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/126884
  • 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/126884
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.


LENNY RAMIREZ

Listed Specialty: Podiatrist, Foot & Ankle Surgery
540 37TH ST, UNION CITY, NJ, 07087-2545

2018 Payments: At a Glance

66

payments

$22,127

payment total

12

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
3 $15,000
Travel and Lodging
8 $4,280
Food and Beverage
55 $2,847

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

$17,162
ORTHOLOC

device

$2,019
INFINITY

device

$474
HOFFMANN

device

$442
CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM

device

$315
HALLU-LOCK

device

$315
PANTA NAIL

device

$315
SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS

device

$315
TOTAL FOOT SYSTEM

device

$315
VARIAX

device

$228
INTERNAL FIXATION

device

$219
BME NITINOL CONTINUOUS COMPRESSION IMPLANTS

device

$208
PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

$156
ALLOWRAP

device

$151
AMNIOEXCEL

device

$148
IDRT

device

$148
OMNIGRAFT

device

$148
PRIMATRIX

device

$148
TCC-EZ

device

$148
TISSUEMEND

device

$148
† 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/126884

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Apr 2, 2018 $5,000 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other DNE LLC
Jul 2, 2018 $5,000 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other DNE LLC
Nov 6, 2018 $5,000 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other DNE LLC
Nov 14, 2018 $1,234 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging DNE LLC
Oct 18, 2018 $1,227 ORTHOLOC Travel and Lodging WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Nov 20, 2018 $927 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging VILEX IN TENNESSEE, INC.
Aug 6, 2018 $563 ORTHOLOC Travel and Lodging WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Nov 18, 2018 $159 INTERNAL FIXATION Travel and Lodging VILEX IN TENNESSEE, INC.
Feb 1, 2018 $148 AMNIOEXCEL TCC-EZ PRIMATRIX IDRT OMNIGRAFT Food and Beverage DERMA SCIENCES, INC.
Mar 1, 2018 $148 TISSUEMEND Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 9, 2018 $140 INFINITY Food and Beverage WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $139 SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM HALLU-LOCK PANTA NAIL TOTAL FOOT SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Apr 3, 2018 $132 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Food and Beverage CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Apr 24, 2018 $120 AXSOS Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
May 8, 2018 $115 ATTUNE Food and Beverage MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jul 26, 2018 $110 HOFFMANN VARIAX ANCHORAGE ALLOWRAP Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Jun 27, 2018 $107 SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM HALLU-LOCK PANTA NAIL TOTAL FOOT SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Feb 21, 2018 $107 HOFFMANN Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Dec 5, 2018 $107 TITAN Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Nov 9, 2018 $97 INFINITY 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/126884

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.