Ben Owens, MD
Internal Medicine · Jonesboro, ARNPI 1679569156
Payments from drug & device makers
What this record shows
Almost everything reported here is food and beverage — 99.9% of the total across 360 separate payments, which is the pattern of a clinician who attends manufacturer presentations rather than one with a consulting arrangement. It is spread thinly across 38 manufacturers, the largest accounting for just 15.9% — the pattern of someone who eats at a lot of different presentations. Reporting peaked in 2020 at $1,099 and has fallen 81.2% since, to $207 in 2025. Among internal medicine clinicians in AR with any reported payments, this total sits in the top 10% — high for the specialty, which is a reason to read the composition above rather than the number alone.
Across 360 payments — averaging $13.86 each. Meals, travel, consulting and speaking fees, gifts and royalties reported by drug and device makers.
- Pfizer$792
- AbbVie$658
- Astellas Pharma US Inc$643
- GSK$407
- Amgen$306
- Novartis$247
- plus $2K from 32 others
What the payments were for
- Food & beverage$4,986100%
- Education$50%
Most of this is food and beverage — typically meals provided during product presentations at a clinic or hospital. Nationally that is the single largest category of reported payments by count.
General payments by program year
Who reported the general payments
Companies are grouped under their corporate parent — a single manufacturer often files under several CMS reporting entities. Research and ownership payments are counted separately and are not in this table.
| Company | Payments | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Pfizer | 57 | $792 |
| AbbVie(2 entities) | 42 | $658 |
| Astellas Pharma US Inc | 46 | $643 |
| GSK | 33 | $407 |
| Amgen | 22 | $306 |
| Novartis | 16 | $247 |
| AstraZeneca | 14 | $224 |
| Salix Pharmaceuticals, A Division Of Bausch Health US, LLC | 13 | $197 |
| Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 28 | $183 |
| Johnson & Johnson | 11 | $138 |
| Sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC | 9 | $114 |
| Novo Nordisk | 8 | $103 |
| Merck | 6 | $79 |
| Amarin Pharma, Inc. | 4 | $72 |
| Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. | 3 | $71 |
| Boehringer Ingelheim | 5 | $70 |
| Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 5 | $67 |
| Nestle Healthcare Nutrition Inc. | 3 | $65 |
| Bayer | 4 | $64 |
| Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. | 4 | $59 |
| Daiichi Sankyo Inc. | 3 | $57 |
| Mindray DS USA, Inc. | 2 | $36 |
| Mylan Specialty L.p. | 2 | $32 |
| Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC | 2 | $30 |
| Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. | 2 | $30 |
| Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. | 1 | $29 |
| Lilly USA, LLC | 2 | $28 |
| Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. | 2 | $25 |
| Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc. | 2 | $25 |
| Abbott | 1 | $22 |
| Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 1 | $17 |
| Grifols USA, LLC | 1 | $17 |
| Lundbeck LLC | 1 | $16 |
| Eisai Inc. | 1 | $16 |
| Pharmacyclics LLC, An Abbvie Company | 1 | $16 |
| Boston Scientific | 1 | $13 |
| Genentech USA, Inc. | 1 | $12 |
| E.r. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C. | 1 | $12 |
How this compares
$4,991 in reported general payments places this provider in the 90th percentile of 614 internal medicine providers in Arkansas.
Medicare billing
What this is not: this is the amount Original Medicare Part B allowed for services this provider billed in 2024. It is not their income. It excludes Medicare Advantage — now more than half of all Medicare enrollment — along with Medicaid and all commercial insurance, and it is gross practice revenue before staff, rent, supplies and malpractice premiums. CMS also suppresses any figure covering ten or fewer patients, so low-volume providers appear smaller than they are.
Most prescribed under Part D
| Drug | Claims | Cost to plans & patients |
|---|---|---|
| EliquisApixaban | 730 | $440,371 |
| JardianceEmpagliflozin | 310 | $214,513 |
| OzempicSemaglutide | 141 | $135,953 |
| AustedoDeutetrabenazine | 17 | $81,297 |
| MyrbetriqMirabegron | 132 | $66,550 |
| EntrestoSacubitril/Valsartan | 100 | $64,122 |
| LinzessLinaclotide | 70 | $57,735 |
| XareltoRivaroxaban | 85 | $57,403 |
| JanuviaSitagliptin Phosphate | 54 | $51,564 |
| TrulicityDulaglutide | 42 | $46,021 |
| MounjaroTirzepatide | 35 | $39,031 |
| FarxigaDapagliflozin Propanediol | 61 | $34,853 |
| BrilintaTicagrelor | 50 | $26,800 |
| Trelegy ElliptaFluticasone/Umeclidin/Vilanter | 30 | $25,805 |
| Tetrabenazine | 15 | $25,226 |
Paid to pharmacies, not to this prescriber.
Companies that both paid and supply prescribed drugs
These companies both reported payments to this provider and make drugs the provider prescribed under Medicare Part D in 2024. For most specialties this overlap is expected — a cardiologist who is paid by a cardiology drugmaker also treats heart disease. It is shown so the reader can see it, not because it implies anything on its own.
| Company | Paid to this provider | Part D cost of their drugs |
|---|---|---|
| PfizerEliquis, Nurtec Odt | $792 | $454,086743 claims |
| Boehringer IngelheimJardiance, Glyxambi, Spiriva Respimat | $70 | $239,415346 claims |
| Novo NordiskOzempic | $103 | $135,953141 claims |
| Lilly USA, LLCTrulicity, Mounjaro | $28 | $85,05377 claims |
| Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.Austedo | $59 | $81,29717 claims |
| AbbVieLinzess, Vraylar | $658 | $75,71582 claims |
| AstraZenecaFarxiga, Brilinta, Symbicort | $224 | $72,217143 claims |
| Astellas Pharma US IncMyrbetriq | $643 | $66,550132 claims |
| NovartisEntresto | $247 | $64,122100 claims |
| Johnson & JohnsonXarelto | $138 | $57,40385 claims |
| MerckJanuvia | $79 | $51,56454 claims |
| GSKTrelegy Ellipta, Arexvy, Anoro Ellipta | $407 | $44,74986 claims |
Reading this fairly. The Part D column is what drug plans and patients paid pharmacies — this provider received none of it, and it reflects how many patients they treat and what those drugs cost. Against peers, this provider's reported payments sit in the 90th percentile of 614 internal medicine providers in Arkansas.
Other internal medicine in Jonesboro
- David PyleJonesboro$93K
- John NorwoodJonesboro$21K
- Revel PorterJonesboro$12K
- Ricky TateJonesboro$11K
- Brannon TreeceJonesboro$9K
- Veryl HodgesJonesboro$8K
- Corey DiamondJonesboro$8K
- Veronica EastonJonesboro$5K
- Stephen PaceJonesboro$5K
- Aaron StrobelLittle Rock$32K
Where these figures come from
- Payments: CMS Open Payments, program years 2019–2025 (publication P06302026_06032026).
- Billing: Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners, data year 2024. Original Medicare Part B only.
- Identity: NPPES NPI Registry, July 2026.