CMS thinks I received money from big pharma during residency.

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asahi88

asahi88

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I just discovered that I received, without my knowledge, over $18,000 from drug and medical device companies.
CMS believes I got food, travel, speaking/consulting fees... while I was a resident!
I looked up some of my co-residents, but the results were inconsistent. Some received money like I allegedly did, while others didn't even show up. Clearly, somebody at CMS messed up big time.
But it's too late for me. Apparently, you have to dispute the information within the same year it's posted. Sounds fair, doesn't it.
When a patient looks me up, they'll think I'm a corporate shill, and I may have to live with that.

Don't let this happen to you. Find out if you're being paid by the big pharma:
openpaymentsdata.cms.gov

CMS Open Payments

The official U.S. government website that houses data collected and published by Open Payments, a federally mandated program that collects information about payments that reporting entities, including drug and medical device companies make to covered recipients like physicians.
openpaymentsdata.cms.gov openpaymentsdata.cms.gov
projects.propublica.org

Dollars for Docs

ProPublica has compiled the disclosed payments from pharma companies to doctors and other health care providers. Search for your doctor in our interactive database.
projects.propublica.org

Also, if anyone ran into this problem before, any tips on clearing my name would be appreciated.
 
hamstergang said:
Have you met a patient yet who even knows this exists?
Click to expand...
I haven't yet, but I imagine somebody could look me up at some point, and that could have a potentially negative effects on my practice. More importantly though, I just have a hard time accepting that CMS is presenting blatantly incorrect data to the public (in the name of transparency) and painting individual doctors such as myself as morally bankrupt and greedy, just feels wrong.
 
asahi88 said:
I just discovered that I received, without my knowledge, over $18,000 from drug and medical device companies.
CMS believes I got food, travel, speaking/consulting fees... while I was a resident!
I looked up some of my co-residents, but the results were inconsistent. Some received money like I allegedly did, while others didn't even show up. Clearly, somebody at CMS messed up big time.
But it's too late for me. Apparently, you have to dispute the information within the same year it's posted. Sounds fair, doesn't it.
When a patient looks me up, they'll think I'm a corporate shill, and I may have to live with that.

Don't let this happen to you. Find out if you're being paid by the big pharma:
openpaymentsdata.cms.gov

CMS Open Payments

The official U.S. government website that houses data collected and published by Open Payments, a federally mandated program that collects information about payments that reporting entities, including drug and medical device companies make to covered recipients like physicians.
openpaymentsdata.cms.gov openpaymentsdata.cms.gov
projects.propublica.org

Dollars for Docs

ProPublica has compiled the disclosed payments from pharma companies to doctors and other health care providers. Search for your doctor in our interactive database.
projects.propublica.org

Also, if anyone ran into this problem before, any tips on clearing my name would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Literally no one cares about this lol
 
AdmiralChz said:
How’d you get so much? Asking for a friend, as that... “friend” has only gotten a lame $176.39 total!
Click to expand...
Reps signing him in when they should't have.

I have nowhere near $18K for all my years in practice in total
asahi88 said:
I just discovered that I received, without my knowledge, over $18,000 from drug and medical device companies.
CMS believes I got food, travel, speaking/consulting fees... while I was a resident!
I looked up some of my co-residents, but the results were inconsistent. Some received money like I allegedly did, while others didn't even show up. Clearly, somebody at CMS messed up big time.
But it's too late for me. Apparently, you have to dispute the information within the same year it's posted. Sounds fair, doesn't it.
When a patient looks me up, they'll think I'm a corporate shill, and I may have to live with that.

Don't let this happen to you. Find out if you're being paid by the big pharma:
openpaymentsdata.cms.gov

CMS Open Payments

The official U.S. government website that houses data collected and published by Open Payments, a federally mandated program that collects information about payments that reporting entities, including drug and medical device companies make to covered recipients like physicians.
openpaymentsdata.cms.gov openpaymentsdata.cms.gov
projects.propublica.org

Dollars for Docs

ProPublica has compiled the disclosed payments from pharma companies to doctors and other health care providers. Search for your doctor in our interactive database.
projects.propublica.org

Also, if anyone ran into this problem before, any tips on clearing my name would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
1) No one cares
2) Patients rarely look this up (I've had one in all of my years of practice mention it - mine is less than $500). Even if they did, you explain this is for conferences where they paid for dinner, etc. and that you weren't getting cash in your hand.
3) Being a corporate shill requires a lot more than $18K
 
I have almost 8k for all years. 3k for travel and lodging because I go training weekend things like how to do a particular type of hernia repair or how to deal with complex wounds that is sponsored by a particular company. 4300 in food and drink because I go to all kinds of dinner things and anytime lunch is brought to the office the whole amount spent is divided between whichever docs sign in. I am kinda a free food *****. But if you tried to find a correlation between the value of stuff given to me and what I use or prescribe it wouldn't match. Haven't had anyone ask me about any of it anyway.
 
