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/1199740
  • 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/1199740
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.


KENNETH STRENGE

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine
4787 ALBEN BARKLEY DRIVE, PADUCAH, KY, 42002

2018 Payments: At a Glance

148

payments

$115,678

payment total

12

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
29 $97,892
Travel and Lodging
60 $13,312
Food and Beverage
59 $4,473

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
TIMBERLINE

device

$29,727
MULTIPLE PRODUCTS

device

$15,578
KODIAK

device

$13,765
ADVANCED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

device

$13,593
ALPINE XC

device

$13,214
ASPEN

device

$13,214
CYPHER MIS SCREW SYSTEM

device

$13,214
PATHFINDER NXT

device

$13,214
AVENUE L

device

$12,880
LATERAL ACCESS SPINAL SYSTEM

device

$8,414
COVERED-STYLE ANTERIOR CERVICAL PLATE*

device

$8,317
BATALLION LATERAL

device

$3,600
OTHER - MISCELLANEOUS

device

$3,600
HTX-011

drug

$2,455
GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION

device

$2,007
LATERAL RETRACTOR

device

$1,827
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$1,728
FORTILINK

device

$1,514
RAMPART DUO INTERBODY FUSION SYSTEM

device

$1,477
KODIAK MIS

device

$1,212
† 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/1199740

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 9, 2018 $12,975 MULTIPLE PRODUCTS Consulting ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Nov 29, 2018 $12,450 KODIAK Consulting ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Oct 2, 2018 $8,317 COVERED-STYLE ANTERIOR CERVICAL PLATE* Consulting RTI SURGICAL, INC.
Dec 4, 2018 $7,800 LATERAL ACCESS SPINAL SYSTEM Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION Strenge Enterprises, LLC
Jul 31, 2018 $6,750 ADVANCED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Consulting K2M, INC. Strenge Enterprises, LLC
Jul 3, 2018 $6,600 ADVANCED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Consulting K2M, INC. Strenge Enterprises, LLC
Sep 6, 2018 $6,150 AVENUE L TIMBERLINE Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. Strenge Enterprises, LLC (K Brandon Strenge Sole M
Sep 6, 2018 $4,800 AVENUE L TIMBERLINE Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. Strenge Enterprises, LLC (K Brandon Strenge Sole M
May 31, 2018 $4,350 TIMBERLINE PATHFINDER NXT ALPINE XC CYPHER MIS SCREW SYSTEM ASPEN Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. Strenge Enterprises, LLC (K Brandon Strenge Sole M
Oct 25, 2018 $3,600 OTHER - MISCELLANEOUS Consulting ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Nov 8, 2018 $3,600 BATALLION LATERAL Consulting ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
May 31, 2018 $2,250 PATHFINDER NXT ALPINE XC ASPEN CYPHER MIS SCREW SYSTEM TIMBERLINE Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. Strenge Enterprises, LLC (K Brandon Strenge Sole M
May 10, 2018 $2,250 CYPHER MIS SCREW SYSTEM TIMBERLINE PATHFINDER NXT ASPEN ALPINE XC Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. Strenge Enterprises, LLC (K Brandon Strenge Sole M
Jul 11, 2018 $2,000 HTX-011 Consulting HERON THERAPEUTICS, INC.
May 10, 2018 $1,950 TIMBERLINE PATHFINDER NXT ALPINE XC CYPHER MIS SCREW SYSTEM ASPEN Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. Strenge Enterprises, LLC (K Brandon Strenge Sole M
Sep 6, 2018 $1,800 TIMBERLINE AVENUE L Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. Strenge Enterprises, LLC (K Brandon Strenge Sole M
May 10, 2018 $1,500 ALPINE XC ASPEN TIMBERLINE PATHFINDER NXT CYPHER MIS SCREW SYSTEM Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC. Strenge Enterprises, LLC (K Brandon Strenge Sole M
May 30, 2018 $1,253 MULTIPLE PRODUCTS Travel and Lodging ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
May 1, 2018 $1,200 LATERAL RETRACTOR Consulting K2M, INC. Strenge Enterprises, LLC
Sep 30, 2018 $1,200 RAMPART DUO INTERBODY FUSION SYSTEM Consulting SPINEOLOGY 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/1199740

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.