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/135706
  • 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/135706
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.

SCOTT SIGMAN

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
14 RESEARCH PL, NORTH CHELMSFORD, MA, 01863-2412

2018 Payments: At a Glance

288

payments

$303,708

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 72 $230K
Promotional Speaking/Other
 11 $35,479
Travel and Lodging
 119 $31,623
Food and Beverage
 86 $6,200

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†
HEALIX

device

 $91,267
ORTHOCORD

device

 $89,539
ZILRETTA

drug

 $71,586
EXPAREL

drug

 $40,009
REGENETEN

device

 $35,712
FMS

device

 $19,757
ACCUFILL

device

 $18,017
ATTUNE

device

 $15,615
ORTHOVISC

device

 $14,173
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT CART

device

 $14,151
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $12,285
MI-EYE

device

 $3,150
GRYPHON

device

 $2,745
RIGIDLOOP

device

 $2,598
GLENOJET

device

 $2,000
Q-FIX

device

 $1,411
TFN ADVANCED

device

 $1,337
GLOBAL

device

 $900
SUTUREFIX

device

 $411
LATARJET SYSTEM

device

 $301
† 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/135706

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Apr 23, 2018 $11,587 HEALIX ORTHOCORD Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Feb 21, 2018 $10,559 ATTUNE CAPITAL EQUIPMENT CART ORTHOVISC EXPAREL Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Apr 13, 2018 $9,270 HEALIX ORTHOCORD Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Sep 6, 2018 $8,400 ZILRETTA Consulting FLEXION THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Oct 3, 2018 $6,695 HEALIX ORTHOCORD Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Sep 21, 2018 $6,695 HEALIX ORTHOCORD Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Oct 2, 2018 $6,694 HEALIX ORTHOCORD Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Aug 23, 2018 $6,300 ZILRETTA Consulting FLEXION THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Jul 27, 2018 $6,180 HEALIX ORTHOCORD Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Sep 21, 2018 $5,950 ZILRETTA Consulting FLEXION THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Jan 9, 2018 $5,665 FMS Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Oct 11, 2018 $5,664 HEALIX ORTHOCORD Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jul 5, 2018 $5,000 REGENETEN Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. SCOTT A SIGMAN MD PC
Aug 2, 2018 $4,900 ZILRETTA Consulting FLEXION THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Oct 5, 2018 $4,900 ZILRETTA Consulting FLEXION THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Dec 12, 2018 $4,900 ZILRETTA Consulting FLEXION THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Mar 27, 2018 $4,875 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. SCOTT A SIGMAN MD PC
Jan 25, 2018 $4,637 FMS Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jun 27, 2018 $4,550 ZILRETTA Consulting FLEXION THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Jun 14, 2018 $4,500 ACCUFILL Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, 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/135706

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.