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/131512
  • 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/131512
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.

SAMIR LAPSIWALA

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
1900 MISTLETOE BLVD, SUITE 200, FORT WORTH, TX, 76104-4014

2018 Payments: At a Glance

61

payments

$22,874

payment total

15

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 6 $16,363
Travel and Lodging
 5 $4,378
Food and Beverage
 50 $2,133

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†
EXCELSIUS - GPS

device

 $20,992
SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM

device

 $402
AQUAMANTYS

device

 $207
PROTEGE FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $157
SURGIFLO HEMOSTATIC MATRIX FAMILY OF PRODUCTS

device

 $155
VIVIGEN

device

 $128
NUCEL

device

 $127
SCS IPGS

device

 $127
IVS - VERTEBRAL AUGMENTATION PRODUCTS

device

 $109
EVICEL

drug

 $91
ALL BIOLOGICS

drug

 $78
TRINITY

drug

 $64
STRATAFIX

device

 $64
PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $53
PRODIGY FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $50
ALGOVITA

device

 $45
IFUSE IMPLANT

device

 $28
SPINAL CORD STIMULATION ACCESSORIES

device

 $23
PLASMABLADE

device

 $20
SCS LEADS

device

 $17
† 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/131512

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 11, 2018 $4,250 EXCELSIUS - GPS Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Sep 25, 2018 $4,250 EXCELSIUS - GPS Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Sep 25, 2018 $3,176 EXCELSIUS - GPS Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Sep 25, 2018 $2,338 EXCELSIUS - GPS Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 11, 2018 $2,125 EXCELSIUS - GPS Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 20, 2018 $1,700 EXCELSIUS - GPS Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Nov 7, 2018 $1,700 EXCELSIUS - GPS Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 11, 2018 $445 EXCELSIUS - GPS Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 12, 2018 $431 EXCELSIUS - GPS Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Nov 6, 2018 $299 EXCELSIUS - GPS Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jun 6, 2018 $159 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage NEVRO CORP.
Sep 17, 2018 $157 PROTEGE FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 19, 2018 $139 EXCELSIUS - GPS Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jan 25, 2018 $127 NUCEL Food and Beverage ORGANOGENESIS INC.
Jan 15, 2018 $115 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage NEVRO CORP.
Jan 5, 2018 $115 SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 6, 2018 $112 EXCELSIUS - GPS Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
May 22, 2018 $100 IVS - VERTEBRAL AUGMENTATION PRODUCTS Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Apr 19, 2018 $95 VIVIGEN Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Dec 4, 2018 $91 SURGIFLO HEMOSTATIC MATRIX FAMILY OF PRODUCTS EVICEL Food and Beverage ETHICON US, 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/131512

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.