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/1169743
  • 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/1169743
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.

LENA LEVINE

Listed Specialty: Podiatrist
855 MONTGOMERY ST, FORT WORTH, TX, 76107-2553

2018 Payments: At a Glance

23

payments

$2,156

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 22 $1,577
Education
 1 $579

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†
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $744
EXOGEN

device

 $269
GRAFIX & STRAVIX

drug

 $257
AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR

device

 $176
AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR

device

 $176
CELLERATERX

device

 $148
CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM

device

 $129
HALLU-LOCK

device

 $129
PANTA NAIL

device

 $129
SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS

device

 $129
TOTAL FOOT SYSTEM

device

 $129
AMNIOEXCEL

device

 $125
BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM

device

 $125
FLOWABLE

device

 $125
IDRT

device

 $125
INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM

device

 $125
SALVATION

device

 $124
XTRAFIX

device

 $89
PHYSIO-STIM

drug

 $61
ON-Q PUMP AND ACCESSORIES

device

 $19
† 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/1169743

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 15, 2018 $579 No Listed Product Education PYLANT MEDICAL
Oct 25, 2018 $148 CELLERATERX Food and Beverage WOUND MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC Del Frisco's Grille
Jun 21, 2018 $144 AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR Food and Beverage AXOGEN
Aug 21, 2018 $142 EXOGEN Food and Beverage BIOVENTUS LLC
Jan 16, 2018 $127 EXOGEN Food and Beverage BIOVENTUS LLC
Feb 8, 2018 $125 BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM AMNIOEXCEL IDRT FLOWABLE Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Apr 12, 2018 $124 No Listed Product Food and Beverage PYLANT MEDICAL
Nov 13, 2018 $116 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Jul 24, 2018 $115 SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM HALLU-LOCK PANTA NAIL TOTAL FOOT SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
May 24, 2018 $103 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
May 19, 2018 $95 SALVATION Food and Beverage WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Sep 18, 2018 $89 XTRAFIX Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
May 10, 2018 $61 PHYSIO-STIM Food and Beverage ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Aug 24, 2018 $32 AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR Food and Beverage AXOGEN
Aug 24, 2018 $22 No Listed Product Food and Beverage UCB, INC.
Aug 9, 2018 $20 No Listed Product Food and Beverage PYLANT MEDICAL
Feb 23, 2018 $19 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Oct 3, 2018 $19 ON-Q PUMP AND ACCESSORIES Food and Beverage AVANOS MEDICAL
Apr 19, 2018 $19 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Apr 12, 2018 $16 SALVATION Food and Beverage WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, 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/1169743

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.