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/821961
  • 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/821961
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.

HUGO CUELLAR - SAENZ

Listed Specialty: Vascular & Interventional Radiology
1501 KINGS HWY, DEPARTMENT OF NEUROSURGERY, SHREVEPORT, LA, 71103-4228

2018 Payments: At a Glance

38

payments

$33,702

payment total

5

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 9 $26,720
Travel and Lodging
 18 $6,530
Food and Beverage
 11 $452

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†
PIPELINE

device

 $31,955
ARCTIC FRONT

device

 $1,060
SCEPTER XC BALLOON CATHETER

device

 $466
SOFIA

device

 $414
SCEPTER C BALLOON CATHETER

device

 $346
HYDROFILL COIL

device

 $264
HYDROSOFT 3D COIL

device

 $264
HYPERSOFT COIL

device

 $150
LVIS

device

 $150
SOLITAIRE

device

 $97
WEB

device

 $95
FRED

device

 $65
FRED JR

device

 $65
TRAXCESS GUIDEWIRE AND DOCKING WIRE

device

 $44
COMPLEX COIL

device

 $30
HEADLINER GUIDEWIRE

device

 $30
ATLAS

device

 $27
FLOWGATE

device

 $27
COOK MEDICAL CATHETERS

device

 $18
CATALYST

device

 $18
† 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/821961

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jun 28, 2018 $4,600 PIPELINE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 21, 2018 $4,600 PIPELINE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 17, 2018 $4,600 PIPELINE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 7, 2018 $4,600 PIPELINE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 27, 2018 $4,320 PIPELINE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 5, 2018 $3,200 PIPELINE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 17, 2018 $1,149 PIPELINE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 16, 2018 $1,060 ARCTIC FRONT Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jul 13, 2018 $767 PIPELINE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jun 26, 2018 $622 PIPELINE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 20, 2018 $600 PIPELINE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 23, 2018 $510 PIPELINE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 15, 2018 $369 PIPELINE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 15, 2018 $288 PIPELINE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jun 26, 2018 $274 PIPELINE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 29, 2018 $252 PIPELINE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 29, 2018 $188 PIPELINE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jul 13, 2018 $172 PIPELINE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jun 19, 2018 $150 SOFIA SCEPTER XC BALLOON CATHETER LVIS HYPERSOFT COIL Food and Beverage MICROVENTION, INC.
Jul 13, 2018 $146 PIPELINE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, 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/821961

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.