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/834753
  • 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/834753
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.

ADAM BELANGER

Listed Specialty: Pulmonary Disease
CB 7020 130 MASON FARM RD, 4TH FLOOR BIOINFORMATICS BLDG, CHAPEL HILL, NC, 27599-0001

2018 Payments: At a Glance

37

payments

$12,683

payment total

5

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Accredited Training
 1 $4,550
Travel and Lodging
 17 $4,260
Nonaccredited Training
 1 $1,800
Food and Beverage
 15 $979
Consulting
 1 $800
Promotional Speaking/Other
 2 $293

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†
COOK MEDICAL NEEDLES

device

 $5,409
DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $3,049
COOK MEDICAL CRITICAL CARE

device

 $1,861
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $1,199
COOK MEDICAL AIRWAY MANAGEMENT

device

 $529
COOK MEDICAL CENTESIS & DRAINAGE

device

 $209
PHOTOFRIN

drug

 $203
MONARCH

device

 $120
COOK MEDICAL CIAGLIA BLUE RHINO

device

 $81
COOK MEDICAL ANTIMICROBIAL COATED CATHETERS

device

 $21
† 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
Apr 27, 2018 $4,550 COOK MEDICAL NEEDLES Accredited Training COOK INCORPORATED
Nov 30, 2018 $1,800 COOK MEDICAL CRITICAL CARE Nonaccredited Training COOK INCORPORATED
Apr 18, 2018 $945 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Dec 31, 2018 $800 COOK MEDICAL NEEDLES Consulting COOK INCORPORATED
Oct 17, 2018 $529 COOK MEDICAL AIRWAY MANAGEMENT Travel and Lodging COOK MEDICAL LLC
Feb 12, 2018 $473 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging AURIS HEALTH, INC.
Jul 17, 2018 $470 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Jul 19, 2018 $408 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Jul 19, 2018 $408 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Sep 28, 2018 $257 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging AURIS HEALTH, INC.
Jul 18, 2018 $255 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Jan 19, 2018 $158 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging AURIS HEALTH, INC.
Jan 19, 2018 $157 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging AURIS HEALTH, INC.
Aug 23, 2018 $125 COOK MEDICAL CENTESIS & DRAINAGE Food and Beverage COOK MEDICAL LLC
Sep 4, 2018 $124 PHOTOFRIN Food and Beverage PINNACLE BIOLOGICS, INC
Apr 19, 2018 $106 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Apr 19, 2018 $99 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
May 24, 2018 $98 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Mar 8, 2018 $90 MONARCH Food and Beverage AURIS HEALTH, INC.
Mar 29, 2018 $84 COOK MEDICAL CENTESIS & DRAINAGE Food and Beverage COOK INCORPORATED

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/834753

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.