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/1236607
  • 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/1236607
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.

MICAH SMITH

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
5050 N CLINTON ST, FORT WAYNE, IN, 46825-5886

2018 Payments: At a Glance

85

payments

$33,717

payment total

12

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 6 $23,988
Travel and Lodging
 34 $6,230
Food and Beverage
 44 $2,458
Royalty or License
 1 $1,041

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†
GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION

device

 $14,238
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $10,571
EXCELSIUS - GPS

device

 $1,838
ALIF

device

 $1,617
XLIF

device

 $1,617
ADVANCED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

device

 $1,500
ROSA

device

 $1,192
MAZORX - RENAISSANCE

device

 $717
AIRO

device

 $308
KICK, AIRO, CURVE, BUZZ, NODE, EXACT TRAC, NOVALIS, TRAMACAD, ELEMENTS

device

 $228
PRECICE

device

 $179
MOBI-C

device

 $176
RAVINE LATERAL ACCESS SYSTEM

device

 $166
INFINITY OCT SYSTEM

device

 $150
BRIGADE

device

 $140
MODULUS

device

 $130
LESSRAY

device

 $104
TLX

device

 $104
TRINITY

drug

 $99
SPINE

device

 $68
† 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/1236607

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Sep 7, 2018 $9,200 No Listed Product Consulting CAMBER SPINE TECHNOLOGIES
Sep 11, 2018 $6,563 GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION Consulting K2M, INC.
Oct 23, 2018 $6,225 GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION Consulting K2M, INC.
Jan 18, 2018 $1,565 EXCELSIUS - GPS Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Nov 8, 2018 $1,041 No Listed Product Royalty or License THE INSTITUTE OF MUSCULOSKELETAL SCIENCE AND EDUCATION
Apr 10, 2018 $900 ADVANCED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Consulting K2M, INC.
May 10, 2018 $608 ROSA Travel and Lodging ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Jun 19, 2018 $600 ADVANCED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Consulting K2M, INC.
Feb 13, 2018 $500 GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION Consulting K2M, INC.
May 7, 2018 $376 XLIF ALIF Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
May 7, 2018 $355 ALIF XLIF Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
Feb 22, 2018 $347 MAZORX - RENAISSANCE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 17, 2018 $254 XLIF ALIF Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
May 13, 2018 $254 ALIF XLIF Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
Mar 30, 2018 $228 KICK, AIRO, CURVE, BUZZ, NODE, EXACT TRAC, NOVALIS, TRAMACAD, ELEMENTS Travel and Lodging BRAINLAB, INC.
May 11, 2018 $204 ROSA Travel and Lodging ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Feb 23, 2018 $199 MAZORX - RENAISSANCE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 19, 2018 $185 EXCELSIUS - GPS Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
May 18, 2018 $179 PRECICE Food and Beverage NUVASIVE, INC.
Jul 27, 2018 $178 GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION Travel and Lodging K2M, 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/1236607

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.