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/1265518
  • 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/1265518
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.

RONALD BELCZYK

Listed Specialty: Podiatrist, Foot & Ankle Surgery
4911 VAN NUYS BLVD, STE. 100, SHERMAN OAKS, CA, 91403-1716

2018 Payments: At a Glance

65

payments

$5,873

payment total

9

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 1 $3,800
Food and Beverage
 47 $1,335
Travel and Lodging
 2 $723
Education
 15 $14

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†
ILIZAROV SYSTEM

device

 $4,343
GRAFIX & STRAVIX

drug

 $440
FOOTPRINT ULTRA PK. SL, 4.5 AND 5.5MM KNOTLESS ANCHOR

device

 $422
RAPTORMITE 3.0 OR 3.7MM SUTURE ANCHOR

device

 $422
TWINFIX 2.8 OR 3.5MM SUTURE ANCHOR

device

 $422
VLP-FOOT

device

 $422
PRIMATRIX

device

 $224
AMNIOEXCEL

device

 $194
TCC-EZ

device

 $194
SANTYL

drug

 $147
VARIAX

device

 $146
REGRANEX

drug

 $133
TAYLOR SPATIAL FRAME

device

 $112
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $65
MEDIHONEY

device

 $50
OMNIGRAFT

device

 $50
DALVANCE

drug

 $46
BAXDELA

drug

 $40
ORBACTIV

drug

 $40
VABOMERE

drug

 $40
† 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/1265518

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 23, 2018 $3,800 ILIZAROV SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. RONALD J. BELCZYK, DPM, INC.
Aug 9, 2018 $431 ILIZAROV SYSTEM Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Aug 10, 2018 $293 FOOTPRINT ULTRA PK. SL, 4.5 AND 5.5MM KNOTLESS ANCHOR RAPTORMITE 3.0 OR 3.7MM SUTURE ANCHOR TWINFIX 2.8 OR 3.5MM SUTURE ANCHOR VLP-FOOT Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jun 22, 2018 $146 VARIAX Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Aug 10, 2018 $129 FOOTPRINT ULTRA PK. SL, 4.5 AND 5.5MM KNOTLESS ANCHOR RAPTORMITE 3.0 OR 3.7MM SUTURE ANCHOR TWINFIX 2.8 OR 3.5MM SUTURE ANCHOR VLP-FOOT Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Dec 17, 2018 $116 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Oct 16, 2018 $112 ILIZAROV SYSTEM TAYLOR SPATIAL FRAME Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Sep 12, 2018 $37 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Jun 22, 2018 $37 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Feb 16, 2018 $36 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Sep 17, 2018 $33 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ACELL, INC.
Dec 12, 2018 $29 BILAYER WOUND MATRIX BWM INTEGRA WOUND MATRIX IWM PRIMATRIX IDRT FLOWABLE Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Aug 22, 2018 $27 SANTYL REGRANEX Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Aug 21, 2018 $26 OMNIGRAFT PRIMATRIX MEDIHONEY TCC-EZ AMNIOEXCEL Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Nov 13, 2018 $26 No Listed Product Food and Beverage AROA BIOSURGERY INCORPORATED
Nov 20, 2018 $26 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Jan 26, 2018 $25 PRIMATRIX TCC-EZ AMNIOEXCEL Food and Beverage TEI MEDICAL INC.
Sep 12, 2018 $25 SANTYL REGRANEX Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Dec 17, 2018 $24 PRIMATRIX TCC-EZ AMNIOEXCEL Food and Beverage TEI MEDICAL INC.
Oct 30, 2018 $24 SANTYL REGRANEX Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, 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/1265518

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.