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/887736
  • 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/887736
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.

JAMES OTTO

Listed Specialty: Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery)
403 W HIGHLAND BLVD, INVERNESS, FL, 34452-4717

2018 Payments: At a Glance

203

payments

$13,074

payment total

4

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 197 $7,334
Consulting
 2 $4,900
Travel and Lodging
 4 $840

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†
VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $5,515
OVATION

device

 $2,317
VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $1,462
AFX

device

 $1,435
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $1,351
VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS WITH HEPARIN BIOACTIVE SURFACE

device

 $673
PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $381
C3 DELIVERY SYSTEM

device

 $282
PRODUCT IN DEVELOPMENT

device

 $185
METACROSS

device

 $135
TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $131
AZUR

device

 $105
EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $81
TIGRIS STENT

device

 $68
NAVICROSS

device

 $40
CAROTID STENT

device

 $31
VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS WITH PROPATEN BIOACTIVE SURFACE

device

 $26
ANGIOSEAL

device

 $26
PROPATEN VASCULAR GRAFT

device

 $20
† 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
Jul 20, 2018 $3,500 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Consulting W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Oct 5, 2018 $1,400 VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS Consulting W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Jun 13, 2018 $463 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Travel and Lodging W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Mar 1, 2018 $311 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Travel and Lodging W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Feb 5, 2018 $211 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Feb 3, 2018 $205 OVATION AFX Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Apr 16, 2018 $185 PRODUCT IN DEVELOPMENT Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Feb 22, 2018 $160 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Apr 11, 2018 $155 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Sep 12, 2018 $143 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Mar 10, 2018 $140 OVATION Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Dec 20, 2018 $135 METACROSS Food and Beverage TERUMO MEDICAL CORPORATION
Mar 15, 2018 $131 TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Feb 9, 2018 $129 OVATION AFX Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Jan 23, 2018 $124 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Sep 13, 2018 $122 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Food and Beverage CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Mar 30, 2018 $122 AFX OVATION Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Dec 20, 2018 $121 VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS WITH HEPARIN BIOACTIVE SURFACE Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Mar 3, 2018 $120 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Jan 13, 2018 $119 OVATION Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, 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/887736

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.