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/130409
  • 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/130409
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.


MARK WANG

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
9735 N 90TH PL, SCOTTSDALE, AZ, 85258-5067

2018 Payments: At a Glance

154

payments

$240,394

payment total

10

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Royalty or License
1 $150K
Promotional Speaking/Other
7 $33,525
Consulting
4 $22,630
Travel and Lodging
42 $19,230
Nonaccredited Training
3 $9,200
Food and Beverage
96 $5,697
Entertainment
1 $112

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
XLIF

device

$161K
RISE-L

device

$24,125
CREO MIS

device

$19,389
ELSA

device

$11,487
MODULUS

device

$8,272
MECTALIF

device

$6,066
MYSPINE

device

$2,347
CALIBER

device

$2,346
ELSA ATP

device

$2,228
TLIF

device

$1,369
MUST

device

$1,007
FLAREHAWK

device

$646
PLIF

device

$524
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$443
COHERE

device

$391
PULSE

device

$322
COALITION

device

$305
EXCELSIUS - GPS

device

$205
ALTERA

device

$157
IFUSE IMPLANT

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/130409

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Nov 29, 2018 $150,000 XLIF Royalty or License NUVASIVE, INC. Mark James Wang
Sep 3, 2018 $6,853 RISE-L Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Feb 20, 2018 $6,400 MODULUS Consulting NUVASIVE, INC. Spine Institute of Arizona
Jun 15, 2018 $6,300 ELSA Consulting GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Sep 7, 2018 $6,075 RISE-L Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jul 26, 2018 $4,980 MECTALIF Consulting MEDACTA USA, INC.
Mar 24, 2018 $4,950 RISE-L Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Feb 10, 2018 $4,950 CREO MIS Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jun 15, 2018 $4,950 ELSA Consulting GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
May 5, 2018 $4,950 CREO MIS Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Sep 7, 2018 $4,500 RISE-L Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Feb 10, 2018 $4,500 CREO MIS Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
May 5, 2018 $3,600 CREO MIS Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Nov 20, 2018 $3,200 XLIF Nonaccredited Training NUVASIVE, INC. Mark James Wang
Oct 2, 2018 $3,200 XLIF Nonaccredited Training NUVASIVE, INC. Mark James Wang
Aug 28, 2018 $2,800 XLIF Nonaccredited Training NUVASIVE, INC. Mark James Wang
Jun 15, 2018 $2,228 ELSA ATP Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Aug 17, 2018 $2,136 CALIBER Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jan 27, 2018 $863 MODULUS Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
Sep 7, 2018 $586 RISE-L Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, 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/130409

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.