GoSpursGo said:
Apparently nobody bothered to give money to this poor pediatrician, as I'm not listed 🙁
Click to expand...
Befriend some nurses from the adult floors. They are the ones who usually tell me when the dinners that aren't specifically marketed to my specialty are. If the restaurant is yummy I don't mind zoning out as they talk about a med for afib or ulcerative colitis or whatever.
 
dpmd said:
Befriend some nurses from the adult floors. They are the ones who usually tell me when the dinners that aren't specifically marketed to my specialty are. If the restaurant is yummy I don't mind zoning out as they talk about a med for afib or ulcerative colitis or whatever.
Click to expand...

That doesn’t seem worth it tho having to sit through an hour lecture for food? Just buy food lol and watch Netflix instead
 
Merely said:
That doesn’t seem worth it tho having to sit through an hour lecture for food? Just buy food lol and watch Netflix instead
Click to expand...
I chat with friends before the lecture starts then I read a book on my phone. I guess what is worth it for a $50 meal is different for different people. I don't do it for pizza or a sandwich.
 
dpmd said:
I chat with friends before the lecture starts then I read a book on my phone. I guess what is worth it for a $50 meal is different for different people. I don't do it for pizza or a sandwich.
Click to expand...

You probably make around 200 dollars an hour, you could’ve used that time to work lol then buy yourself 4 50 dollar meals
 
VA Hopeful Dr said:
Or eat
Click to expand...
Yes. Sometimes it is nice to sit at a nicely set table and get a several course meal and some drinks without having to pay for it. I love reading while I eat too (and have no shame about doing so while someone talks) so it is entirely worth it for me to hear something mildly educational in the background
 
Also, it isn't like I punch a time clock and get a set amount of money per hour. If I am on call I get a stipend that is the same if I sitting on my couch or sitting in a restaurant. If I am not on call it isn't like I decide to go to this dinner or do a surgery. If I have work to do i would just do it. If not then I am getting zero dollars per hour whether I am sitting in the hospital or in a restaurant. So really it is just a matter of whether I am missing out on something I would enjoy more than this free meal (watching Netflix with a meal I bought in your example) at the "cost" of time spent sitting on my phone in a restaurant chair instead of my couch. The couch wins out sometimes (it is really comfy) but not always.
 
dpmd said:
Also, it isn't like I punch a time clock and get a set amount of money per hour. If I am on call I get a stipend that is the same if I sitting on my couch or sitting in a restaurant. If I am not on call it isn't like I decide to go to this dinner or do a surgery. If I have work to do i would just do it. If not then I am getting zero dollars per hour whether I am sitting in the hospital or in a restaurant. So really it is just a matter of whether I am missing out on something I would enjoy more than this free meal (watching Netflix with a meal I bought in your example) at the "cost" of time spent sitting on my phone in a restaurant chair instead of my couch. The couch wins out sometimes (it is really comfy) but not always.
Click to expand...
I will say I stopped going when we had kids. If I'm getting a babysitter it's not for a drug dinner. Pre-kids I went all the time.
 
I would also guess people who work a lot of hours might calculate it differently because they place high value on their free time. I'm mostly part time so I have more free time than I always know what to do with.
 
It’s just designed so if you ever decide to run for office they can sling this nonsense at you and then elect another guy who takes bribes and is schoolboy friends with the mayor and just seems to always get those construction contracts when the county needs road repairs...oh but never mind that because

YOU TOOK $125.65 OVER A 3 YEAR PERIOD FROM A PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY!!!
 
Fun fact I’m a 4th year medical student and I found myself on there associated with a hospital I rotated through that had frequent drug rep lunches.
I guess some drug rep at some point listed me as a provider and they rolled with it?

Edit: How is this even possible if I don’t have an NPI number?
 
I always look them up, but the results have never changed my decision thus far. I give a lot more weight to the recommendation by a trusted physician. I knew my surgeon had done some speaking/consulting on Exparel in the past,, so I casually asked about Exparel and mentioned that I hoped it lasted the full 72 hours. He knows what I do for a living, so I'm sure he knew I was aware. I did get Exparel, and it lasted roughly 24 hours. It was a good 24 hours, though.
 
samac said:
Fun fact I’m a 4th year medical student and I found myself on there associated with a hospital I rotated through that had frequent drug rep lunches.
I guess some drug rep at some point listed me as a provider and they rolled with it?

Edit: How is this even possible if I don’t have an NPI number?
Click to expand...

Take advantage while you can. Good food. Decent company. Make it into a contest with your friends.
 
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