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/1153882
  • 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/1153882
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.

ROBERT BLEASE

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Trauma
1350 HICKORY ST, MELBOURNE, FL, 32901-3224

2018 Payments: At a Glance

35

payments

$12,870

payment total

9

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 2 $9,468
Travel and Lodging
 4 $1,909
Food and Beverage
 29 $1,493

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†
PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS

device

 $9,468
VISIONAIRE CUTTING GUIDES

device

 $1,053
ANTHOLOGY

device

 $761
POLARSTEM

device

 $761
T2

device

 $544
OXINIUM HIPS

device

 $396
POLARCUP

device

 $396
R3

device

 $396
TRAUMA

device

 $383
JOURNEY PFJ

device

 $365
JOURNEY UNI

device

 $365
LEGION HINGE

device

 $365
EQUINOXE

device

 $155
RECLAIM

device

 $113
NAVIO SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $101
REDAPT REVISION HIP SYSTEM

device

 $96
REUNION

device

 $59
IFUSE IMPLANT

device

 $43
EXTERNAL FIXATION

device

 $32
SMF SHORT MONOLITHIC FEMORAL

device

 $17
† 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.

For ease of printing, only the 20 drugs and devices with the highest payments are displayed. For a complete list, please visit: https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/doctors/pid/1153882

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jan 25, 2018 $7,672 PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 13, 2018 $1,796 PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION
Apr 22, 2018 $947 VISIONAIRE CUTTING GUIDES Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jun 21, 2018 $544 T2 Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Apr 18, 2018 $396 ANTHOLOGY OXINIUM HIPS POLARCUP POLARSTEM R3 Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Mar 8, 2018 $155 EQUINOXE Food and Beverage EXACTECH, INC.
Apr 20, 2018 $144 ANTHOLOGY POLARSTEM JOURNEY PFJ JOURNEY UNI LEGION HINGE Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jun 22, 2018 $113 TRAUMA Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Mar 23, 2018 $113 RECLAIM Food and Beverage MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Apr 19, 2018 $106 VISIONAIRE CUTTING GUIDES Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Apr 19, 2018 $101 NAVIO SURGICAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Apr 19, 2018 $101 ANTHOLOGY POLARSTEM JOURNEY PFJ JOURNEY UNI LEGION HINGE Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Apr 21, 2018 $99 ANTHOLOGY POLARSTEM JOURNEY PFJ JOURNEY UNI LEGION HINGE Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Apr 20, 2018 $96 REDAPT REVISION HIP SYSTEM Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Feb 8, 2018 $55 TRAUMA Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Jun 22, 2018 $42 TRAUMA Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Feb 23, 2018 $37 REUNION Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Apr 13, 2018 $32 EXTERNAL FIXATION Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Jun 22, 2018 $31 TRAUMA Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Mar 8, 2018 $29 TRAUMA Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION

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/1153882

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.