Thanks to ObamaCare, you can now see how much money your doctor gets from drugmakers


A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Earlier this week, with little fanfare, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a public database of information about how much money and in-kind benefits doctors have been receiving from pharmaceutical and medical device makers. Only gifts of $10 or more are counted.
The Open Payments database — a requirement of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, or ObamaCare — is incomplete, with data from only the last five months of 2013 so far. But the numbers aren't small: From August to December, 546,000 Doctors, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, and chiropractors plus 1,360 teaching hospitals received more than $3.48 billion in cash, gifts and in-kind services, stock options, and research grants from drugmakers and device makers. HHS is still verifying 300,000 records it didn't include in the database, so the total amount will rise. The biggest spenders so far are Genetech, Pfizer, and DePuy Synthes.
The idea is that, once the database is fully functional, patients and other interested parties will be able to see a doctor's financial ties to companies, so they can evaluate a doctor's treatments and — more importantly — to discourage conflicts of interest. The American Medical Association opposes the database, arguing that the numbers are out of context and potentially misleading, but this part of ObamaCare has bipartisan support.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
After a day or so of digging through the numbers, The New York Times has some of the biggest recipients — the typical doctor received $1,750 in those five months, but at least 130 named doctors pulled in more than $100,000 — and some of the largest potential conflicts of interest. If you're interested in a broader look at where the pharmaceutical/device money comes from and goes to, ProPublica has been tracking the cash for four years.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Peter Weber is a senior editor at TheWeek.com, and has handled the editorial night shift since the website launched in 2008. A graduate of Northwestern University, Peter has worked at Facts on File and The New York Times Magazine. He speaks Spanish and Italian and plays bass and rhythm cello in an Austin rock band. Follow him on Twitter.
-
FDA to re-evaluate effectiveness of common nasal congestion ingredient
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
A flesh-eating bacteria is growing in numbers due to climate change
Speed Read
By Devika Rao Published
-
CDC recommends new RSV vaccine for infants under 8 months
Speed Read
By Devika Rao Published
-
U.S. health agency advises easing federal marijuana restrictions
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Medicare drug price negotiations start with 1st 10 drugs, pharmaceutical industry lawsuits
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Air pollution may be increasing antibiotic resistance, new research suggests
Speed Read
By Devika Rao Published
-
Tick bites could cause an allergy to red meat, CDC says
Speed Read
By Devika Rao Published
-
The danger of drinking too much water
Speed Read
By Devika Rao Published