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/83439
  • 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/83439
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.

AKSIM RIVERA

Listed Specialty: Vascular Surgery
1400 PELHAM PKWY S, BUILDING # 1. SUITE 529W, BRONX, NY, 10461-1138

2018 Payments: At a Glance

57

payments

$5,698

payment total

15

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 55 $4,904
Travel and Lodging
 2 $794

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

 $874
RELAY PLUS

device

 $748
HYALOMATRIX WOUND DEVICE

device

 $656
PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $641
ENDURANT

device

 $596
AZUR

device

 $430
PENUMBRA RUBY COIL

device

 $375
PLUROGEL BURN & WOUND DRESSINGS

device

 $349
ELIQUIS

drug

 $344
XARELTO

drug

 $142
EKOSONIC

device

 $134
INDIGO

device

 $131
VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $131
REPATHA

drug

 $125
COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX

device

 $124
VAC VERAFLO

device

 $122
METACROSS

device

 $42
PENUMBRA SYSTEM

device

 $32
POD

device

 $26
GELFOAM

device

 $25
† 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.

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Dec 19, 2018 $780 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Aug 9, 2018 $190 PENUMBRA RUBY COIL Food and Beverage PENUMBRA, INC.
Mar 17, 2018 $167 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 18, 2018 $165 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 6, 2018 $162 PENUMBRA RUBY COIL Food and Beverage PENUMBRA, INC.
Apr 25, 2018 $157 RELAY PLUS Food and Beverage BOLTON MEDICAL INC
Jul 30, 2018 $147 AZUR Food and Beverage TERUMO MEDICAL CORPORATION
Jun 28, 2018 $145 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Food and Beverage CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Jul 24, 2018 $144 AZUR Food and Beverage TERUMO MEDICAL CORPORATION
Oct 17, 2018 $140 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Food and Beverage CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
May 15, 2018 $139 AZUR Food and Beverage TERUMO MEDICAL CORPORATION
Jul 17, 2018 $137 RELAY PLUS Food and Beverage BOLTON MEDICAL INC
Feb 7, 2018 $134 EKOSONIC Food and Beverage EKOS CORPORATION
Jun 21, 2018 $131 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $130 RELAY PLUS Food and Beverage BOLTON MEDICAL INC
Nov 14, 2018 $126 RELAY PLUS Food and Beverage BOLTON MEDICAL INC
Nov 19, 2018 $126 HYALOMATRIX WOUND DEVICE Food and Beverage MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Nov 7, 2018 $125 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Jul 19, 2018 $125 REPATHA Food and Beverage AMGEN INC.
Jun 20, 2018 $124 RELAY PLUS Food and Beverage BOLTON MEDICAL 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/83439

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.