food and Beverage LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Aug 23, 2018 $37 GAMMAKED Food and Beverage KEDRION BIOPHARMA INC.
Jul 21, 2018 $32 VNS THERAPY Food and Beverage LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Sep 28, 2018 $28 QUDEXY XR TOPIRAMATE EXTENDED RELEASE CAPSULES Food and Beverage UPSHER-SMITH LABORATORIES LLC
Aug 30, 2018 $26 No Listed Product Food and Beverage GE HEALTHCARE
Jun 28, 2018 $25 No Listed Product Food and Beverage GE HEALTHCARE
Sep 27, 2018 $25 No Listed Product Food and Beverage GE HEALTHCARE
Apr 17, 2018 $25 AUBAGIO Food and Beverage GENZYME CORPORATION
Sep 14, 2018 $25 AUBAGIO Food and Beverage GENZYME 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/78066

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.