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/128612
  • 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/128612
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.


JAMES BILLYS

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine
305 E BRANDON BLVD, BRANDON, FL, 33511-5222

2018 Payments: At a Glance

105

payments

$362,378

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Royalty or License
9 $288K
Consulting
7 $34,275
Promotional Speaking/Other
8 $26,875
Travel and Lodging
27 $9,555
Food and Beverage
53 $3,876
Education
1 $52

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
PRECEPT

device

$213K
XLIF

device

$60,986
BATALLION LATERAL

device

$24,777
DIVERGENCE-L

device

$10,890
ALIF

device

$10,711
FLAREHAWK

device

$9,190
CAPSTONE

device

$8,182
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$7,722
PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM

device

$6,248
LLIF

device

$5,581
CLYDESDALE

device

$2,648
CAVUX CERVICAL CAGE

device

$1,049
DTRAX SPINAL SYSTEM

device

$1,049
ALLY BONE SCREW

device

$1,049
BIOLOGIX ALLOGRAFT BONE

device

$1,049
BATTALION LLIF

device

$343
FUSE

device

$157
ARSENAL, LLIF, ILLICO

device

$157
PEDIGUARD

device

$120
PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

$119
† 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/128612

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Feb 13, 2018 $61,715 PRECEPT Royalty or License NUVASIVE, INC. Future Solutions II, LLC
May 9, 2018 $53,277 PRECEPT Royalty or License NUVASIVE, INC. Future Solutions II, LLC
Aug 13, 2018 $50,917 PRECEPT Royalty or License NUVASIVE, INC. Future Solutions II, LLC
Jul 12, 2018 $50,000 XLIF Royalty or License NUVASIVE, INC. Future Solutions II, LLC
Nov 13, 2018 $47,059 PRECEPT Royalty or License NUVASIVE, INC. Future Solutions II, LLC
Nov 27, 2018 $8,700 BATALLION LATERAL Royalty or License ALPHATEC SPINE, INC FUTURE SOLUTIONS LLC
Aug 27, 2018 $8,515 BATALLION LATERAL Royalty or License ALPHATEC SPINE, INC FUTURE SOLUTIONS LLC
Feb 22, 2018 $8,325 FLAREHAWK Consulting INTEGRITY IMPLANTS INC Future Solutions, LLC
Feb 13, 2018 $7,000 XLIF Consulting NUVASIVE, INC. Future Solutions II, LLC
Jul 12, 2018 $7,000 ALIF Consulting NUVASIVE, INC. Future Solutions II, LLC
Jan 23, 2018 $6,000 PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Future Solutions Ii Llc
Jul 3, 2018 $5,500 No Listed Product Consulting MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Future Solutions Ii Llc
Jun 19, 2018 $5,000 CAPSTONE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Future Solutions Ii Llc
Aug 24, 2018 $5,000 DIVERGENCE-L Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Future Solutions Ii Llc
May 30, 2018 $4,770 BATALLION LATERAL Royalty or License ALPHATEC SPINE, INC FUTURE SOLUTIONS LLC
May 17, 2018 $4,000 LLIF Consulting ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Jun 19, 2018 $3,000 CAPSTONE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Future Solutions Ii Llc
Feb 27, 2018 $2,792 BATALLION LATERAL Royalty or License ALPHATEC SPINE, INC FUTURE SOLUTIONS LLC
Apr 30, 2018 $2,500 DIVERGENCE-L Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Future Solutions Ii Llc
Aug 21, 2018 $2,500 CLYDESDALE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Future Solutions Ii Llc

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/128612

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.